Playlist error tags for delivery and rendering of streamed media

A method comprising:

• determining whether an encoded media stream contains a segment error;
• if the encoded media stream contains a segment error, modifying a playlist for the encoded media stream to include data indicating the segment error;
• and
• transmitting the modified playlist to a terminal device for rendering at least a portion of the encoded media stream based on the data indicating the segment error.

A method comprising:

• receiving a playlist for a media item, wherein the playlist identifies segments of coded media organized according to different streams;
• selecting a stream to play;
• determining whether coded media segments of the selected stream have tags associated with them identifying an error;
• for a first coded media segment that is not identified as having an error, initiating retrieval of the first coded media segment using information specified in the playlist;
• for a second coded media segment that is identified as having an error, determining whether to switch to a counterpart coded media segment from another stream;
• and
• when the determination is to switch, initiating retrieval of the counterpart coded media segment using information specified in the playlist.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, effectuate operations comprising:

• receiving a playlist for a media item, wherein the playlist identifies segments of coded media organized according to different streams;
• selecting a stream to play;
• determining whether coded media segments of the selected stream have tags associated with them identifying an error;
• for a first coded media segment that is not identified as having an error, initiating retrieval of the first coded media segment using information specified in the playlist;
• for a second coded media segment that is identified as having an error, determining whether to switch to a counterpart coded media segment from another stream;
• and
• when the determination is to switch, initiating retrieval of the counterpart coded media segment using information specified in the playlist.

A computing device comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory in mutual communication with the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, effectuate operations comprising:
• receiving a playlist for a media item, wherein the playlist identifies segments of coded media organized according to different streams;
• selecting a stream to play;
• determining whether coded media segments of the selected stream have tags associated with them identifying an error;
• for a first coded media segment that is not identified as having an error, initiating retrieval of the first coded media segment using information specified in the playlist;
• for a second coded media segment that is identified as having an error, determining whether to switch to a counterpart coded media segment from another stream;
• and
• when the determination is to switch, initiating retrieval of the counterpart coded media segment using information specified in the playlist.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, at a media distribution server, streams of coded media data, the streams representing a common media item and partitioned respectively into segments,
• determining which segment(s) contain coded media data errors;
• generating a playlist representing the streams of the media item in which:
• when a segment does not contain a coded media data error, an entry for the respective segment identifies an ID of the segment and a network location from which the respective segment can be retrieved;
• when a segment contains a coded media data error, an entry for the respective segment identifies an ID of the segment, a network location from which the respective segment can be retrieved, and a field containing an error identifier;
• and
• storing the playlist for access by a player device.