Live television playback optimizations
View Patent ↗In embodiments of live television playback optimizations, streaming video content is received for distribution to a client device that is implemented to playback a video content stream for display. The video content stream is associated with a content manifest file that identifies video segments of the video content stream. An input can be received from the client device to switch from the video content stream to a new video content stream, and video segments of the new video content stream are buffered. A new content manifest file that correlates to the buffered video segments of the new video content stream is generated. The new content manifest file can then be published to the client device to indicate that a minimum of buffered video segments have been buffered for distribution to the client device before the minimum of buffered video segments have been buffered.
1. A method comprising:
receiving streaming video content for distribution to a client device that is configured to playback a first video content stream for display, the first video content stream associated with a content manifest file that identifies video segments of the first video content stream, wherein the streaming video content is received as live television content;
receiving a user input from the client device to switch from the first video content stream to a second video content stream;
tuning to discontinue transcoding the first video content stream and begin transcoding the second video content stream for distribution to the client device;
buffering video segments of the second video content stream;
generating a new content manifest file that correlates to the buffered video segments of the second video content stream; and
publishing, by a processor, the new content manifest file to the client device to indicate that at least a minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered for distribution to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have actually been buffered.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the new content manifest file is published to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:
identifying the buffered video segments in the new content manifest file as each new video segment is ready to be downloaded to the client device.
4. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:
communicating the buffered video segments of the second video content stream to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 :
wherein the user input from the client device is received as a television channel change input.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
communicating the streaming video content to the client device via a router configured for wireless communication with the client device.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
regenerating the new content manifest file when the new content manifest file is requested by the client device.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
caching packet identifiers for audio and video of the second video content stream to preclude latency associated with acquisition when switching to the second video content stream.
9. A streaming video content device comprising:
a tuner controller configured to receive a user input from a client device to switch from a first video content stream to a second video content stream, and tune to discontinue transcoding the first video content stream and begin transcoding the second video content stream for distribution to the client device, wherein the first and second video content streams are received as live television content;
a memory buffer configured to receive and buffer video segments of the second video content stream; and
a device controller configured to:
maintain a content manifest file that identifies video segments of the first video content stream;
generate a new content manifest file that correlates to the buffered video segments of the second video content stream; and
publish the new content manifest file to the client device to indicate that at least a minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered for distribution to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have actually been buffered.
10. The streaming video content device as recited in claim 9 wherein the device controller is configured to publish the new content manifest file to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered.
11. The streaming video content device as recited in claim 10 wherein the device controller is configured to identify the buffered video segments in the new content manifest file as each new video segment is ready to be downloaded to the client device.
12. The streaming video content device as recited in claim 10 wherein the device controller is configured to initiate communication of the buffered video segments of the second video content stream to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered.
13. The streaming video content device as recited in claim 9 wherein the input from the client device is received as a television channel change input.
14. The streaming video content device as recited in claim 9 further comprising an HTTP server configured to communicate the buffered video segments as streaming video content to the client device via a router that is configured for wired or wireless communication with the client device.
15. The streaming video content device as recited in claim 9 wherein the device controller is further configured to regenerate the new content manifest file when the new content manifest file is requested by the client device.
16. The streaming video content device as recited in claim 9 wherein the device controller is configured to cache packet identifiers for audio and video of the second video content stream to preclude latency associated with acquisition when switching to the second video content stream.
17. A non-transitory computer readable storage including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving streaming video content for distribution to a client device that is configured to playback a first video content stream for display, the first video content stream associated with a content manifest file that identifies video segments of the first video content stream, wherein the streaming video content is received as live television content;
receiving a user input from a client device to switch from the first video content stream to a second video content stream;
tuning to discontinue transcoding the first video content stream and begin transcoding the second video content stream for distribution to the client device;
buffering video segments of the second video content stream;
generating a content manifest file that correlates to the buffered video segments of the second video content stream; and
publishing, by the processor, the content manifest file to the client device to indicate that at least a minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered for distribution to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage as recited in claim 17 wherein the content manifest file is published to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage as recited in claim 17 , the operations further comprising:
communicating the buffered video segments of the second video content stream to the client device before the minimum of the buffered video segments have been buffered.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage as recited in claim 17 , the operations further comprising:
regenerating the content manifest file when the content manifest file is requested by the client device.