Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for the generation of Video on Demand programs or items via a television broadcast system. The broadcast system typically comprises a means for receiving broadcast data, a receiver for processing the data and a television or other display apparatus for displaying the selected program. Video on Demand programs can be selected for display at any or any of a range of times by the system user. In the current invention, to avoid the delay experienced between a VoD program being selected and the same actually being displayed, initial portions of data for the selectable VoD programs are stored in memory in the system such that upon selection of the particular program, the initial portion of the data is immediately displayed and as this occurs the remaining data for the selected program is transmitted to the receiver for display after the display of the initial portion.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for controlling the storage of data. The data is broadcast to and received by a broadcast data receiver and the receiver is provided with or connected to memory in which the data, including video data is to be stored. At an instant decided by any or any combination of control parameters, a portion of the data held in the memory is selected, compressed/recompressed and stored in the memory in the compressed condition.