Methods and apparatus for selecting digital coding/decoding technology for programming and data delivery

A method of providing access to a plurality of content to a portable client device via a premises network, said method comprising:

• receiving a selection of at least one of said plurality of content from said portable client device;
• determining whether delivery of said selected at least one of said plurality of content would result in said selected at least one of said plurality of content being simultaneously delivered to and stored on a second device;
• and
• selectively delivering a version of said selected at least one of said plurality of content to said portable client device when it is determined that delivery thereof would not result in said selected at least one of said plurality of content being simultaneously delivered to and stored on a second device.

A method of providing access to a plurality of content to a portable client device via a premises network, said method comprising:

• receiving a selection of at least one of said plurality of content from said portable client device;
• identifying a copy protection associated with said selected at least one of said plurality of content, said copy protection comprising an indicator that said selected at least one of said plurality of content shall have no simultaneous views;
• when it is determined that said selected at least one of said plurality of content is currently viewed on a second device, selectively not providing a version of said selected at least one of said plurality of content to said portable client device;
• and
• when it is determined that said selected at least one of said plurality of content is not currently viewed on a second device, selectively providing said version of said selected at least one of said plurality of content to said portable client device.

Apparatus for distribution of media content in a network, said apparatus comprising:

• a first interface configured to receive:
• a plurality of media content in a first format from said network, individual ones of said plurality of media content comprising one or more copy rights for a use thereof;
• and
• at least one request for a first one of said individual ones of said plurality of media content from one or more requesting devices;
• a second interface configured to transmit said requested first one of said individual ones of said plurality of media content to said one or more requesting devices;
• and
• at least one processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions configured to when executed:
• when it is determined that a transmission of said requested first one of said individual ones of said plurality of media content would result in a simultaneous use thereof and said first one of said plurality of media content is designated as not being available for said simultaneous use, cause transmission thereof to said one or more requesting devices by said second interface to be disabled.

A client device configured to provide a plurality of content to a plurality of second devices connected thereto, comprising:

• a first interface configured to receive said plurality of content from a network;
• a second interface configured to receive requests for individual ones of said plurality of content from one or more of said plurality of second devices;
• a storage entity configured to store said plurality of content and a plurality of copy protections relating to said plurality of content;
• and
• a processor configured to run at least one software application thereon, said software application comprising a plurality of instructions which when executed are configured to:
• enable transmission of said individual ones of said plurality of content to said one or more of said plurality of second devices only when said transmission is compliant with said copy protections of said plurality of content, at least one of said copy protections comprises an indicator that certain ones of said plurality of media content are not available for simultaneous use by two or more devices;
• and
• disable transmission of said individual ones of said plurality of content to said one or more of said plurality of second devices when said transmission is not compliant with said copy protection regarding said simultaneous use by said two or more devices.