Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining a transport bit rate for a multiprogram transport stream (MPTS) is described. In one example, a plurality of transport bit rates is computed for a respective plurality of programs in the MPTS. A highest transport bit rate and a lowest transport bit rate are selected from the plurality of transport bit rates. An average transport bit rate is computed from the highest transport bit rate and the lowest transport bit rate. The average transport bit rate is provided as an initial transport bit rate for the MPTS. Jitter in the MPTS may be compensated using the initial transport bit rate.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing transport stream packets received from a network for distribution to user terminals is described. In one embodiment, a pair of clock reference packets in the transport stream packets is identified. The pair of clock reference packets includes a first clock reference packet having an output time stamp and a second clock reference packet. A difference between a time value of the second clock reference packet and a time value of the first clock reference packet is computed. An output time stamp for the second clock reference packet is calculated in response to the output time stamp of the first clock reference packet and the difference.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining a transport bit rate for a multiprogram transport stream (MPTS) is described. In one example, a plurality of transport bit rates is computed for a respective plurality of programs in the MPTS. A highest transport bit rate and a lowest transport bit rate are selected from the plurality of transport bit rates. An average transport bit rate is computed from the highest transport bit rate and the lowest transport bit rate. The average transport bit rate is provided as an initial transport bit rate for the MPTS. Jitter in the MPTS may be compensated using the initial transport bit rate.

Abstract: An image area is refreshed during the transmission of a set of motion compensated sequential video images. The video images are divided into a plurality of adjacent regions. The image area is refreshed during a refresh cycle by communicating a different region in each successive video image of the set without motion compensation. Motion compensation of the previously refreshed regions of the image area during the refresh cycle is restricted to an area containing only the previously refreshed regions. Video image data from a current region being refreshed is encoded for use by a decoder in identifying it as non-motion compensated data.