Abstract: A method for software distribution and compensation with replenishable advertisements is provided The software may be audio (e.g., music), a game, an application program, a database, or any other digital content. The method couples at least one advertisement to the software and provides the software/advertisement to a computer. The software/advertisement can then be installed on the computer and the computer can use both. While using the software, usage data is recorded on the computer and later posted to an external medium. The external medium may be a server associated with an advertiser or a financial institution. After a predetermine event but before the posting, at least one aspect of the software is prevented from being used. The predetermined event may be a number of times that the software is used, a lapse of time, or an attempt to use a certain portion of the software. After posting, the software can continue to be used.

Abstract: An interactive video services system for enabling store and forward distribution of digitized video programming comprising merged graphics and video data from a minimum of two separate data storage devices is disclosed. In a departure from the art, an MPEG converter operating in tandem with an MPEG decoder device that has buffer capacity merges encoded and compressed digital video signals stored in a memory of a video server with digitized graphics generated by and stored in a memory of a systems control computer. The merged signals are then transmitted to and displayed on a TV set or monitor connected to the system. In this manner, multiple computers are able to transmit graphics or multimedia data to a video server to be displayed on the TV set or to be superimposed onto video programming that is being displayed on the TV set.