This weekend I went and spent some time hacking some code at the “NBC Universal Hackathon” and trying it out new ideas, meeting new friends, and learning a ton on many technological aspects and innovating. The particular problem that we decided to to solve was the irrelevance aspects of current TV and how more interactive could it be with current technologies. The way to solve it thru a collaborative experience where users can interact with their phones and cameras with the video shown on screen.The team was composed by: Satya, Paul Valdez, Juan Gus, Myself, and Chris.What we did what simple, we could create a website that could have a canvas that could be treated with effects, add the TV/Video feeds into it and that distribute the content using a platform like “Cloud to Cable TV” to cable operators or OTT/IPTV systems.Cloud to Cable TVThe solution required a few items to be setup and configured:
RTMP Server or WebRTC Setup to receive video feeds from Smartphones or your laptop,
FFMPEG to encode, compress, and publish video/audio feeds
A web application in Python to map each feed and position it on top of the TV Channel video source (assuming an M3U8 feed or a movie in MP4)
With this in place, it is a matter compiling CRTMP, FFMPEG, and we tried other components as Deep Learning such as the “Deep Fakes” project. The idea that we had was to replace one of the actors image, as well as superimposed our live feeds into the video.Issues:
The safari browser doesn’t allow you to play content with autoplay features, meaning that the user MUST initiate a playback. If SAFARI sees or detects that onLoad the content autoplays this fails.
There are issues with SAFARI and dynamically loading the content and video.oncanplaythrough() is required to be added to the javascript.
The live feeds had a delay of about 30-40seconds, as it had to:
Convert and push from mobile phone to RTMP Server,
Grab RTMP Stream and send it as an m3u8 encoded file to the website.
The standard CRTMP Screen would look like and connections from Gus and Pablo successfully took place:
The Mobile App published an RTMP Stream to the server under /live/pablo and /live/gus. The demo video on what it will look like:https://vimeo.com/299048743Screen capture in Vimeo using SafariFor screen capturing in a Mac with FFMPEG with 3 screens, list your devices and capturing to avoid any MOOV issues and useless MOV/MP4 files.
The presentation we made to the judges at the “NBC Universal Hackathon” can be found here:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1sKAvnC-Y-KHu2qclulH2Fp-8yWvTslq6bLaocyEgtfQ/edit?usp=sharingThe source code consists on an HTML site using DOM objects, video source, and a canvas. As shown, the video is hidden it is native format in ways that you can use canvas drawing to copy the video from the “src” in m3u8, MOV, MP4 or whatever format your browser can handle to the canvas. The canvas is then the placeholder for all the overlays and divs. The idea with the canvas is that messages can then by typed and exchange between users, as a WhatsApp application or any other chat application that uses the canvas.
