Methods and apparatus for synchronous http media playback

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed to synchronize media playback at devices in a multicast environment. Disclosed is a system to synchronize media playback, the system comprising programmable circuitry, and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed or instantiated by the programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations, comprising transmitting, using a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), a first request in a first HTTP message to a first client device and to a second client device, receiving, from the first client device in response to the first request. a first time stamp associated with a first presentation, the first time stamp representing a first playback time within the first presentation, receiving, from the second client device in response to the first request, a second time stamp associated with a second presentation, the second time stamp representing a second playback time within the second presentation, calculating a time difference between the first time stamp and the second time stamp, determining whether the time difference satisfies a threshold, transmitting a second HTTP message to the first client device and the second client device in response to a determination that the time difference fails to satisfy the threshold, the second HTTP message to cause the first client device to pause the first presentation and the second client device to pause the second presentation, transmitting seek instructions in a third HTTP message to the second client device, the seek instructions to cause the second client device to synchronize the second presentation to the first presentation by setting the first and second playback times equal, and transmitting a fourth HTTP message to cause the first client device to resume the first presentation and the second client device to resume the second presentation.