A method for managing resources in a multimedia system, the method comprises: receiving (1450, 1490) a client request at a multimedia server for a multimedia system service from one of a plurality of clients, wherein the multimedia system service includes access to a channel of a plurality of dissimilar channels having dissimilar resource demands; determining (1452, 1492) via a processor at the multimedia server whether the client request is valid for the one of the plurality of clients based upon client authenticity and client privileges; characterized by: when the client request is valid for the one of the plurality of clients, determining (1458, 1498) via the processor whether the multimedia system has sufficient resources of a plurality of multimedia processing resources to fulfil the client request; allocating (1462, 1502) at least some of the sufficient resources to fulfil the client request based on a multimedia system resource allocation procedure that is determined based on a priority associated with the client request for the multimedia system service and currently serviced other client requests, and further based on a best match analysis executed via the processor, by maintaining a listing of resource capabilities for each of the plurality of resources, determining a type of resource needed to support the client request, identifying and allocating best match resources based on the resource capability of the plurality of resources, the type of resource needed by the client, and on a predetermined assignment of resources to a client, wherein resources allocated to a client remain idle unless the particular client desires access to the multimedia system. receiving (1450, 1490) a client request at a multimedia server for a multimedia system service from one of a plurality of clients, wherein the multimedia system service includes access to a channel of a plurality of dissimilar channels having dissimilar resource demands; determining (1452, 1492) via a processor at the multimedia server whether the client request is valid for the one of the plurality of clients based upon client authenticity and client privileges; characterized by: when the client request is valid for the one of the plurality of clients, determining (1458, 1498) via the processor whether the multimedia system has sufficient resources of a plurality of multimedia processing resources to fulfil the client request; allocating (1462, 1502) at least some of the sufficient resources to fulfil the client request based on a multimedia system resource allocation procedure that is determined based on a priority associated with the client request for the multimedia system service and currently serviced other client requests, and further based on a best match analysis executed via the processor, by maintaining a listing of resource capabilities for each of the plurality of resources, determining a type of resource needed to support the client request, identifying and allocating best match resources based on the resource capability of the plurality of resources, the type of resource needed by the client, and on a predetermined assignment of resources to a client, wherein resources allocated to a client remain idle unless the particular client desires access to the multimedia system. when the client request is valid for the one of the plurality of clients, determining (1458, 1498) via the processor whether the multimedia system has sufficient resources of a plurality of multimedia processing resources to fulfil the client request; allocating (1462, 1502) at least some of the sufficient resources to fulfil the client request based on a multimedia system resource allocation procedure that is determined based on a priority associated with the client request for the multimedia system service and currently serviced other client requests, and further based on a best match analysis executed via the processor, by maintaining a listing of resource capabilities for each of the plurality of resources, determining a type of resource needed to support the client request, identifying and allocating best match resources based on the resource capability of the plurality of resources, the type of resource needed by the client, and on a predetermined assignment of resources to a client, wherein resources allocated to a client remain idle unless the particular client desires access to the multimedia system.