Method of storing digital audio and/or video programs compressed on the basis of groups of pictures (GOPs) on a medium with immediate jumping between groups through co-storage of transport stream packets and pointer information, a method for reading such information, and a device for storing and/or reading such information

A method of reproducing a video program from a medium, comprising:

• reading pointer information from the medium at locations on the medium that can be accessed by location based on a predetermined location on the media;
• using the pointer information to determine the locations of entry points on the medium;
• reading from the medium starting at the entry points respective portions of a digital stream of sequential packets containing video data for groups of pictures of a video program, the video data being compressed by encoding on a group of pictures basis, some of the packets being entry points where decoding of the data for playing portions of the video program can commence.

A video player for reproducing a video program from a medium, comprising:

• means for reading pointer information from a medium at locations on the medium that can be accessed by location using a predetermined location on the media;
• using the pointer information to determine the locations of entry points on the medium;
• reading from the medium starting at the entry points, portions of a digital stream of sequential packets containing video data for groups of pictures of a video program, the video data being compressed by encoding on a group of pictures basis, some of the packets being entry points where decoding of the data for playing the pictures can commence.

A medium, comprising:

• a digital stream of packets containing video data for groups of pictures of a video program, the video data being compressed by encoding on a group of pictures basis, some of the packets being entry points where decoding of the data for playing respective portions of the video program can commence;
• and
• pointer information stored at pointer storage locations on the medium, the pointer information being accessible by location using a predetermined location, the pointer information being usable for determining the locations that entry points are stored on the medium when the video program is played from the medium.