A method of changing channels on a receiving device in a hybrid multicast video distribution environment comprising a head-end broadcasting unit and a fast channel change server, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, from the head-end broadcasting unit, decoding and rendering a first multicast video stream (22, 24) on a display using the receiving device, wherein the receiving device has a synchronization module; and receiving an order for a channel change operation from the first multicast video stream (22, 24) to a second multicast video stream; characterised by the method further comprising the steps of: responsively to the order and while receiving the second multicast video stream from the head-end broadcasting unit, requesting a channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server, the channel pack (36, 38, 40) comprising an encoded segment of the second multicast video stream having an independently decodable frame and zero or more predicted frames of the second multicast video stream, wherein frame quality parameters of the encoded segment are reduced in quality from frame quality parameters of a corresponding segment of the second multicast video stream; accepting the requested channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server; decoding and rendering the encoded segment of the accepted channel pack (36, 38, 40) on the display; in the synchronization module determining a time shift between a frame of the accepted channel pack (36, 38, 40) and a corresponding frame of the second multicast video stream; iteratively requesting a new channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server, and with the new channel pack (36, 38, 40) again performing the steps of accepting the requested channel pack (36, 38, 40), decoding and rendering the encoded segment and determining a time shift at intervals that are less than a playback duration of corresponding segments of the second multicast video stream until the time shift is less than a predetermined value; and thereafter rendering the second multicast video stream on the display. receiving, from the head-end broadcasting unit, decoding and rendering a first multicast video stream (22, 24) on a display using the receiving device, wherein the receiving device has a synchronization module; and receiving an order for a channel change operation from the first multicast video stream (22, 24) to a second multicast video stream; characterised by the method further comprising the steps of: responsively to the order and while receiving the second multicast video stream from the head-end broadcasting unit, requesting a channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server, the channel pack (36, 38, 40) comprising an encoded segment of the second multicast video stream having an independently decodable frame and zero or more predicted frames of the second multicast video stream, wherein frame quality parameters of the encoded segment are reduced in quality from frame quality parameters of a corresponding segment of the second multicast video stream; accepting the requested channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server; decoding and rendering the encoded segment of the accepted channel pack (36, 38, 40) on the display; in the synchronization module determining a time shift between a frame of the accepted channel pack (36, 38, 40) and a corresponding frame of the second multicast video stream; iteratively requesting a new channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server, and with the new channel pack (36, 38, 40) again performing the steps of accepting the requested channel pack (36, 38, 40), decoding and rendering the encoded segment and determining a time shift at intervals that are less than a playback duration of corresponding segments of the second multicast video stream until the time shift is less than a predetermined value; and thereafter rendering the second multicast video stream on the display. responsively to the order and while receiving the second multicast video stream from the head-end broadcasting unit, requesting a channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server, the channel pack (36, 38, 40) comprising an encoded segment of the second multicast video stream having an independently decodable frame and zero or more predicted frames of the second multicast video stream, wherein frame quality parameters of the encoded segment are reduced in quality from frame quality parameters of a corresponding segment of the second multicast video stream; accepting the requested channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server; decoding and rendering the encoded segment of the accepted channel pack (36, 38, 40) on the display; in the synchronization module determining a time shift between a frame of the accepted channel pack (36, 38, 40) and a corresponding frame of the second multicast video stream; iteratively requesting a new channel pack (36, 38, 40) from the fast channel change server, and with the new channel pack (36, 38, 40) again performing the steps of accepting the requested channel pack (36, 38, 40), decoding and rendering the encoded segment and determining a time shift at intervals that are less than a playback duration of corresponding segments of the second multicast video stream until the time shift is less than a predetermined value; and thereafter rendering the second multicast video stream on the display.