SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REPLACING A STORED VERSION OF MEDIA WITH A VERSION BETTER SUITED FOR A USER

1 . A method comprising:

accessing a first version of a media asset;

receiving information on a plurality of media assets;

determining that a second version of the media asset is available based on the received information;

identifying a first set of characteristics of the first version of the media asset and a second set of characteristics of the second version of the media asset, wherein the first set of characteristics and the second set of characteristics include corresponding characteristics that are different between the first version of the media asset and the second version of the media asset;

determining that the second set of characteristics better matches a default recording option; and

based at least in part on determining that the second set of characteristics better matches the default recording option, providing access to the second version of the media asset.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

extracting a first plurality of characteristics associated with the first version of the media asset, and a second plurality of characteristics associated with the second version of the media asset;

comparing each characteristic in the second plurality of characteristics with a corresponding characteristic in the first plurality of characteristics;

generating, based on the comparing, the first set of characteristics, wherein the first set of characteristics includes one or more characteristics in the first plurality that do not match one or more corresponding characteristics in the second plurality of characteristics;

generating, based on the comparing, the second set of characteristics, wherein the second set of characteristics includes one or more characteristics in the second plurality of characteristics that do not match one or more corresponding characteristics in the first plurality of characteristics;

comparing the first set of characteristics with user preferences for versions of media assets and the second set of characteristics with the user preferences for versions of media assets; and

determining, based on comparing the first set of characteristics with the user preferences and the second set with the user preferences, that the user prefers versions of media assets that match the second set of characteristics.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein extracting the first plurality of characteristics associated with the first version of the media asset, and the second plurality of characteristics associated with the second version of the media asset comprises:

generating a first data structure for the first version of the media asset and a second data structure for the second version of the media asset, wherein the first data structure includes a first plurality of fields and the second data structure include a second plurality of fields;

iterating through metadata associated with the first version of the media asset to insert the first plurality of characteristics associated with the first version of the media asset into corresponding fields of the first plurality of fields; and

iterating through metadata associated with the second version of the media asset to insert the second plurality of characteristics associated with the second version of the media asset into corresponding fields of the second plurality of fields.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein comparing each characteristic in the second plurality of characteristics with the corresponding characteristic in the first plurality of characteristics comprises:

selecting a first field in the first plurality of fields;

determining an information type associated with the first field;

comparing the information type associated with the first field with an information type of each field in the second data structure;

identifying, based on comparing the information type associated with the first field with the information type of each field in the second data structure, a second field in the second data structure, wherein the second field is of the information type associated with the first field; and

comparing data in the first field with the data in the second field.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein generating the first set of characteristics comprises:

determining, for each field in the first plurality of fields a corresponding field in the second plurality of fields;

comparing, for each field in the first plurality of fields, a field's data with a field's data associated with the corresponding field in the second plurality of fields;

determining, based on comparing, for each field in the first plurality of fields, the field's data with the field's data of the corresponding field in the second plurality of fields, whether each field's data in the first plurality of fields matches the corresponding field's data in the second plurality of fields; and

storing a field identifier for each field in the first plurality of fields where the field's data does not match the field's data of the corresponding field in the second plurality of fields.

6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that a user has created a new scheduled recording for a media asset;

determining, for each recording option, of the new scheduled recording whether each recording option constitutes a change from a default recording option; and

storing, in a user's profile, for each recording option that constitutes the change from the default recording option, an indication that the change from the default recording option occurred.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining that a first recording option that constitutes a change is different from a recording option of a same type that is stored in the user's profile; and

based at least in part on determining that the first recording option that constitutes the change is different from the recording option of the same type that is stored in the user's profile:

retrieving a hardware resource associated with the first recording option; and

determining whether the hardware resource is associated with a temporary restriction preventing the user from selecting the recording option of the same type that is stored in the user's profile.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining that the first recording option that constitutes the change is different from a recording option that is stored in the user's profile, wherein the first recording option and the recording option that is stored in the user's profile are both of a first type;

based at least in part on determining that the first recording option that constitutes the change is different from the recording option that is stored in the user's profile, generating for display (1) an indication of the first recording option, (2) an indication of the recording option that is stored in the user's profile, and (3) a plurality of user selectable options, wherein each user selectable option indicates a reason for the change; and

based at least in part on a user selection of a user selection option of the plurality of user selectable options, updating the user's profile with the user selectable option.

