Abstract: A method is provided for delivering alternative programming to subscribers. The method includes receiving from a satellite an RF signal in which a first program to be blacked out is carried on a first channel. The method also includes tuning to the first channel and extracting therefrom a first digital transport stream. A replacement program is received in a second digital transport stream. The first and second digital transport streams are decoded to produce first and second video outputs, respectively. The first video output is delivered to subscriber terminals over a content distribution system. When the first program is to be blacked out, the second video output is delivered to the subscriber terminals over the content distribution system instead of the first video output.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for dynamic management of a plurality of integrated receiver decoders (IRDs) based implicitly on the uplink's knowledge of an identity pre-assigned to each IRD. Thus, the IRD association or other IRD configurations may be maintained by a uplink controller and need not be disseminated to each IRD a priori. This eliminates the need to expend network bandwidth and extra time to send out IRD configurations to individual IRDs prior to commanding or controlling the IRDs as desired.