Playback Synchronization via Network Time Server
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adaptive streaming solutions struggle to synchronize the playback of streamed media content across multiple playback devices connected to a local network, leading to noticeable delays and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The method involves a playback device requesting and receiving time information from a network time provider, setting a playback clock, and adjusting presentation time information for frames of streamed content based on received playback information, which is then broadcast to other devices on the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If adaptive streaming solutions are used for media playback, then playback quality and adaptability to network conditions are improved, but synchronization across multiple playback devices deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A timing server is introduced as an intermediary component that receives timing requests from multiple playback devices and distributes synchronized timing information to all devices. This mediator enables all devices to reference a common time source, resolving the synchronization problem while maintaining adaptive streaming capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where playback devices send timing requests to the timing server, which responds with timing information that devices use to adjust their playback. This closed-loop feedback ensures continuous synchronization across devices while allowing adaptive bitrate streaming to proceed independently.
2Reliability
If manual control is used to synchronize playback on multiple devices, then synchronization can be achieved, but time consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Playback devices automatically perform synchronization by sending timing requests to the timing server and adjusting their playback based on received timing information. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention, allowing users to simply launch the application and have synchronization handled automatically in the background.
3Device complexity
If playback devices operate independently without centralized timing, then device autonomy and simplicity are maintained, but playback synchronization across devices deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the timing function across multiple independent devices by having them all reference a common timing server. This combines the timing resources into a centralized authority while allowing playback devices to remain relatively simple and autonomous in their playback operations, achieving both synchronization and device simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for synchronizing the playback of streamed content on multiple playback devices is disclosed. The systems and methods include receiving time information based on a network time source in the playback devices connected to a defined network. The playback clock in each playback device is set based upon the time information. A first playback device then generates presentation time information including a start time for playback and broadcast the presentation time information to the other playback device over the defined network. The playback devices use the presentation time information to adjust the presentation time stamps of the frames of the media content in the stream.