A video-on-demand
system provides efficient commercial distribution for
renting and / or selling movies, video programs, video games and
electronic data.
Data input stations upload original video data from videotapes, videocassettes, videodisks or film, or from
electronic data format on transferable storage media or over a
telecommunications line. A video data capture computer converts the original video data into a preferred video data storage format and stores the video data files in a
first generation video data storage unit. The video data files are sorted by categories and classified in indexed master files stored on a second generation video data storage unit.
NTSC,
PAL and / or HDTV versions of the video data files are created and stored in separate data storage units for serving different markets. Customers access the
system through computer servers connected to
the Internet. The computer servers access the video
data file in the data storage units and create a temporary video
data file, which is downloaded to the customer via
the Internet. The video
data file is downloaded at high speed and stored on the customer'
s video player device for viewing at a later time. The video data files can be downloaded, stored and viewed on a desktop computer, a
laptop computer, palmtop computer, a set-top data storage device connected to a
television set,
video game device, or a personal digital assistant,
cellular telephone or
pager with video capabilities. The
system includes back-up mirror storage files at all levels of the system for security against
data loss.