Shared experience of media content

A terminal (110) for allowing a user to have a shared experience of media content with a group of other users who are interconnected via a network (300) comprising:

• means for receiving an identifier of media content selected by another user of the group;
• means for determining a source of media content corresponding to the received identifier;
• and,
• means for selecting the determined source on a media presentation device (150, 160, 170) local to the receiver which uses a delivery mechanism which is independent of the network (300).

A method of operating a terminal (110) to allow a first user to have a shared experience of media content with a group of other users who are interconnected with the first user via a network (300), comprising:

• receiving the first user's selection of media content for presentation, substantially in real-time, by a media presentation device (150, 160, 170) local to the terminal (110), the media presentation device (150, 160, 170) using a delivery mechanism which is independent of the network (300);
• determining an identifier corresponding to the selected media content;
• sending the identifier to terminals of the other users in the group over the network (300);
• and,
• allowing the first user to discuss the media content with the other users in the group.

A method of operating a terminal (110) to allow a user to have a shared experience of media content with a group of other users who are interconnected with the first user via a network (300) comprising:

• receiving an identifier of media content selected by another user of the group;
• determining a source of media content corresponding to the received identifier;
• and,
• selecting the determined source on a media presentation device (150, 160, 170) local to the terminal which uses a delivery mechanism which is independent of the network (300).

A control apparatus for a terminal (110) for allowing a first user to have a shared experience of media content with a group of other users who are interconnected via a network (300) comprising:

• means for receiving the first user's selection of media content for presentation, substantially in real-time, by a media presentation device (150, 160, 170) local to the terminal (110), the media presentation device (150, 160, 170) using a delivery mechanism which is independent of the network (300);
• means (420) for determining an identifier corresponding to the selected media content;
• means for sending the identifier to terminals of the other users in the group over the network;
• and,
• means (410) for allowing the first user to discuss the media content with the other users in the group.

A control apparatus for a terminal (110) for allowing a user to have a shared experience of media content with a group of other users who are interconnected via a network (300) comprising:

• means for receiving an identifier of media content selected by another user of the group;
• means for determining a source of media content corresponding to the received identifier;
• and,
• means for selecting the determined source on a media presentation device (150, 160, 170) local to the receiver which uses a delivery mechanism which is independent of the network (300).

Software for causing a control apparatus of a terminal (110) for allowing a first user to have a shared experience of media content with a group of other users to perform the steps of:

• receiving the first user's selection of media content for presentation, substantially in real-time, by a media presentation device (150, 160, 170) local to the terminal (110), the media presentation device (150, 160, 170) using a delivery mechanism which is independent of the network (300);
• determining an identifier corresponding to the selected media content;
• sending the identifier to terminals of the other users in the group over the network;
• and,
• allowing the first user to discuss the media content with the other users in the group.

Software for causing a control apparatus of a terminal (110) for allowing a user to have a shared experience of media content with a group of other users who are interconnected via a network (300) to perform the steps of:

• receiving an identifier of media content selected by another user of the group;
• determining a source of media content corresponding to the received identifier;
• and,
• selecting the determined source on a media presentation device (150, 160, 170) local to the terminal which uses a delivery mechanism which is independent of the network (300).

A method of providing a service to a group of users who are interconnected via a network (300), comprising the steps of:

• receiving an identifier of a first user's selection of media content which is to be viewed by the group, the identifier representing the first user's selection of media content which is to be presented in real-time by a media presentation device (150, 160, 170) local to the first user which uses a delivery mechanism which is independent of the network (300);
• sending the identifier to terminals of the other users in the group over the network (300) so as to allow terminals at those users to select the same media content on a media presentation device local to them;
• and,
• supporting a discussion group to allow the group to discuss the selected media content.