9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

selecting a first type of recording option;

determining, for the first type of recording option, that the user's profile includes a plurality of indications each indicating that a change from the default recording option occurred;

determining, based on the plurality of indications a number of changes for each recording option of the first type of recording option; and

setting the user's preference for the type of recording option to a recording option with a highest number of changes.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein comparing the first set of characteristics with the user preferences for versions of media assets and the second set of characteristics with the user preferences for versions of media assets comprises:

determining that a first characteristic of a first type in the first set of characteristics does not match the user preferences for the first type of characteristic;

determining that a second characteristic of the first type in the second set of characteristics does not match the user preferences for the first type of characteristic;

retrieving an ordered list associated with the first type of characteristics;

determining, based on the ordered list, whether the user's preference for the first type of characteristic is closer to the first characteristic or to the second characteristic; and

based at least in part on determining that the user's preference for the first type of characteristic is closer to the first characteristic than to the second characteristic, increasing a preference score associated with the first version of the media asset.

11 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that a user is consuming media; and

based at least in part on determining both that (1) the user is consuming media and (2) that the second version of the media asset is available, generating for display an indication that the second version is available, wherein the indication includes a summary of characteristics that are different between the first version and the second version.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first set of characteristics comprises a characteristic of censored or uncensored, the second set of characteristics comprises a characteristic of censored or uncensored, and the default recording option is a censored option or an uncensored option.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second version of the media asset is a newly available media asset.

14 . A system comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

access a first version of a media asset;

receive information on a plurality of media assets;

determine that a second version of the media asset is available based on the received information;

identify a first set of characteristics of the first version of the media asset and a second set of characteristics of the second version of the media asset, wherein the first set of characteristics and the second set of characteristics include corresponding characteristics that are different between the first version of the media asset and the second version of the media asset;

determine that the second set of characteristics better matches a default recording option; and

based at least in part on determining that the second set of characteristics better matches the default recording option, provide access to the second version of the media asset.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

extract a first plurality of characteristics associated with the first version of the media asset, and a second plurality of characteristics associated with the second version of the media asset;

compare each characteristic in the second plurality of characteristics with a corresponding characteristic in the first plurality of characteristics;

generate, based on the comparing, the first set of characteristics, wherein the first set of characteristics includes one or more characteristics in the first plurality that do not match one or more corresponding characteristics in the second plurality of characteristics;

generate, based on the comparing, the second set of characteristics, wherein the second set of characteristics includes one or more characteristics in the second plurality that do not match one or more corresponding characteristics in the first plurality of characteristics;

compare the first set of characteristics with user preferences for versions of media assets and the second set of characteristics with the user preferences for versions of media assets; and

determine, based on comparing the first set of characteristics with the user preferences and the second set with the user preferences, that the user prefers versions of media assets that match the second set of characteristics.

16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the second version of the media asset is a newly available media asset.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to extract the first plurality of characteristics associated with the first version of the media asset, and the second plurality of characteristics associated with the second version of the media asset by:

generating a first data structure for the first version of the media asset and a second data structure for the second version of the media asset, wherein the first data structure includes a first plurality of fields and the second data structure include a second plurality of fields;

iterating through metadata associated with the first version of the media asset to insert the first plurality of characteristics associated with the first version of the media asset into corresponding fields of the first plurality of fields; and

iterating through metadata associated with the second version of the media asset to insert the second plurality of characteristics associated with the second version of the media asset into corresponding fields of the second plurality of fields.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to compare each characteristic in the second plurality of characteristics with the corresponding characteristic in the first plurality of characteristics by:

selecting a first field in the first plurality of fields;

determining an information type associated with the first field;

comparing the information type associated with the first field with an information type of each field in the second data structure;

identifying, based on comparing the information type associated with the first field with the information type of each field in the second data structure, a second field in the second data structure, wherein the second field is of the information type associated with the first field; and

comparing data in the first field with the data in the second field.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate the first set of characteristics by:

determining, for each field in the first plurality of fields a corresponding field in the second plurality of fields;

comparing, for each field in the first plurality of fields, a field's data with a field's data

associated with the corresponding field in the second plurality of fields;

determining, based on comparing, for each field in the first plurality of fields, the field's data with the field's data of the corresponding field in the second plurality of fields, whether each field's data in the first plurality of fields matches the corresponding field's data in the second plurality of fields; and

storing a field identifier for each field in the first plurality of fields where the field's data does not match the field's data of the corresponding field in the second plurality of fields.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine that a user has created a new scheduled recording for a media asset;

determine, for each recording option, of the new scheduled recording whether each recording option constitutes a change from a default recording option; and

store, in a user's profile, for each recording option that constitutes the change from the default recording option, an indication that the change from the default recording option occurred.