Technique for effectively utilizing limited bandwidth of a communications network to deliver programming content

A system for processing at least analog signals representing programming material, transmission of the analog signals requiring first bandwidth of a communications network, the system comprising:

• a mechanism for converting the analog signals to digital data representing the programming material, transmission of digital signals which contain the digital data requiring second bandwidth of the communications network, the second bandwidth being less than the first bandwidth;
• an interface for transmitting the digital signals through a first subband in a first frequency band of the communications network, the first frequency band and the first subband having the first and second bandwidths, respectively, one or more selected signals being transmitted through a second subband in the first frequency band of the communications network, the first subband and the second subband being exclusive of each other, the selected signals being translated to a second frequency band outside the first frequency band after receipt of the selected signals from the communications network in anticipation of recovering the analog signals from the digital signals after receipt of the digital signals from the communications network;
• and
• a network controller configured to send a command message to a gateway device which receives said digital signals via the first subband in the first frequency band, said command message indicating a first carrier frequency and a second carrier frequency, said first carrier frequency being in the first frequency band which is used to carry a video on demand transport stream sent in response to a request received from a user location at which said gateway device is located, said second carrier frequency to be used for carrying the video on demand transport stream when it is output by said gateway device.

A system for providing analog program channel material to a device over a communications network, comprising:

• a receiver for receiving first signals representing the analog program channel material;
• a processor for converting the first signals to second signals representing the analog program channel material, transmission of the second signals requiring less bandwidth of the communications network than transmission of the first signals;
• and
• a mechanism for transmitting the second signals and one or more selected signals in a first frequency band to the device, a message being sent to the device, the message containing information concerning a second frequency band to which a selected signal is translated after the device receives the selected signals;
• and
• a network controller configured to send a command message to a gateway device which receives said digital signals via the first subband in the first frequency band, said command message indicating a first carrier frequency and a second carrier frequency, said first carrier frequency being in the first frequency band which is used to carry a video on demand transport stream sent in response to a request received from a user location at which said gateway device is located, said a second carrier frequency to be used for carrying the video on demand transport stream when it is output by said gateway device.