Distribution of content in an information distribution system

A method for distributing content in an information distribution system, comprising:

• receiving, at server-side equipment, variable bit-rate (VBR) content streams for distribution to users;
• storing the received VBR content streams in a general server memory area of a mass storage device of the server-side equipment;
• using the received VBR content stream to create a constant bit-rate (CBR) stream and storing the CBR stream in the general server memory area of a mass storage device of the server-side equipment;
• allocating a portion of the mass storage device for a client portion of memory for storage of user content designated for storage at the mass storage device of the server-side equipment and for buffering delivery of content streams from the server-side equipment to the user;
• receiving, at the server-side equipment, a user request for delivery of content from the server-side equipment;
• determining whether a constraint for delivering VBR content streams to the user exists;
• selecting, from content streams stored in the general server memory area of the mass storage device of the server-side equipment, a provisioned content stream for provisioning to the user by selecting to provision a VBR content stream when a constraint is determined not to exist and selecting to provision a CBR content stream when a constraint is determined to exist;
• in response to the request for deliver of content by a user and the selecting of a provisioned content stream, determining first and second portions of the provisioned content stream;
• storing the first portion of the provisioned content stream in a local storage device of the user and storing the second portion of the provisioned content stream in the allocated client portion of memory of the mass storage device of the server-side equipment;
• and
• inserting, into an electronic program guide imagery identifying content stored at the mass storage device of the server-side equipment having a CBR and a VBR stream and at least one icon indicative of available allocated client portion of memory of the mass storage device of the server-side equipment.