System and method for transporting a compressed video and data bit stream over a communication channel

A computer readable medium including instructions for a method of providing compressed video data onto a network, the instructions comprising

• instructions for determining the bandwidth of the channel;
• instructions for receiving a bitstream;
• instructions for converting the bitstream to have a bit rate less than or equal to the bandwidth of the channel, wherein converting the bitstream includes changing data in the bitstream;
• and
• instructions for transmitting the converted bitstream over the channel.

An apparatus for modifying a bit rate of a bitstream to use an available bandwidth of a channel, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) means for converting a first bitstream at a first bit rate to a second bitstream at a second bit rate, different from the first bit rate, said means for converting comprising:
• (i) means for receiving the first bitstream at the first bit rate,
• (ii) means for receiving a control signal indicating a value for the second bit rate, and
• (iii) means for outputting the second bitstream;
• and
• (b) means for transmitting the second bitstream over a channel, the means for transmitting comprising:
• (i) means to receive the second bitstream, the means to receive the second bitstream coupled to the means for outputting the second bitstream,
• (ii) means coupled to the control input means of the bit rate converter to send a control signal indicating a value for the second bit rate, and
• (iii) means for outputting the second bitstream from the means for transmitting to the channel.

An apparatus for providing compressed video data onto a network, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) means for converting a first bitstream including the video data at a first bit rate to a second bitstream including the video data at a second bit rate, different from the first bit rate, said means for converting comprising:
• (i) means for receiving the first bitstream at the first bit rate,
• (ii) means for receiving a control signal indicating a value for the second bit rate, and
• (iii) means for outputting the second bitstream;
• (b) means for providing the control signal indicating the value for the second bit rate to the control input means of the bit rate controller;
• and
• (c) means for transmitting the second bitstream over a channel, the means for transmitting comprising:
• (i) means coupled to the means to receive the second bitstream having the second bit rate, and
• (ii) means for outputting the second bitstream including the video data onto the network.