var canvas = document.getElementById("c");
var context = canvas.getContext("2d");
window.onload = function() {
// document.getElementById("fb-profile").style.display = "none";
var canvas = document.getElementById("c");
var context = canvas.getContext("2d");
// grab the video element
// var video = document.getElementById("v");
// drawVideo(context, video, canvas.width, canvas.height);
// calls drawVideo() function, passing all the objects
}
var splayer = {};
function showIt(id, url, hideOrNot) {
console.log(id+" "+url+ " setting it to " +hideOrNot);
splayer["v_"+id] = document.getElementById("v_"+id);
document.getElementById(id).style.display = hideOrNot;
if (document.getElementById(id).style.display == "none" ) {
document.getElementById(id).style.display = "block";
var vId = "vsrc_"+id;
console.log("playing "+vId + " "+url);
document.getElementById(vId).src = url;
if (splayer["v_"+id].paused) {
console.log("Video paused.... ");
splayer["v_"+id].load();
splayer["v_"+id].oncanplaythrough = function() {
splayer["v_"+id].play();
};
} else {
console.log("Video is playing already...");
}
} else {
console.log(" Stopping .... v_"+id);
splayer["v_"+id].pause();
document.getElementById(id).style.display="none";
}
}
var player = document.getElementById("v");
function ChangeHarry(){
console.log("Playing Harry Potter.... ");
document.getElementById("vsrc_main").src = "http://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/teleportme/videos/HarryPotterClip.mp4";
player.load();
player.play();
drawVideo(context, player, canvas.width, canvas.height);
}
function ChangeQueen(){
console.log("Playing Queen of the South ... ");
player.pause();
document.getElementById("vsrc_main").src="http://96.71.39.58/queen0.mp4";
player.load();
player.play();
// drawVideo(context, player, canvas.width, canvas.height);
}
setTimeout(function() {
showIt ("first", "https://mediamplify.com/teleport/iwantharry.mp4", "none");
setTimeout(ChangeHarry, 6000);
} , 2000 );
setTimeout(function() {
showIt ("first", "https://mediamplify.com/teleport/iwantharry.mp4", "block");
}, 8000 );
setTimeout(showIt, 5000, "second", "http://96.71.39.58/live/pablo.m3u8", "none");
setTimeout(showIt, 6000, "third", "http://96.71.39.58/live/gus.m3u8", "none");
console.log("Starting changing stuff");
setTimeout(function() {
console.log("Preeping to switch to Queen of the South" );
showIt ("first", "https://mediamplify.com/teleport/iwantqueen.mp4", "none");
}, 13000);
setTimeout(showIt, 15000, "third", "http://96.71.39.58/live/pablo.m3u8", "none");
setTimeout(showIt, 15010, "second", "http://96.71.39.58/live/gus.m3u8" , "none");
// setTimeout(showIt, 20000, "third", "http://96.71.39.58/live/gus.m3u8", "none");
setTimeout(function() {
console.log("Queen of the South");
ChangeQueen();
showIt("first", "", "block");
}, 19000);
function fbProfile() {
var x = document.getElementById("fb-profile");
if (x.style.display === "none") {
x.style.display = "block";
} else {
x.style.display = "none";
}
}
function drawVideo(context, video, width, height) {
context.drawImage(video, 0, 0, width, height); // draws current video frame to canvas
var delay = 100; // milliseconds delay for slowing framerate
setTimeout(drawVideo, delay, context, video, width, height); // recursively calls drawVideo() again after delay
}
For a functional demo, 1st allow the site to play video in autoplay:Update your settings in SAFARI
We didn’t win the “NBC Universal Hackathon” but had a ton of fun doing it!. We failed in the presentation, it was only 3 minutes and our presenter disappeared in the last minute, and Gus improvised and didn’t use all the time provided by the judges. We knew we were done when no questions were asked. …. Anyways!!! You cannot always win.
Music Choice vs Stingray Digital – Case 2:16-cv-586-JRG-RSP
vs.
We will discuss in the article, the judge’s order (Judge Roy Payne) and memorandum regarding all the claims terms and its construction. As expected, the judge went for:
“[C]laims ‘must be read in view of the specification, of which they are a part.’” Id. (quoting Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc., 52 F.3d 967, 979 (Fed. Cir. 1995) (en banc)). “[T]he specification ‘is always highly relevant to the claim construction analysis.
As in many cases, this was also the case as well, here the order/memorandum available online:
As shown, in all cases where Music Choice made a simple term definition, Judge Payne went for the simplest and more appropriate meaning to the words. Music Choice won pretty much all terms in their favor and in all “indefinite” arguments did not move an inch in favor of Stingray. Hence the judge also sided with Music Choice’s arguments and claim construction. For instance:
What was the goal on trying to interpret a Cable TV system as it if was not a digital system? I don’t really understand why Greenberg did not agree to this simple term? And the judge sided with Music Choice: “Accordingly, the Court rejects Defendants’ proposed “not a digital network” and “signal” limitations and determines the transmission-system terms have their plain and ordinary meaning without the need for further construction.” The claim recites a first transmission and a second transmission system,
The same thing with “multicast,” this is a well-known term in all Cable TV systems, where multicasting is used to transmit all Linear TV signals. “Accordingly, the Court rejects Defendants’ proposed “not a digital network” and “signal” limitations and determines the transmission-system terms have their plain and ordinary meaning without the need for further construction.”
