System and method for managing media content

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media distribution system having a controller to identify a plurality of media presentation devices of a user of the media distribution system, identify one or more distribution preferences supplied by the user for distributing media content to the plurality of media presentation devices, receive media content from one of a plurality of media sources of the user, determine a media content type from the received media content, and distribute the received media content to one or more of the plurality of media presentation devices according to the one or more distribution preferences and the media content type. The one or more distribution preferences comprise in part media content distribution arrangements assigned by the user between the plurality of media sources of the user and the plurality of media presentation devices of the user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A media distribution system comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 identifying, on a network accessible by the media distribution system (MDS), one or more media sources currently accessible by the MDS; 
 analyzing media content available via the one or more accessible media sources, the media content including at least one of audio content or video content; 
 determining that the analyzed media content is already accessible by the MDS; and 
 initializing a search for new media content from one or more different media sources. 
   
     
     
         22 . The media distribution system of  claim 21 , wherein determining that the analyzed media content is already accessible by the MDS includes determining that the media content has already been distributed to one or more detected media devices. 
     
     
         23 . The media distribution system of  claim 21 , wherein determining that the analyzed media content is already accessible by the MDS includes determining that the media distribution system already includes a copy of the media content. 
     
     
         24 . The media distribution system of  claim 21 , wherein initializing a search for new media content from one or more different media sources includes searching for media sources on one or more different computer networks. 
     
     
         25 . The media distribution system of  claim 21 , wherein initializing a search for new media content from one or more different media sources includes continually monitoring for entry of new media sources into the network accessible by the MDS. 
     
     
         26 . The media distribution system of  claim 21 , wherein one or more software applications are associated with the accessible media sources. 
     
     
         27 . The media distribution system of  claim 26 , wherein the MDS receives the one or more software applications over the network. 
     
     
         28 . The media distribution system of  claim 26 , wherein the software applications include one or more libraries and/or plug-ins that facilitate receiving and/or processing media content from the accessible media sources. 
     
     
         29 . The media distribution system of  claim 26 , wherein the software applications include one or more libraries and/or plug-ins that facilitate distributing the media content to the media presentation devices. 
     
     
         30 . The media distribution system of  claim 26 , wherein one or more of the software applications are configured to detect entry of new media sources or media presentation devices into the network accessible by the MDS. 
     
     
         31 . The media distribution system of  claim 30 , wherein upon determining that the analyzed media content is already accessible by the MDS, the MDS is configured to ignore the detection and continue searching for new media sources with new media content. 
     
     
         32 . A method comprising:
 identifying, on a network accessible by a media distribution system (MDS), one or more media sources currently accessible by the MDS;   analyzing media content available via the one or more accessible media sources, the media content including at least one of audio content or video content;   determining that the analyzed media content is already accessible by the MDS; and   initializing a search for new media content from one or more different media sources.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 detecting a new media source with new media content that was not previously accessible by the MDS; and   retrieving the new media content.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising determining a media content type for one or more portions of the new media content. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more distribution preferences established for one or more subscribers that subscribe to the media content; and   distributing media content to the one or more subscribers according to the identified distribution preferences.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the identified distribution preferences direct distribution of the media content between the media sources accessible by the MDS and one or more media presentation devices of the one or more subscribers. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the media presentation devices of the subscriber comprise at least one of:
 a cellular phone;   a digital camera;   a set-top box;   a personal computer; or   an automobile entertainment system.   
     
     
         38 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 identifying, on a network accessible by a media distribution system (MDS), one or more media sources currently accessible by the MDS;   analyzing media content available via the one or more accessible media sources, the media content including at least one of audio content or video content;   determining that the analyzed media content is already accessible by the MDS; and   initializing a search for new media content from one or more different media sources.   
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 38 , wherein the MDS is accessible via a web portal. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 39 , wherein the web portal is accessible through a set-top box.