System for synchronizing the playback of two or more connected playback devices using closed captioning

A method for synchronizing the playback of program between a plurality of playback devices, the method comprising the steps of:

• analyzing incoming program content signals including series of frames and closed-caption signals;
• retrieving said CC signals from said program content signals;
• formatting said retrieved CC signals and the corresponding segment of said program content signals according to predetermined criteria into a storage device;
• transmitting a user request, by a first playback device to a second playback device based on the CC signals, to retrieve a desired segment of program content signals stored in the respective storage device for viewing;
• and,
• synchronously displaying said desired segment of said program content signal contents by said first playback device and said second playback device.

A system for synchronizing the playback of a program between a plurality of playback devices, comprising:

• a signal receiving unit for receiving program content signals, the program content signals including series of frames and closed-caption signals;
• an analyzing unit for analyzing the program content signals to identify said CC data;
• a data sorting unit for extracting and separating said CC signals from the program content signals and for sampling said CC signals and the corresponding program content signals at a predetermined sampling interval;
• a clock generator for generating said predetermined sampling interval;
• a memory for storing sequence of said extracted CC signals and the corresponding program content signals for a subsequent retrieval;
• and,
• a playback unit, coupled to said memory means, for selectively controlling display of the program content signals based on a user's request;
• wherein the user request is selected from the stored sample characters.