A very similar analysis is found with the term “trigger message” where the judge sided with the same simple meaning as follows:” Accordingly, the Court construes “trigger message” as follows: “trigger message” means “message configured to initiate an action”
And you can find a very similar argument for most of the terms in dispute.
All the evidence is sealed and there is no way to see exactly how these terms match the device in dispute, however, Music Choice’s attorneys should be prepared and if those terms were favorable to them, now one can asume that their evidence to match these terms is solid.
We will keep track on this case and how this develops, on a different note, Music Choice also got hit by Stingray with several IPRs:
Music Choice then has to defend the following IPR cases filed by Stingray Digital regarding this particular case:
Trial Number – IPR2017-01450 Filing Date – 5/18/2017 Patent # – 9,414,121 Title – SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AN ON-DEMAND ENTERTAINMENT SERVICE Patent Owner – MUSIC CHOICE Petitioner – Stingray Digital Group Inc. Tech Center – 2400
Trial Number – IPR2017-01192 Filing Date – 3/31/2017 Patent # – 8,769,602 Title – SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN INTERACTIVE, VISUAL COMPLEMENT TO AN AUDIO PROGRAM Patent Owner – MUSIC CHOICE Petitioner – Stingray Digital Group Inc. Tech Center – 2400
Trial Number – IPR2017-01191 Filing Date – 3/30/2017 Patent # – 9,351,045 Title – SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A BROADCAST ENTERTAINMENT SERVICE AND AN ON-DEMAND ENTERTAINMENT SERVICE Patent Owner – MUSIC CHOICE Petitioner – Stingray Digital Group Inc. Tech Center – 2400
And maybe others http://www.gbpatent.com/content/uploads/IPR.pdf
Disclosure: EGLA, which I own, provided a platform for DMX for digital music distribution. Stingray acquired DMX Music but not our technology and kept its own music delivery system, the infringing system now. However, EGLA owns a patented technology that is called “CLOUD to CABLE TV“ that enables delivery of linear music channels to Cable TV subscribers in a more clever, fault-tolerant, and efficient way than these patents disputed here. Source: http://edwinhernandez.com/2016/08/01/platform-nternet-tv-music/
Patent for MediaPlug for the Cloud to Cable TV – WIPO Format
EGLA CORP has a patented technology, superior to all the patented technologies out there, that brings the Cloud -based systems and generated images for music and TV channels that can be overlapped. The Cloud to Cable TV system provides:
A system to convert HTML5 to Video, MPEG-4 or MPEG2Video, or H.265
A fault-tolerant system for MVPD and MSO’s – Cable TV Systems
Streaming for M3U8, HTTP Streaming, and compatible with other technologies
Virtualized TV in a box system with Cloud
The device is called MediaPlug and also contains other Management APIs, as well as a good implementation tested with:
Cisco
Ericsson
Huawei
and Many other multi-plexers
Advantages over all other systems
There is no dependency into any Set Top Box or DOCSIS 2.0, DOCSIS 3.0, or other MPEG frames or dependencies in changes to STB.
All the systems, are fault-tolerant and enable great reliability and remote management system for all distribution devices
Uses standard DSL/Cable Modem technologies with the system to deliver 50, 100, 200 music channels, and 10-20 HD/SD/4K TV Channels.
Many more advantages that are benefit DRM security, provisioning, and tracking for media playback.
[spiderpowa-pdf src=”http://edwinhernandez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/WO2016106360.pdf”]WO2016106360, however the right set of sighted is attached and is corrected in the US/Europe and other applications.
