Abstract: A method of delivering a variable bit rate (VBR) media stream in near real time includes identifying a selected media asset to be streamed to a media receiver, receiving an available access bandwidth at which the media receiver can receive data, and initiating a session setup for delivery of the selected media asset. The method further includes calculating a delay in decoding a media stream associated with the selected media asset at the media receiver based on the available access bandwidth, and a calculated required minimum transmission rate of a VBR media stream representative of the selected media asset. The method further includes transmitting the selected media asset at the required minimum transmission rate of the VBR media stream and providing the calculated delay to the media receiver such that the media receiver begins decoding the media stream in accordance with the calculated delay.

Abstract: A method of delivering a variable bit rate (VBR) media stream in near real time includes identifying a selected media asset to be streamed to a media receiver, receiving an available access bandwidth at which the media receiver can receive data, and initiating a session setup for delivery of the selected media asset. The method further includes calculating a delay in decoding a media stream associated with the selected media asset at the media receiver based on the available access bandwidth, and a calculated required minimum transmission rate of a VBR media stream representative of the selected media asset. The method further includes transmitting the selected media asset at the required minimum transmission rate of the VBR media stream and providing the calculated delay to the media receiver such that the media receiver begins decoding the media stream in accordance with the calculated delay.

Abstract: In a live multicast in a LAN environment, audio and video streams are transmitted from a source station to a plurality of receiving stations. A technique is disclosed for synchronizing the audio decoder clock at each receiving station with the source station. A technique is also disclosed for synchronizing the audio and video data streams received at each receiving station.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in a network including source clients and viewer clients connected to one or more shared transmission media. A video server is connected to one of the transmission media and is operative to control the broadcast and storage of multiple live or previously-stored video streams. The control may be provided via remote procedure call (RPC) commands transmitted between the server and the clients. In one embodiment, a video presentation system is provided in which a video stream from a source client is continuously broadcast to a number of viewer clients. One or more of the viewer clients may be authorized by the source client to broadcast an audio and/or video stream to the other clients receiving the source video stream. In another embodiment, a multicast directory is provided to each of a plurality of viewer clients by transmitting directory information in a packet corresponding to a predetermined multicast address.