A method for client-side compositing of media streams by a video display device, the method comprising: receiving, by the video display device, a multiplexed data stream from a remote video server via a wired or wireless internet connection, the multiplexed data stream including substreams, the substreams including a descriptor substream, at least one media substream, and a compositing-instruction substream, the compositing-instruction substream including instructions on a composition of the at least one media substream and indicating an area of the display screen to display the at least one media substream wherein the at least one media substream comprises at least one of an audio/visual substream or a text/graphic substream; demultiplexing, by the video display device, the multiplexed data stream into the substreams according to the descriptor substream; and receiving, by the video display device, a first instruction command from a user, the first instruction command changing the composition indicated by the compositing instruction substream, wherein the first instruction command indicates a change of at least one of a display size, display color or display location of the at least one media substream; transmitting the first instruction, on a user control channel, to the remote video server; at the remote video server, receiving the first instruction transmitted on the user control channel and applying the first instruction to change the composition of the multiplexed data stream being sent to the video display device to reflect the first instruction; and displaying, by the video display device, the at least one media substream as an on-screen display or a picture-in-picture in the area of a display screen according to the changed composition. receiving, by the video display device, a multiplexed data stream from a remote video server via a wired or wireless internet connection, the multiplexed data stream including substreams, the substreams including a descriptor substream, at least one media substream, and a compositing-instruction substream, the compositing-instruction substream including instructions on a composition of the at least one media substream and indicating an area of the display screen to display the at least one media substream wherein the at least one media substream comprises at least one of an audio/visual substream or a text/graphic substream; demultiplexing, by the video display device, the multiplexed data stream into the substreams according to the descriptor substream; and receiving, by the video display device, a first instruction command from a user, the first instruction command changing the composition indicated by the compositing instruction substream, wherein the first instruction command indicates a change of at least one of a display size, display color or display location of the at least one media substream; transmitting the first instruction, on a user control channel, to the remote video server; at the remote video server, receiving the first instruction transmitted on the user control channel and applying the first instruction to change the composition of the multiplexed data stream being sent to the video display device to reflect the first instruction; and displaying, by the video display device, the at least one media substream as an on-screen display or a picture-in-picture in the area of a display screen according to the changed composition.