Network-Synchronized Media Playback

摘要

In a system that includes two or more computing systems connected to a computer network, a network control and synchronization (NetSync) application controls the in-sync playback of media files across different computing systems in the network, where each computing system is playing a local version of a media file using a local instance of a Media player. The NetSync application receives status messages from all Media players and controls the playback of all media files by sending them playback commands based on the received status messages, so that video playback among the players is in sync with a Master Media player. Alternatively, media playback across all Media players is based on user-entered playback commands, such as Play, Pause, Stop, and the like, entered using either the NetSync application interface or NetSync command scripts.

主权项

1. In a system comprising two or more computing systems connected to a computer network, a method to perform network-synchronized media playback across the two or more computing systems, the method comprising:
setting the two or more computing systems to approximately the same system clock; starting a network control and synchronization (NetSync) application in one of the two or more computing systems to control media playback; starting a Master Media player application in a first computing system in the computer network to play a first media file accessed by the first computing system; starting a second Media player application in a second computing system in the network to play a second media file accessed by the second computing system; receiving by the NetSync application status messages by the Master and second Media players related to the media playback of the first and second media files; and controlling by the NetSync application the media playback of the first and second media files on the first and second computing systems in response to either the received status messages or playback commands received by the NetSync application from a user, wherein the first and second media files comprise of video frames that are played by the Master player and the second Media player in sync.