Abstract: In a live multicast in a LAN environment, audio and video streams are transmitted from a source station to a plurality of receiving stations. A technique is disclosed for synchronizing the audio decoder clock at each receiving station with the source station. A technique is also disclosed for synchronizing the audio and video data streams received at each receiving station.

Abstract: A task control method and apparatus for controlling the interactive, concurrent execution of a plurality of general purpose data processing tasks in a data processing system. The system includes a memory for storing active tasks, a mass storage means for storing inactive tasks and a general purpose CPU. Upon request by a user or by an active task, a task loader transfers a presently inactive task from the mass storage means to the memory to be available for execution. A memory manager assigns a task node space in the memory and a task manager creates a task control block for the task to be activated, assigns a task control block identification to the task control block, and writes the task control block identification into the task's task node space to link the task to the task's task control block.