Cloud to Cable TV White paper [spiderpowa-pdf src=”http://edwinhernandez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/cloudtocable_whitepaperl.pdf”]cloudtocable_whitepaperl
A Cloud to Cable TV™ Platform for Music, TV, and Video
Dr. Edwin A. Hernandez Chief Technology Officer – EGLA COMMUNICATIONS
Mediamplify® is the one stop shop multi-platform media distribution for web, mobile, and Cable TV systems. Mediamplify® enables a cloud-based infrastructure to be connected with Cable TV head ends or Multi-System Operators (MSOs), just as Comcast, AT&T, CLARO, TIGO Home, among thousands of Cable/Satellite systems around the world with over 1 Billion viewers.
As such, EGLA’s has coined the term “Cloud to Cable™” which means that content available in that cloud platform can also be broadcasted to Cable TV as well seamlessly and with minimum Cable TV content can also be available in the cloud and to any connected device, all in one unified platform, Mediamplify®.
Mediamplify® is the platform that merges the cloud and Cable TV facilitating the offering of TV and Video Cable TV content in mobile devices and any other connected platforms as well as delivering Music, Video, and TV content commonly available in connected devices and mobile to Cable TV systems.
What is Cloud to Cable™?
Cloud to Cable™ is a patent-pending technology that brings HTML5 generated content to a cable operator head end in the format and reliability required in a traditional MSO. Hence, any HTML5 website or service with video, TV, social media, can be broadcasted to a Cable Operator without major technological challenges.
The content is created in a HTML or HTML5 compatible webpage that can include Javascript or any other web-enabled technology.
The Cloud to Cable™ Music Platform uses the power of the cloud to scale and create server instances that handle music/audio playlist management, music encoding, playlist, Digital Rights Management (DRM), while delivering audio with the highest quality assurance. Additionally, metadata and Application Programing Interfaces (APIs) assist with the development of mobile applications to stream music from multiple music genres that are mastered by a DJ, a machine learning algorithm, or created by end users.
Broadcasting to Cable TV™
Our Cloud to Cable TV™ technology includes a cloud storage platform and all the required software and intelligence to broadcast content from the cloud to any cable TV operator. Once content, playlists, and music are available in our cloud the music is delivered to the Cable TV headed to our edge servers co-located in the cable operator premises.
Streaming to Web, Mobile, and Connected Devices (Internet TV)
The music available in Medianplify® can be streamed to mobile devices, web, tablets, Smart TVs and any connected devices such as the Chromecast® and Apple TV®. Internet TV is a reality with Mediamplify.
The same music selection is also available in any of our mobile applications: MEVIA (iOS and Android) that includes TV/Video, and Safety, or Mediamplify Music™. On the web, music playlists are used to create a web interface with HTML5 content that can also be injected into a Cable TV broadcast.
Mediamplify® can also be integrated to third party applications using a JSON / REST API interface. As examples of third party developers, we can mention SKY TUNES and DMX2GO.
Mobile Applications for Music
The music application reference implementation of iPhone is customizable providing a great User Interface (UI), Bluetooth Audio, Metadata Integration, as well as social support. Our mobile software is flexible and portable.
MEVIA : Internet TV with a Mobile Application for TV, Video, and Safety
MEVIA brings together video, music, and safety all in one mobile experience. MEVIA connects to our MEDIAMPLIFY® Platform and provides a rich multimedia experience designed for: Education and Learning, Corporate Branding and Image, Cable TV broadcasting, and more.
Our patented technologies are unique having our target markets in Latin America and the United States.
MEVIA Music
MEVIA Music brings over 1000+ music channels without commercials or with commercials with casting capability for Chromecast® and AirPlay® devices. The Music is available thru a rich menu experience for Android and iPhone. Ads can be programmed and injected, we also have a solution for buildings, corporations, and organizations with WiFi or their own Cable TV network. The same music can also be licensed to Cable TV in packages of 50, 100, 200, or more music channels in DVB format, this is all connected with our MEDIAMPLIFY Platform, bring effective Cloud to Cable TV™ experience.
