Abstract: Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed. An example system of client devices, includes a first client device comprising: programmable circuitry; a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed or instantiated by the programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations including: receiving a datagram using User Datagram Protocol (UDP) from a server device, the datagram corresponding to a media segment of a media stream; after receiving the datagram, transmitting a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) communication including a request for the media segment; and responsive to transmitting the HTTP communication, receiving metadata corresponding to the media segment from the server device.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed. An example system includes programmable circuitry; a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed or instantiated by the programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations, comprising: forming a data structure representing a request to a content provider for a media stream; modifying the data structure to represent a request to a local manager for the media stream, the modified request data structure including an address corresponding to the local manager; transmitting a request to the local manager as a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request, the request based on the modified data structure; and receiving a response from the local manager as a user datagram protocol (UDP) stream.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed to synchronize media playback at devices in a multicast environment. Disclosed is a system to synchronize media playback, the system comprising programmable circuitry, and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed or instantiated by the programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations, comprising transmitting, using a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), a first request in a first HTTP message to a first client device and to a second client device, receiving, from the first client device in response to the first request.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a local server coupled to a plurality of client devices. The local server may receive encrypted content from one or more content sources and provide the content to the client devices. The local server and client devices may be part of a multi-client environment such as a hotel or conference center. The local server does not decrypt and re-encrypt content, thereby allowing the use of low cost equipment. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed to synchronize media playback at devices in a multicast environment. Disclosed is a system to synchronize media playback, the system comprising programmable circuitry, and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed or instantiated by the programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations, comprising transmitting, using a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), a first request in a first HTTP message to a first client device and to a second client device, receiving, from the first client device in response to the first request.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a first hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) communication, the first HTTP communication including a first request for a media segment from a first client device; transmitting metadata in a second HTTP communication to the first client device, the metadata corresponding to the media segment; transmitting a datagram using User Datagram Protocol (UDP), the datagram transmitted to the first client device and a second client device, the first client device and the second client device causing presentation of a same media stream; receiving a third HTTP communication after the transmissions, the third HTTP communication including a second request for the media segment, the third HTTP communication from the second client device; and transmitting, by executing an instruction with a processor, the metadata in a fourth HTTP communication to the second client device.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a local server coupled to a plurality of client devices. The local server may receive encrypted content from one or more content sources and provide the content to the client devices. The local server and client devices may be part of a multi-client environment such as a hotel or conference center. The local server does not decrypt and re-encrypt content, thereby allowing the use of low cost equipment. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining media content from a media content server located outside a customer premises, in response to receiving a first request for the media content from a first media processor of a group of media processors. Further embodiments can include receiving a first plurality of requests for the media content from a first portion of the group of media processors within a first time period over the second communication network, and multicasting the media content to each of the first media processor and the first portion of the group of media processors over the second communication network. Each of the first media processor and the first portion of the group of media processors presents the media content to a respective display. Other embodiments are disclosed.