Scalable Media Personalization

User expectations, competition and sheer revenue pressures are driving rapid development—and operator acquisition--of highly complex media processing technologies. Historically, cable operators provided “one stream for all” service in both the analog and digital domains. At most, they provided two to three streams for East and West Coast delivery. Video on Demand (VOD) represented a first step toward personalization, using personalized delivery, in the form of “pumping” and network QAM routing, in lieu of personalization of the media playout itself. In some cases, personalized advertisement play-lists were also created. This resulted in massive deployments of VOD servers and edge QAMs. The second step in this evolution is the introduction of switched digital video, which takes the linear delivery one step further to deliver a hybrid VOD/linear experience without applying any personal media processing. Like previous personalization approaches, user-based processing is limited to network pumping and routing, with no access to the actual media or ability to manipulate it for true personalization. True user personalization requires the generic ability to perform intensive media processing on a per user basis. As of today, a STB-based approach to media personalization seems to be dominant. This approach necessitates future deployment of more capable (thus more expensive) STBs. This approach, although straight-forward, is incompatible with the need to lower costs, unify user experience, and retain customers and other operator needs. The network approach, where per-user personalization is completely or partially accomplished BEFORE the video reaches the STB (or any other user device) delivers the same experience but has been explored only in a very limited fashion. However, this approach has the most potential to benefit operators as it addresses most of the current and future challenges that operators face.