Content access

Abstract

Techniques are described to provide content access. In an implementation, a determination is made at a client that a high-definition channel has content that matches content provided by a standard-definition channel. Access is provided to the content via the high-definition channel and access is restricted to the content via the standard-definition channel up the client is capable of outputting the content and high definition.

What is claimed is: 
     
      
       1. A method comprising: 
       
         receiving a user selection of media content, wherein the media content is available in a first format from a first media source; 
         accessing the media content in the first format from the first media source; 
         determining that the media content is available in a second format from a second media source, wherein the second media source is different than the first media source; 
         determining whether a client device is capable of generating for display the media content in the second format; and 
         responsive to the second media source becoming available, automatically accessing the media content from the second media source instead of the first media source if the client device is capable of generating for display the media content in the second format. 
       
      
     
     
      
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the client device is capable of generating for display the media content in the second format comprises determining hardware and/or software capabilities of the client device. 
      
     
     
      
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the hardware and/or software capabilities of the client device comprises querying a driver. 
      
     
     
      
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the hardware and/or software capabilities of the client device comprises locating a preconfigured identifier that indicates the capabilities of the client device. 
      
     
     
      
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first media source and the second media source comprise different channels from a head end. 
      
     
     
      
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein accessing the selected media content in the first format comprises accessing the selected media in standard definition. 
      
     
     
      
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically accessing the media content from the second media source comprises accessing the media content in high definition. 
      
     
     
      
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the media content is available in the second format from the second media source comprises one of: determining whether the second media source is scheduled to provide the media asset, determining whether the second media source is capable of providing the media asset, determining whether a high definition stream of the client device is in use, and determining whether a standard definition stream of the client device is in use. 
      
     
     
      
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating for display a representation of content that is available via a plurality of different sources at the same time. 
      
     
     
      
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first media source and the second media source comprise at least one of the following: a broadcast source, a cable source, a satellite source, and a video-on-demand (VOD) source. 
      
     
     
      
       11. A system comprising: 
       
         a processor configured to:
 receive a user selection of media content, wherein the media content is available in a first format from a first media source; 
 access the media content in the first format from the first media source; 
 determine that the media content is available in a second format from a second media source, wherein the second media source is different than the first media source; 
 determine whether a client device is capable of generating for display the media content in the second format; and 
 responsive to the second media source becoming available, automatically access the media content from the second media source instead of the first media source if the client device is capable of generating for display the media content in the second format. 
 
       
      
     
     
      
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the client device is capable of generating for display the media content in the second format by determining hardware and/or software capabilities of the client device. 
      
     
     
      
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the hardware and/or software capabilities of the client device by querying a driver. 
      
     
     
      
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the hardware and/or software capabilities of the client device by locating a preconfigured identifier that indicates the capabilities of the client device. 
      
     
     
      
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first media source and the second media source comprise different channels from a head end. 
      
     
     
      
       16. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to access the selected media content in the first format by accessing the selected media in standard definition. 
      
     
     
      
       17. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to automatically access the media content from the second media source by accessing the media content in high definition. 
      
     
     
      
       18. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the media content is available in the second format from the second media source by performing one of: determining whether the second media source is scheduled to provide the media asset, determining whether the second media source is capable of providing the media asset, determining whether a high definition stream of the client device is in use, and determining whether a standard definition stream of the client device is in use. 
      
     
     
      
       19. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate for display a representation of content that is available via a plurality of different sources at the same time. 
      
     
     
      
       20. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first media source and the second media source comprise at least one of the following: a broadcast source, a cable source, a satellite source, and a video-on-demand (VOD) source. 
      
     
     
       21. A method for managing access to content based on capabilities of a client device, the method comprising:
 determining whether a client device is capable of outputting content in high definition;   determining whether high-definition content is available via a high-definition channel and standard-definition content corresponding to the high-definition content is available via a standard-definition channel;   in response to determining that the client device is capable of outputting content in high definition, the high-definition content is available via the high-definition channel, and the standard-definition content corresponding to the high-definition content is available via the standard-definition channel:
 generating, for storage in a memory of the client device, a channel map that includes the high-definition channel and excludes the standard-definition channel; and 
 providing access to the high-definition content and restricting access to the standard definition content according to the channel map. 
   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein the determining whether the high definition content is available via the high-definition channel and the standard-definition content corresponding to the high-definition content is available via the standard-definition channel comprises determining, based on electronic program guide data, whether the standard-definition content corresponds to the high-definition content. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 21, wherein the determining whether the client device is capable of outputting content in high definition comprises querying the client device for hardware or software capabilities. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, wherein the querying comprises querying a driver stored in the memory of the client device. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 21, wherein the determining whether the client device is capable of outputting content in high definition comprises locating a preconfigured identifier that indicates a capability of the client device. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:
 identifying a display device communicatively coupled to the client device; and   determining whether the display device is capable of displaying content in high definition.   
     
     
       27. The method of claim 21, further comprising excluding a representation of the standard-definition channel from an electronic program guide. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 21, further comprising, according to the channel map:
 providing access to the high-definition channel via a channel up function or channel down function of the client device and restricting access to the standard-definition channel via the channel up or channel down function of the client device.