Methods and apparatus to perform speed-enhanced playback of recorded media

1. An apparatus to playback recorded media, the apparatus comprising:

an audio parser to parse an audio frame included in the recorded media to determine a number of skip bytes included in the audio frame; and

a candidate identifier to:

compare the number of skip bytes to a skip bytes threshold;

identify the audio frame as a candidate frame when the number of skip bytes satisfies the skip bytes threshold; and

calculate a speed-enhanced playback rate for the recorded media based on a plurality of candidate frames identified in the recorded media.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the candidate identifier is to sort a plurality of audio frames included in the media based on a number of skip bytes included in corresponding audio frames.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the audio parser is to determine a total number of audio frames included in the recorded media.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 , wherein the candidate identifier is to calculate the speed-enhanced playback rate for the recorded media based on a ratio of (1) the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and (2) a difference of the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and a total number of candidate frames identified in the recorded media.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the candidate identifier is to identify the audio frame as the candidate frame when the number of skip bytes is greater than the skip bytes threshold.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including a target frames selector to calculate a total number of frames to drop during playback of the recorded media based on a target playback rate.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the target frames selector is to calculate the total number of frames to drop based on a difference of (1) a total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and (2) a ratio of the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and the target playback rate.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , further including a frames selector to select candidate frames for dropping based on the total number of frames to drop.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , further including a media renderer to drop the selected candidate frames for dropping during playback of the recorded media.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , further including an audio filter to filter audio discontinuities in response to the media renderer dropping a selected candidate frame during playback of the recorded media.

11. A method to playback recorded media, the method comprising:

parsing, by executing an instruction with a processor, an audio frame included in the recorded media to determine a number of skip bytes included in the audio frame;

identifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, the audio frame as a candidate frame when the number of skip bytes satisfies a skip bytes threshold; and

calculating, by executing an instruction with the processor, a speed-enhanced playback rate for the recorded media based on a plurality of candidate frames identified in the recorded media.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 , further including sorting a plurality of audio frames included in the media based on a number of skip bytes included in the corresponding audio frames.

13. The method as defined in claim 11 , further including determining a total number of audio frames included in the recorded media.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the calculating of the speed-enhanced playback rate for the recorded media includes determining a ratio of (1) the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and (2) a difference of the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and a total number of candidate frames identified in the recorded media.

15. The method as defined in claim 11 , further including calculating a total number of frames to drop during playback of the recorded media based on a target playback rate.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 , wherein the calculating of the total number of frames to drop includes calculating a difference of (1) a total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and (2) a ratio of the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and the target playback rate.

17. The method as defined in claim 15 , further including selecting candidate frames for dropping based on the total number of frames to drop.

18. The method as defined in claim 17 , further including dropping the selected candidate frames for dropping during playback of the recorded media.

19. A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

parse an audio frame included in recorded media to determine (1) a number of skip bytes included in the audio frame and (2) a total number of audio frames included in the recorded media;

identify the audio frame as a candidate frame when the number of skip bytes is greater than a skip bytes threshold; and

calculate a speed-enhanced playback rate for the recorded media based on a ratio of (1) the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and (2) a difference of the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and a total number of candidate frames identified in the recorded media.

20. The tangible machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to:

calculate a total number of frames to drop based on a ratio of (1) the total number of audio frames included in the recorded media and (2) a ratio of the total number of audio frames included in the media and a target playback rate;

select a plurality of candidate frames for dropping based on the total number of frames to drop; and

drop the selected candidate frames for dropping during playback of the recorded media.