Music Content Available for Cable TV, Mobile, Web
We classified our music content in over 200 different music channels and more than 2400 playlists available without commercial or with advertisement insertion when requested by the customer. Some of the sample music genres:
MEVIA video provides over 1000+ TV Channels of Internet TV, Movies, Educational Content, and more. Ads can also be injected as part of this offering, additionally Custom TV network (Internet TV or Cable TV or both) can be created and casted in buildings, boats, and any other organization. APIs are also available for Video Streaming and 3rd party apps thru our MEDIAMPLIFY® Platform.
Video Content available for Cable TV, Mobile, and Web
We have access to over 1000+ TV channels in SD/HD from different countries and genres around the world that include: Al-Jazeera America, Russian Times, AFP, EdgeSports, MED TV, TV5 France, EuroNews, PressTV, Voice of America, BBC. There are also thousands of videos from several providers that can be packaged and resold, including BBC Documentaries, Independent movies, and FILMON Movies, this source provides content to iTunes and others.
We are incorporating for LATAM and US markets, the security function that enables sending emergency messages to a loved one. This functionality is very helpful for LATAM markets where robberies and theft of mobile devices is prevalent. Hence your multimedia experience will be covered by the MEVIA Safety feature.
MEVIA Safety is triggered with the power button on device or using the Bluetooth Low Energy device.
Additionally, corporate customers of MEVIA Music or MEVIA Video will be able to enjoy of this particular functionality.
Benefits of MEVIA and MEDIAMPLIFY
The integration of MEVIA with MEDIAMPLIFY and all Cloud to Cable capabilities makes MEVIA a unique value proposition for consumers.
Hence, MEVIA is a better offering over Spotify, Pandora, Hulu, and Netflix; assuming you were able to license their platforms, a comparative analysis of MEVIA is shown in this chart:
Integrated MEVIA and Cloud to Cable TV™
As mentioned early, MEVIA also offers all MEDIAMPLIFY® capabilities including Cloud to Cable, delivering all the content available in Music/Video to any Cable Operator. Hence all MEVIA music, TV, and video content can be broadcasted to a Cable TV MSO all over the world.
Benefits to Broadcasters and Media Companies
Our platform enables broadcasters to sell direct to MSOs bypassing all distribution channels and creating a-la-carte alternative packages for Cable TV subscribers while at the same time offering mobile and casting options as Chromecast® and Apple TV®.
In summary:
Tap into a market of millions of consumers worldwide on Cable TV systems
Tap into consumers with mobile, web and connected devices
Decrease costs for end-customers and increase revenues
Bundle content from our existing repertoire with yours, creating a better offering to consumers.
Provide additional features to your offering, music, videos, and casting.
Benefits to Cable Operators and Telcos
Cable operators in the US can partner with COMCAST and TV Everywhere ® services to allow mobile broadcast to mobile. MEDIAMPLIFY® is a similar offering with a greater selection of services for operators. The MEVIA App uses Encryption Media Extension services (EME) and also supports other Digital Rights Management (DRM) that facilitate the access to live and pre-recorded contents. In the rest of the world, cable operators may partner with MEVIA to handle the delivery of TV and Music content to all their subscribers. MEVIA sill protect all DRM content and facilitate viewership in any device.
Telco’s and Operators that are still in transition to digital can integrate MEVIA as a mobile “play” and bring all the content in cable plus all the additional content from our wide range of TV offerings.
Benefits to Universities and Training
Universities usually own a TV channel or series of TV channels and are offering e-Learning content to their students and communities. MEVIA and MEDIAMPLIFY are hence great tools to enhance e-Learning. MEDIAMPLIFY truly amplify your reach to all potential e-learners.
