Video encoding for social media

A method for encoding and sharing media for social networks, comprising:

• receiving, by a device, a media stream at a first resolution;
• decoding, by a video decoder of the device, a first portion of the media stream at the first resolution;
• providing, by the video decoder, the decoded first portion of the media stream at the first resolution to a display output and a sharing engine of the device;
• scaling the first portion of the media stream, by a subsampler of the sharing engine of the device, to a second resolution;
• writing, by the sharing engine, the scaled first portion of the media stream at the second resolution to a buffer;
• receiving, by the device, a capture command;
• retrieving, by the device, the scaled first portion of the buffered media stream, responsive to receiving the capture command;
• and
• transmitting the retrieved first portion of the buffered media stream to a second device, by a network interface installed within the housing of the device, responsive to receiving the capture command.

A device for encoding and sharing media for social networks, comprising:

• a network interface;
• and
• a sharing engine comprising a buffer having a write pointer and a read pointer at a predetermined buffer duration from the write pointer;
• wherein the sharing engine is configured to write a first portion of a received media stream to the buffer while advancing the write pointer and read pointer;
• and
• wherein the network interface is configured to, responsive to receipt of a capture command:
• advance the read pointer to a subsequent independently decodable frame, and
• transmit the contents of the buffer from the advanced read pointer to the write pointer via a network to a second device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having instructions encoded therein that, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the device to:

• receive a media stream at a first resolution;
• decode, via a video decoder of the device, a first portion of the media stream at the first resolution;
• provide, via the video decoder, the decoded first portion of the media stream at the first resolution to a display output and a sharing engine of the device;
• scale the first portion of the media stream, by a subsampler of the sharing engine of the device;
• to a second resolution;
• write, via the sharing engine, the scaled first portion of the media stream at the second resolution to a buffer;
• receive a capture command;
• retrieve the scaled first portion of the buffered media stream, responsive to receiving the capture command;
• and
• transmit the retrieved first portion of the buffered media stream to a second device, via a network interface installed within the housing of the device, responsive to receiving the capture command.