SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROGRAM SOURCE DISPLAY

1 . A system for displaying a program source indicator, comprising:

a memory configured to store non-transitory computer readable instructions; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, when executing the non-transitory computer readable instructions, is configured to:

receive metadata associated with a program accessible from a first program source and from a second program source, wherein the metadata identifies the first program source and the second program source;

compare an efficiency of claying the program from the first program source and from the second program source wherein comparing the efficiency incudes source; and

based on the comparison of the efficiency, retrieve the program source indicator associated with a most efficient service provider, wherein the most efficient service provider is either the first program source or the second program source.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metadata comprises content information associated with the program.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to display a program source indicator based on the content information associated with the program.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the program is at least one of: a channel, a broadcast media item, a movie, a television show, a video clip, and an Internet streaming media item.

5 . The system of claim 32 , wherein the processor is further configured to change at least one display characteristic of the program source indicator.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one display characteristic is at least one of: a translucence level, a color, a size, a font type, a position, a duration of display, and a file type.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the file type of the program source indicator may be at least one of: JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, SVG, and APNG.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to change the at least one display characteristic of the program source indicator based on the content information associated with the program.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to select the program within an electronic programming guide, and wherein selecting the program within the electronic programing guide comprises scrolling in a list within the electronic programming guide, wherein the list comprises a plurality of programs.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive metadata associated with the plurality of programs within the list of the electronic programming guide.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metadata comprises at least one source identifier, and wherein the at least one source identifier comprises at least one of: an Internet-streaming service, a broadband TV service, a satellite TV service, and a DVR.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to analyze a usage of the at least one source identifier, wherein the usage comprises at least one of: a bandwidth usage, a tuner utilization, and a throughput usage.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to select the program source indicator based on the usage of the at least one source identifier.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to display the program source indicator within the electronic programming guide for a temporary time duration.

15 . A method for displaying a program source indicator comprising:

receiving metadata associated with a program accessible from a first program source and from a second program source, wherein the metadata identifies the first program source and the second program source;

comparing an efficiency of playing the program from the first program source and from the second program source wherein comparing the efficiency includes a load-balance determination between the first program source and the second program source; and

based on the comparison of the efficiency, retrieving the program source indicator associated with a most efficient service provider, wherein the most efficient service provider is either the first program source or the second program source.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the metadata source comprises content information associated with the program, and wherein the content information associated with the program comprises a primary focus area.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising displaying the program source indicator in an area opposite of the primary focus area.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the program comprises at least one of: a channel, a broadcast media item, a movie, a television show, a video clip, and an Internet streaming media item.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the metadata comprises at least one source identifier, and wherein the at least one source identifier comprises at least one of: an Internet-streaming service, a broadband TV service, a satellite TV service, and a DVR.

20 . A computer-readable media storing non-transitory computer executable instructions that when executed cause a computing system to perform a method for displaying a program source indicator comprising:

receiving metadata associated with a program accessible from a first program source and from a second program source, wherein the metadata identifies the first program source and the second program source;

comparing an efficiency of playing the program from the first program source and from the second program source, wherein comparing the efficiency incudes a load-balance determination between the first program source and the second program source; and

based on the comparison of the efficiency, retrieving the program source indicator associated with a most efficient service provider, wherein the most efficient service provider is either the first program source or the second program source.