Bing music, video, news, some sports, and choose what your students and faculty may have access to. Universities and training academies may bundle content to their audiences with TV, Music, and other relevant content in addition to training and educational videos, as such these bundles can offer great avenues for revenues to Universities, Technical Institutes, and any other educational system.
Benefits to Small Businesses and Brands
Small businesses and brands can truly amplify their reach with consumers. Brand association is then done with MEVIA, MEVIA brings video, TV, music, and safety to consumers in small business. MEVIA Amplify your reach with multiMEVIA experiences.
We have done tremendous progress on MEVIA, the message, the branding and overall improved to a responsive site our corporate image. Focusing on the CLOUD TO CABLE TV message and our mobile app, MEVIA.
New Web Presence
We decided to build a new site to cover all technology offerings and services offered by EGLA COMMUNICATIONS. The new website uses a parallax, HTML5 responsive interface with great integration to social networks, our own cloud and although released about a week a go, still is ongoing new updates, and more improvements to come.
EGLA COMMUNICATIONS
The new responsive design incorporates HTML5 Video and also provides support for Open Graph integration to Facebook and Slideshare. You can still access the old site at blog.eglacomm.net
We enforced and support the following areas for EGLA that include our products in:
CLOUD to CABLE Platform (Mediamplify)
MEVIA Application, and
Wireless Products
Cloud to Cable
EGLA offers its Cloud to Cable product. Cloud to Cable is a technology that connects cloud-based platforms and all its content in HTML/Video/Music and distributes them to Cable TV systems in a seamless and effortless manner. You can then distribute the same content to mobile, desktops, and other connected devices
Cloud to Cable has enabled EGLA to distribute our music content to MSOs and cable operators around the world (http://eglacomm.net/platform)
Our team prepared some illustrative videos on what CLOUD TO CABLE is, and how it enables both mobile and Cable TV experiences all in one platform at an affordable rate.
The first video is in english:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80G-rh6Dlns
And a translation in spanish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0HETfMU_rg
Music for CABLE
Our CLOUD TO CABLE platform (MEDIAMPLIFY) provides us with a great place for a Music service that is offered from our platform to any Cable TV system or IPTV network. These music product is also available thru our MEVIA APP, in both Android and IOS.
Our music content is diverse and unique, we prepared a video introducing our content.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW_sjBjECjM
Our platform is available for licensing enabling any Music streaming service to connect with millions of Cable TV subscribers.
Just like Music, our TV/Video offering is available both for web/mobile and Cable TV. We count with 1000+ TV Channels and networks from all over the world. We offer this content to our customers in CABLE TV or thru our mobile app, MEVIA.. The TV/Movies are available in all formats and ready for distribution to your MSO or IPTV system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csrlydZACNc
Similarly, Cloud to Cable Video Platform is available for licensing to any TV Broadcaster. We include a playback and real-time video production for your broadcasting needs.
Mevia is a great application to deliver multiMEVIA content to costumers in mobile apps or tablets, also enables the control of connected devices like the Chromecast and Apple TV. MEVIA is our mobile app and CLOUD TO CABLE extension for smartphones and smart TVs. The MEVIA App experience is available consumers but also available to businesses and universities. The market segments where MEVIA fits are:
Retail businesses
Stores
Universities
Coffee Shops and Restaurants
You can associate your brand with Music and Video content easy with MEVIA.
In Spanish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C0KdOViiDA
In English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxAW2NXgg7g
MEVIA SAFETY
This is part of our feature set for LATAM, an announcement on platform and services will be done soon. We use our own custom Bluetooth Low Energy button to support MEVIA Safety features on MEVIA. Quickly send your current GPS location to a friend or family member in case of emergency or simply asking for assistance.
Wireless Products
Our Wireless Products Portfolio was revamped and stylized with:
vs. 
Benefits to Broadcasters and Media Companies
