Patent ID: 7739715

Claim:
A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, direct a computer to perform a method, the method comprising: indicating via a graphical user interface, a range of accelerated bit rates at which media content may be received from a source; requesting the media content from the source at an accelerated bit rate selected from the range of accelerated bit rates, the accelerated bit rate being a rate that exceeds a normal playback rate; receiving a media stream at the accelerated bit rate, wherein the media stream is an uninterrupted data stream of the media content that has no intentionally dropped data; rendering all content in the media stream at the accelerated bit rate; and partially enabling, enabling, and disabling variable play speed controls depending on the source, wherein the partially enabling, enabling, and disabling comprises enabling the variable play speed controls such that any play speeds that are enabled do not exceed a maximum accelerated bit rate at which the source can deliver the media stream without intentionally dropping portions of the media content.