Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for broadcasting data streams. The CDN allows a streamer to stream live (in realtime) on a network(s), such as the Internet, for a live audience to view and to interact with the live entertainment. Each of the broadcast clients send data streams to the CDN via an input node, wherein the CDN output a selected media stream to one or more selected viewing clients via the output node. The architecture of the CDN contains one or more System Racks. Each of the System Racks contains multiple media channels. In operation, the data stream of a broadcasting client is sent to the CDN and distributed into selected channels. The data streams in each of the selected channels are outputted to viewing clients of a corresponding type.

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software for using a network to efficiently distributing media content assets from a virtually unlimited content library and/or other storage to a plurality of client devices, as well as bi-directional local content sharing between head ends, and dynamic distribution and generation of media content assets within the network.

A method of managing, by a service provider, a program stored within a service provider network. Multiple multimedia devices are in communication with the service provider network. In accordance with one embodiment, a method for managing, by a service provider, a program stored within a service provider network includes determining a first number of subscriptions for the program. If the first number of subscriptions is less than a first threshold, at least a portion of the program is transmitted to at least a first multimedia device having a subscription for the program and the program is removed from the service provider network.

A method for providing local access to managed content is disclosed. The method comprises receiving from a remote host a request to perform an operation with respect to content associated with a set of managed content and obtaining information required to respond to the request. The method further comprises providing in response to the request a content locator usable to perform the requested operation through direct communication with a local content system associated with the remote host.

A storage device includes: a non-volatile memory including a first memory area and a second memory area, and a memory controller configured to receive a request from a first client device to upload a first multimedia file, generate a second multimedia file including a base layer and at least one enhancement layer by transcoding the first multimedia file from an original format to a scalable format, and control the non-volatile memory to store the second multimedia file in the non-volatile memory.

A method for processing a media stream is proposed, which includes, at a media distribution unit including a processor: obtaining, based on media stream data received from a media encoder, at least one media data chunk of the media stream, wherein the at least one media data chunk is a separately addressable data unit by a request for media data received by the media distribution unit; generating, based on received media stream data, metadata related to the media data chunk; storing the media data chunk in a memory of the media distribution unit, wherein the memory is used to store media data chunks as separately addressable data units for a memory read from the memory; and updating a list of media data chunks stored in the memory, based on the metadata related to the media data chunk.

A method for processing a media stream is proposed, which includes, at a media distribution unit including a processor and first and second memories for storing media data. The first memory stores media data chunks of the media stream which are separately addressable media data objects for memory read in the first memory. The second memory store media data fragments of the media stream which are separately addressable media data objects for memory read in the second memory, the fragments respectively including one or mode media data chunks: receiving a request related to media data, determining, based on the received request, a descriptor of data to be generated to serve the request, based on the descriptor, retrieving first data from the first memory, and second data from the second memory, and generating data to be generated to serve the request based on the first data and the second data.

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software for using a network to efficiently distribute media content assets from a virtually unlimited content library and/or other storage to a plurality of client devices, as well as bi-directional local content sharing between head ends, and dynamic distribution and generation of media content assets within the network.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses may encode a media content item based on metadata from previous encoding. The encoding may also generate encoding metadata, which may comprise a qualitative or quantitative characterization of the encoded media content item. A prediction engine may, based on this metadata, determine new encoding settings for the same or a different video resolution. The prediction engine may cause an encoded media content item to be stored and may cause encoding of the media content item using the new encoding settings.

A storage system is disclosed. The storage system may include a first storage device and a second storage device. A receiver may receive an encoded stream. A splitter may identify a first chunk of data in the encoded stream and a second chunk of data in the encoded stream. A distributor may store the first chunk of data on the first storage device and the second chunk of data on the second storage device.