Managing collections of episodic media content

Abstract

A media content management system that enables users to manage media content collections is disclosed. A media device is configured to receive requests to create media content collections for particular media content and, in response, to retrieve information related to the media content, and to generate one or more interfaces displaying information about created media content collections. In an embodiment, retrieving information related to a media content may include determining, for one or more episodes of the media content, whether the episode is available from various content sources, including both broadcast and broadband content sources. By enabling a media device to automatically retrieve and present information related to the availability of media content episodes across any number of different broadcast and broadband sources, users can more easily interact with and view information about particular media content of interest to the users.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method for presenting availability information, the method comprising:
 determining a plurality of content sources from which a content item is available for consumption;   determining, based on frequency of use of each content source of the plurality of content sources by a user, an order of the plurality of content sources; and   generating for display an identifier of the content item and a plurality of respective identifiers of the plurality of content sources, wherein the respective identifiers are arranged in the determined order.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 determining that the content item is unavailable from a content source of the plurality of content sources; and   visually distinguishing an icon corresponding to the content source to indicate unavailability from the content source.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein visually distinguishing the icon comprises graying out the icon. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the generating for display comprises generating for display the plurality of the respective identifiers on a device of the user. 
     
     
         35 . A method for presenting availability information, the method comprising:
 determining a plurality of content sources from which a content item is available for consumption;   determining, based on whether the content item is available from the plurality of content sources as a free item or as a transactional item, an order of the plurality of content sources; and   generating for display an identifier of the content item and a plurality of respective identifiers of the plurality of content sources, wherein the respective identifiers of the plurality of content sources are arranged in the determined order.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the content item is available as the transactional item, further comprising generating for display, in response to a user selection of the identifier of the content item, a prompt to purchase or rent the content item. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 determining that the content item is unavailable from a content source of the plurality of content sources; and   visually distinguishing an icon corresponding to the content source to indicate unavailability from the content source.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein visually distinguishing the icon comprises graying out the icon. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the generating for display comprises generating for display the plurality of the respective identifiers on a device of the user. 
     
     
         40 . A system for presenting availability information, the system comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to:
 determine a plurality of content sources from which a content item is available for consumption; and 
 determine, based on frequency of use of each content source of the plurality of content sources by a user, an order of the plurality of content sources; and 
   communications circuitry configured to generate for display an identifier of the content item and a plurality of respective identifiers of the plurality of content sources, wherein the respective identifiers are arranged in the determined order.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 determine that the content item is unavailable from a content source of the plurality of content sources; and   visually distinguish an icon corresponding to the content source to indicate unavailability from the content source.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to visually distinguish the icon by graying out the icon. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the communications circuitry is configured to generate for display by generating for display the plurality of the respective identifiers on a device of the user.