A process for the simultaneous storage and play back of multimedia data, comprising the steps of:</claim-text> accepting television (TV) broadcast signals, wherein said TV signals are based on a multitude of standards, including, but not limited to, nal Television Standards Committee (NTSC) broadcast, PAL broadcast, satellite transmission, DSS, DBS, or ATSC; tuning said TV signals to a specific program; providing at least one Input Section, wherein said Input Section converts said specific program to an Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) formatted stream for internal transfer and manipulation; providing a Media Switch, wherein said Media Switch parses said MPEG stream, said MPEG stream is separated into its video and audio components; storing said video and audio components on a storage device; providing at least one Output Section, wherein said Output Section extracts said video and audio components from said storage device; wherein said Output Section assembles said video and audio components into an MPEG stream; wherein said Output Section sends said MPEG stream to a decoder; wherein said decoder converts said MPEG stream into TV output signals; wherein said decoder delivers said TV output signals to a TV receiver; and accepting control commands from a user, wherein said control commands are sent through the system and affect the flow of said MPEG stream. view more

The process of claim <HIL><BOLD>1</BOLD></HIL>, wherein the storing and extracting of said video and audio components from said storage device are performed simultaneously.

The process of claim <HIL><BOLD>1</BOLD></HIL>, wherein said storage device is connected to said Media Switch.

The process of claim <HIL><BOLD>1</BOLD></HIL>, wherein said Media Switch is implemented in hardware.

A process for the simultaneous storage and play back of multimedia data, comprising the steps of:</claim-text> providing a physical data source, wherein said physical data source accepts broadcast data from an input device, parses video and audio from said broadcast data, and temporarily stores said video and audio data; providing a source object, wherein said source object extracts video and audio data from said physical data source; providing a transform object, wherein said transform object stores and retrieves data streams onto a storage device; wherein said source object obtains a buffer from said transform object, said source object converts video data into data streams and fills said buffer with said streams; wherein said source object is automatically flow controlled by said transform object; providing a sink object, wherein said sink object obtains data stream buffers from said transform object and outputs said streams to a video and audio decoder; wherein said decoder converts said streams into display signals and sends said signals to a display; wherein said sink object is automatically flow controlled by said transform object; providing a control object, wherein said control object receives commands from a user, said commands control the flow of the broadcast data through the system; and wherein said control object sends flow command events to said source, transform, and sink objects. view more

An apparatus for the simultaneous storage and play back of multimedia data, comprising:</claim-text> a module for accepting television (TV) broadcast signals, wherein said TV signals are based on a multitude of standards, including, but not limited ational Television Standards Committee (NTSC) broadcast, PAL broadcast, satellite transmission, DSS, DBS, or ATSC; a module for tuning said TV signals to a specific program; at least one Input Section, wherein said Input Section converts said specific program to an Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) formatted stream for internal transfer and manipulation; a Media Switch, wherein said Media Switch parses said MPEG stream, said MPEG stream is separated into its video and audio components; a module for storing said video and audio components on a storage device; at least one Output Section, wherein said Output Section extracts said video and audio components from said storage device; wherein said Output Section assembles said video and audio components into an MPEG stream; wherein said Output Section sends said MPEG stream to a decoder; wherein said decoder converts said MPEG stream into TV output signals; wherein said decoder delivers said TV output signals to a TV receiver; and accepting control commands from a user, wherein said control commands are sent through the system and affect the flow of said MPEG stream. view more

The apparatus of claim <HIL><BOLD>32</BOLD></HIL>, wherein the storing and extracting of said video and audio components from said storage device are performed simultaneously.

The apparatus of claim <HIL><BOLD>32</BOLD></HIL>, wherein said storage device is connected to said Media Switch.

An apparatus for the simultaneous storage and play back of multimedia data, comprising:</claim-text> a physical data source, wherein said physical data source accepts broadcast data from an input device, parses video and audio data from said cast data, and temporarily stores said video and audio data; a source object, wherein said source object extracts video and audio data from said physical data source; a transform object, wherein said transform object stores and retrieves data streams onto a storage device; wherein said source object obtains a buffer from said transform object, said source object converts video data into data streams and fills said buffer with said streams; wherein said source object is automatically flow controlled by said transform object; a sink object, wherein said sink object obtains data stream buffers from said transform object and outputs said streams to a video and audio decoder; wherein said decoder converts said streams into display signals and sends said signals to a display; wherein said sink object is automatically flow controlled by said transform object; a control object, wherein said control object receives commands from a user, said commands control the flow of the broadcast data through the system; and wherein said control object sends flow command events to said source, transform, and sink objects. view more