In-stream controls for national video distribution
Systems and methods are described for delivering regional content for a lineup over a national network. A content provider may select a particular regional broadcast for inclusion in a regional service lineup. The content provider may be able to broadcast multiple, or even all, services nationally. At regional distribution centers, a multiplexer may select only those services that are desired for the region in response to in-stream signals. In some instances, a single region-specific version of a given service may be selected from multiple versions broadcasted nationally. The regional lineup, including the selected services, can then be multiplexed and transmitted to customers throughout the region.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first multiplexer, one or more streams for a slot in a service lineup,
detecting, by the first multiplexer, that the one or more streams comprise multiplexing instructions, wherein the multiplexing instructions comprise a region code;
determining, by the first multiplexer, that the region code corresponds to a region associated with the first multiplexer;
detecting, by the first multiplexer, that the multiplexing instructions comprise a switch now instruction;
in response to detecting that the multiplexing instructions comprise a switch now instruction; determining, by the first multiplexer, a content identifier associated with the switch now instruction;
identifying, by the first multiplexer, a first stream associated with the content identifier; and
transmitting, by the first multiplexer, the service lineup comprising the determined first stream associated with the content identifier.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the first multiplexer, that the first stream associated with the content identifier is one of the one or more streams received by the first multiplexer.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising in response to identifying a first stream associated with the content identifier, changing an output feed provided by one or more pumping processes to provide the first stream associated with the content identifier.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising storing a description of the changing of the output feed in a log.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the first multiplexer, that the first stream associated with the content identifier is located in a local storage; and
inserting, by the first multiplexer, the first stream from the local storage into the service lineup.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiplexing instructions comprise in-stream messaging.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the in-stream messaging comprises a Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) 35 protocol command.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining, by the first multiplexer, that the region code corresponds to a region associated with the first multiplexer comprises comparing a region identifier provided by a scheduler with the SCTE 35 protocol command.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first stream has a constant bitrate less than or equal to a minimum bitrate of another stream of the received one or more streams with a variable bit rate.
10. An apparatus, comprising:
control circuitry; and
at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the control circuitry, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
receive one or more streams for a slot in a service lineup,
detect that the one or more streams comprise multiplexing instructions, wherein the multiplexing instructions comprise a region code;
determine that the region code corresponds to a region associated with the apparatus;
detect that the multiplexing instructions comprise a switch now instruction;
in response to detecting that the multiplexing instructions comprise a switch now instruction; determine a content identifier associated with the switch now instruction;
identify a first stream associated with the content identifier; and
transmit the service lineup comprising the determined first stream associated with the content identifier.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to determine that the first stream associated with the content identifier is one of the one or more streams.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to change an output feed provided by one or more pumping processes to provide the first stream associated with the content identifier in response to identifying a first stream associated with the content identifier.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to store a description of the changing of the output feed in a log.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to
determine that the first stream associated with the content identifier is located in a local storage; and
insert the first stream from the local storage into the service lineup.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the multiplexing instructions comprise in-stream messaging.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the in-stream messaging comprises a Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) 35 protocol command.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is further caused, when determining that the region code corresponds to a region associated with the apparatus, to compare a region identifier provided by a scheduler with the SCTE 35 protocol command.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first stream has a constant bitrate less than or equal to a minimum bitrate of another stream of the received one or more streams with a variable bit rate.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by control circuitry, cause the control circuitry to:
receive one or more streams for a slot in a service lineup,
detect that the one or more streams comprise multiplexing instructions, wherein the multiplexing instructions comprise a region code;
determine that the region code corresponds to a region associated with a multiplexer;
detect that the multiplexing instructions comprise a switch now instruction;
in response to detecting that the multiplexing instructions comprise a switch now instruction; determine a content identifier associated with the switch now instruction;
identify a first stream associated with the content identifier; and
transmit the service lineup comprising the determined first stream associated with the content identifier.