Abstract: A method and system for transmitting data are described including packetizing the data, performing forward error correction (FEC) encoding on the packetized data in order to generate a parity packet, appending FEC information as padding to the end of payload data of the packetized data and transmitting the packetized data and the at least one parity packet. Also described are a method and system for recovering from loss of a packet including receiving a data packet, receiving a parity packet, buffering the received data packet, detecting packet loss, forward error correction decoding the parity packet to recover from packet loss using forward error correction information extracted from the data packet and from the parity packet and forwarding the recovered packet via an internal socket. Also described is a method for staggercasting.

Abstract: A method and system for eliminating redundant connections, including transmitting a request to merge two connections, terminating a first portion of a first connection, terminating a first portion of a second connection, and merging a second portion of each of the first and second connections, are described. A method and system for merging connections, including receiving a request to merge two connections, terminating a first portion of a first connection, terminating a first portion of a second connection, and merging a second portion of each of the first and second connections.

Abstract: There are provided a method and apparatus for synchronizing a plurality of media streams that use Forward Error Correction. The apparatus includes a memory device (110), a FEC encoder (120), and a control device (140). The memory device (110) is for buffering the plurality of media streams. The FEC encoder (120) is for generating FEC packets for streams. The control device (140) is for determining, for each stream, a respective threshold amount of buffer to be filled in order to initiate generation of the corresponding FEC packets, and upon a fastest one of the streams filling the respective threshold amount of buffer, causing an initiation of the generation of the FEC packets for the fastest stream, as well as for the other streams, irrespective of a current fill amount of the other streams, wherein said control device causes the initiation of the generation of the FEC packets by the FEC encoder via signaling.