Abstract: A data distribution system is presented. A remote server, such as a Hub Server is connected to a local distribution sub-system including a local server, such as a Head End Server. Data is transmitted from a component of the local distribution sub-system, such as a Local Control Unit to the local server and the data is transmitted from the local server to the remote server.

Abstract: A system for distributing television/video signals to different locations comprises a server capable of providing digital television/video signals for a plurality of programmes, a plurality of receivers each at a respective one of said locations, and a network connecting the server to the receivers, each receiver being operable to select a required one of the programmes and to communicate the selection to the server, the server being responsive to such a selection to transmit the digital television/video signal for the selected programme over the network addressed to the receiver that selected that programme, and each receiver being responsive to the digital television/video signal that is addressed to that receiver so that point-to-point communication is established from the server to that receiver.

Abstract: A method of scheduling a series of data files, preferably digital movie files provided in encrypted form for transmission to hotels, for transmission by a predetermined transmission channel in a predetermined time period according to one aspect of the invention includes: determining the bandwidth of the transmission channel; determining the size of each data file in the series; determining the schedule of a corresponding series of data files transmitted over the same transmission channel in a previous predetermined period of time; determining data files from the corresponding series that are not available for transmission in this predetermined period of time; determining data files that have become available for transmission since the previous predetermined period of time; determining other parameters dependent on the success or failure of transmission or reception of each data file in the series: assigning a ranking value to each data file according to the determined parameters; and scheduling the transmissi