Distribution of an ip-based multimedia channel to non-ip enabled devices

A computer program product comprising instructions stored in a tangible computer-readable storage medium, the instructions comprising:

• instructions for receiving a first plurality of content segments associated with a first multimedia channel and a second plurality of content segments associated with a second multimedia channel, each of the first and second pluralities of content segments being received at a data rate selected from a respective set of data rates advertised by the remote data source;
• instructions for converting the first and second plurality content segments to first and second continuous multimedia streams for a plurality of local viewing devices;
• instructions for determining a first number of local viewing devices that have requested to view or are viewing the first multimedia channel, and a second number of local viewing devices that have requested to view or are viewing the second multimedia channel;
• instructions for adjusting, based on the determining, a data rate for providing the first and second continuous multimedia stream to the plurality of local viewing devices;
• and
• instructions for providing the first and second continuous multimedia streams to the plurality of local viewing devices according to the adjusted data rate.

A device for providing multimedia channels, the device configured to:

• identify a plurality of multimedia channels requested by a group of devices;
• determine a data rate for providing each multimedia channel based on a popularity of each multimedia channel among the group of devices;
• select to receive content segments for a respective one of the multimedia channels from an ABR server at a source data rate aligned with a determined data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel;
• receive, in a plurality of data packets over a network, the content segments from the content source at the ABR server;
• convert the content segments into a continuous digital content stream for transmission at the data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel;
• modulate a carrier signal with the continuous digital content stream;
• and
• provide the carrier signal to one or more devices in the group of devices.