System and method for retrieving digital multimedia content from a network node

A system for retrieving digital multimedia content from a network node, comprising:

• means associated with a client application executing on a digital multimedia device for generating a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) SET_PARAMETER message to said network node, said message containing at least one of a playlist identifier, a media clip index and a clip offset as well as an indication of an activation time;
• and
• means for transferring digital multimedia content to said digital multimedia device by said network node from a particular content source identified by at least one of said playlist identifier and said media clip index, said transferring commencing at a time determined responsive to said indication of said activation time.

A digital multimedia device operable to retrieve digital multimedia content from a network node, comprising:

• logic for generating a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) SET_PARAMETER message to said network node by a client application executing on said digital multimedia device, said message containing at least one of a playlist identifier, a media clip index and a clip offset as well as an indication of an activation time;
• and
• a player engine operable to play back streaming content from a particular content source identified by at least one of said playlist identifier and said media clip index, said streaming content commencing at a time determined responsive to said indication of said activation time.