A method, comprising: determining, a parameter or an attribute of at least a portion of a data block having video or audio data; selecting one or more compression algorithms from among a plurality of compression algorithms to apply to the at least the portion of the data block based upon the determined parameter or attribute and a throughput of a communication channel, at least one of the plurality of compression algorithms being asymmetric; and compressing the at least the portion of the data block with the selected compression algorithm after selecting the one or more, compression algorithms. view more

The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing at least a portion of the compressed data block.

The method of claim 1, wherein each compression algorithm from among the plurality of compression algorithms is asymmetric.

The method of claim 2, further comprising: retrieving at least a portion of the at least stored portion of the compressed data block based upon a utilization of one or more central processing units (CPUs).

An apparatus, comprising: a controller configured to: determine a parameter or an attribute of at least a portion of a data block having video or audio data, and select one or more compression algorithms from among a plurality of compression algorithms to determine a plurality of compression algorithms to apply to the at least the portion of the data block based upon the determined parameter or attribute and a throughput of a communication channel, at least one of the plurality of compression algorithms being asymmetric; and a data compression system configured to compress the at least the portion of the data block with the selected one or more compression algorithms. view more

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a storage medium configured to store a portion of the at least compressed portion of the data block.

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the data compression system is further configured to retrieve at least a portion of the at least stored portion of the at least compressed portion of the data block based upon the throughput of the communication channel or a user command. view more

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the data compression system is further configured to: retrieve at least a portion of the at least stored portion of the at least compressed portion of the data block based upon the throughput of the communication channel; and retrieve at least a portion of a second compressed data block, compressed with one or more second compression algorithms from among the plurality of compression algorithms, based upon a second throughput of the communication channel, wherein at least one of the one or more second compression algorithms are different from at least one of the selected one or more compression algorithms, and wherein the second throughput of the communication channel is different from the throughput of the communication channel. view more

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to retrieve at least a portion of a third compressed data block that was compressed with one or more third compression algorithms from among the plurality compression algorithms based upon a third throughput of the communication channel, the third throughput of the communication channel differing from the first or the second throughputs of the communication channel. view more

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to select the one or more compression algorithms to apply to the at least the portion of the data block based upon the determined parameter or attribute, the throughput of the communication channel, and a frequency of access of at least the portion of a second compressed or uncompressed data block. view more

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each compression algorithm from among the plurality of compression algorithms is asymmetric.

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the data compression system is further configured to retrieve at least a portion of the at least stored portion of the compressed data block based upon a utilization of one or more central processing units (CPUs).