Providing multiple ABR streams using a single transcoder

A system for providing multiple adaptive bit rate (ABR) profiles for a content stream using a single transcoder, comprising:

• a transcoder;
• at least one processor circuit configured to:
• receive a group of content segments for a media channel;
• convert, using the transcoder, a first content segment of the group of content segments from a source format to a first data format, a first time duration for converting the first content segment being less than a second time duration for receiving each content segment of the group of content segments;
• provide the converted first content segment to a client device;
• in response to receiving a request for content segments in a second data format, initialize the transcoder to convert a second content segment of the group of content segments from the source format to the second data format, the initialization being carried out during a residual period of time produced by a difference between the first time duration and the second time duration;
• and
• provide the second content segment to the client device in the second data format.

A device for providing multiple adaptive bit rate (ABR) profiles for a content stream using a single transcoder, the device configured to:

• advertise availability of a multimedia data stream in two or more predetermined data formats;
• receive the multimedia data stream in a source data format from a stream source, the multimedia data stream comprising one or more segments each of a time duration;
• convert the multimedia data stream from the source data format to a first advertised data format, a time period for converting a segment of the multimedia data stream being less than the time duration of the segment;
• provide the multimedia data stream to a streaming client in the first advertised data format;
• receive a request from the streaming client to receive the multimedia data stream in a second advertised data format;
• initiate preparation activities related to a conversion of the multimedia data stream from the source data format to the second advertised data format, the preparation activities occurring during a residual period of time produced by a difference between the time period for converting a respective segment of the multimedia data stream and the time duration of the respective segment;
• and
• provide the multimedia data stream to the streaming client in the second advertised data format.