Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.

Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.

Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.

Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.

Abstract: A television navigation device, such as a digital video recorder (DVR), searches for a television channel program lineup in an electronic program guide (EPG) of a service provider that matches the television channel program lineup for what the television navigation device understands to be that of a particular television channel. The television navigation device then assigns the particular television channel to the service provider's channel identifier of the matching television channel the EPG. This channel identifier will then be used by the television navigation device to command the receiving device associated with the service provider to tune to the particular television channel at the appropriate time.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed toward analyzing images of cables or electronic devices to augment those images with information relating to the installation or troubleshooting of such cables and electronic devices. The images are analyzed to determine non-text characteristics of a connector of the cable or non-text characteristics of at least one port on the electronic device. These non-text characteristics can be compared with non-text characteristics of known connectors or ports to determine a type of the connector or a type of the ports on the electronic device. The images are then modified or overlaid with information identifying the type of connector or port.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed toward analyzing images of cables or electronic devices to augment those images with information relating to the installation or troubleshooting of such cables and electronic devices. The images are analyzed to determine non-text characteristics of a connector of the cable or non-text characteristics of at least one port on the electronic device. These non-text characteristics can be compared with non-text characteristics of known connectors or ports to determine a type of the connector or a type of the ports on the electronic device. The images are then modified or overlaid with information identifying the type of connector or port.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed toward analyzing images of cables and electronic devices to augment those images with information relating to the installation or troubleshooting of such cables and electronic devices. The images are analyzed to determine non-text characteristics of a connector of the cable and non-text characteristics of at least one port on the electronic device. These non-text characteristics can be compared to each other to determine if the connector is compatible with one of the ports on the electronic device. Similarly, these non-text characteristics can be compared with non-text characteristics of known connectors and ports to determine a type of the connector and a type of the ports on the electronic device, which is used to determine their compatibility. The images are then modified or overlaid with information identifying the type of connector or port, their compatibility or lack thereof, or instructions for connecting the compatible connector and port.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed toward analyzing images of cables and electronic devices to augment those images with information relating to the installation or troubleshooting of such cables and electronic devices. The images are analyzed to determine non-text characteristics of a connector of the cable and non-text characteristics of at least one port on the electronic device. These non-text characteristics can be compared to each other to determine if the connector is compatible with one of the ports on the electronic device. Similarly, these non-text characteristics can be compared with non-text characteristics of known connectors and ports to determine a type of the connector and a type of the ports on the electronic device, which is used to determine their compatibility. The images are then modified or overlaid with information identifying the type of connector or port, their compatibility or lack thereof, or instructions for connecting the compatible connector and port.

Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed toward analyzing images of cables and electronic devices to augment those images with information relating to the installation or troubleshooting of such cables and electronic devices. The images are analyzed to determine non-text characteristics of a connector of the cable and non-text characteristics of at least one port on the electronic device. These non-text characteristics can be compared to each other to determine if the connector is compatible with one of the ports on the electronic device. Similarly, these non-text characteristics can be compared with non-text characteristics of known connectors and ports to determine a type of the connector and a type of the ports on the electronic device, which is used to determine their compatibility. The images are then modified or overlaid with information identifying the type of connector or port, their compatibility or lack thereof, or instructions for connecting the compatible connector and port.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed toward analyzing images of cables and electronic devices to augment those images with information relating to the installation or troubleshooting of such cables and electronic devices. The images are analyzed to determine non-text characteristics of a connector of the cable and non-text characteristics of at least one port on the electronic device. These non-text characteristics can be compared to each other to determine if the connector is compatible with one of the ports on the electronic device. Similarly, these non-text characteristics can be compared with non-text characteristics of known connectors and ports to determine a type of the connector and a type of the ports on the electronic device, which is used to determine their compatibility. The images are then modified or overlaid with information identifying the type of connector or port, their compatibility or lack thereof, or instructions for connecting the compatible connector and port.

Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.

Abstract: A method for employing a controlled-modification current time value is presented. In the method, the current time value is maintained. Also, requests for modification of the current time value are received. The requests are processed so that the requested modification associated with one of the requests is immediately incorporated into the current time value, and so that the requested modification associated with another one of the requests is not immediately incorporated into the current time value.

Abstract: The systems and methods disclosed transmit a composite channel to a receiver. The composite channel may be a static channel that contains different original channels of content in different locations on a displayed page, or may be a dynamic channel that is processed by the receiver to display a multiple different video streams on a single display device.

Abstract: Presented herein is a method of blocking user-selected media content, such as, for example, audio and/or video content. In the method, at least one media content stream is presented to a user, wherein the at least one media content stream includes multiple showings of an identifiable contiguous segment of media content. One example of such a segment may be a commercial or advertisement. While presenting a current showing of the segment of media content to the user, a command is received from a user to block the segment of media content from presentation to the user. In response to receiving the command, information identifying the segment of media content is generated. The at least one media content stream is analyzed using the information to detect subsequent showings of the segment of media content. Presentation of at least one of the subsequent showings of the segment of media content is prevented when detected in the at least one media content stream.

Abstract: Media rich content server systems and methods are operable to provide access to supplemental media rich content at a portable media device. An exemplary embodiment communicatively couples a portable media device to a media device that initially receives a media content stream comprising at least one supplemental media rich content trigger, wherein the supplemental media rich content trigger includes access information configured to access at least one media rich content server; receives a portion of the media content stream with the supplemental media rich content trigger at the portable media device; establishes a communication link between the portable media device and the media rich content server based upon the access information in the received supplemental media rich content trigger; receives supplemental media rich content from the media rich content server; and presents at least the received supplemental media rich content on a display of the portable media device.

Abstract: A television navigation device, such as a digital video recorder (DVR), searches for a television channel program lineup in an electronic program guide (EPG) of a service provider that matches the television channel program lineup for what the television navigation device understands to be that of a particular television channel. The television navigation device then assigns the particular television channel to the service provider's channel identifier of the matching television channel the EPG. This channel identifier will then be used by the television navigation device to command the receiving device associated with the service provider to tune to the particular television channel at the appropriate time.

Abstract: A method for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements may include receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change (e.g., a change from a skip or fast-forward mode to a pause or rewind mode) occurring during playing of a media content segment such as a television program or movie. The method then proceeds to associate the playback mode change with a sub-segment of the television program, such as an advertisement or commercial, and a level of interest of a user in the advertisement or commercial is determined based on the associated content playback mode change. An item, such as an advertisement or promotional offer can be selected to be presented to the user based on the determined level of interest of the user in the advertisement or commercial. Systems for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements include devices and components configured to perform or enable such methods.

Abstract: Presented herein is a method of blocking user-selected media content, such as, for example, audio and/or video content. In the method, at least one media content stream is presented to a user, wherein the at least one media content stream includes multiple showings of an identifiable contiguous segment of media content. One example of such a segment may be a commercial or advertisement. While presenting a current showing of the segment of media content to the user, a command is received from a user to block the segment of media content from presentation to the user. In response to receiving the command, information identifying the segment of media content is generated. The at least one media content stream is analyzed using the information to detect subsequent showings of the segment of media content. Presentation of at least one of the subsequent showings of the segment of media content is prevented when detected in the at least one media content stream.