Abstract: A high-performance directing process has use in sending a trick-mode video stream, of a particular video, from a video server to a viewer network. This directing process—1) receives a series of spaced apart requests from an external circuit with each request being for directions on how to generate a respective portion of the trick-mode video stream, 2) builds in a semiconductor memory, not the entire respective portion of the trick-mode video stream but only selected items which occur therein; and 3) sends combining directions which direct the external circuit to generate the respective portion of the trick-mode video stream by combining the items that are built by the building step with video data previously stored in the memory before the receiving step.

Abstract: A high-performance mapping process has use in sending a trick-mode video stream, of a particular video, from a video server to a viewer network. This mapping process generates a trick-mode control map which—1) identifies segments of the normal video stream that include selected pictures which are to be sent from the video server in the trick-mode video stream, 2) incorporates, into the trick-mode control map, the locations of various items in the identified segments of the normal video stream that need to be modified for use in the trick-mode video stream, and 3) stores respective indicators of the type of modification that needs to be made at each of the above locations.

Abstract: A high-performance combining process has use in sending a trick-mode video stream, of a particular video, from a video server to a viewer network. This combining process—1) sends a series of spaced-apart requests to a computer, with each request being for combining directions which indicate how to generate a respective portion of the trick-mode video stream by combining video data that was previously stored in memory before the sending step with selected items that are generated in the computer in response to the sending step; 2) receives the requested combining directions; and 3) uses the directions to combine the selected items with the video data that was previously stored in the memory.