Abstract: This invention relates to network apparatus for the interconnecting personal computers and workstations, for the purpose of efficiently sharing the use of multimedia type computer applications such as programs and files. Multimedia computer programs are those that display on the user's monitor, text information, computer generated graphical information, and all type of picture image information both moving and still images. Disclosed is apparatus for deploying user input/output components of said personal computers and workstations at a desktop location several kilometers from the physical location of said personal computers. The invention embodied herein uses fiber optics transmission and user controlled optical switching. User control is via the Public Switched Telephone Network. The invention provides three advantages to a user such as an educational institution, software savings, hardware savings, and software security.

Abstract: A two-stage television signal distribution system, useful for distribution where the first stage of the television distribution occurs over satellite, has a distribution control center for encoding system control information in the vertical blanking interval of a television signal to be broadcast over a first transmission medium to at least one receive station, each receive station being provided with a plurality of video cassette recorders for storing incoming television signals under control of the system control information contained in the television signal. The system further includes a second transmission medium having multiple television channel capacity for transmitting television signals from a receive station to a plurality of terminations (i.e. the audience) where the television signals carried on the second transmission medium include television signals previously stored at the receiving station and may also include the television signal carried on the first transmission medium.