Patent ID: 8064470

Claim:
A method of transmitting a recording comprising a sequence of data packets, the method comprising: a server commencing transmission of the recording over the network to a receiver; the receiver holding received data in a receiver buffer; and at the server, a control unit: analyzing the entire said sequence of data packets to determine where a point in the transmission of the recording is reached at which, if the receiver were to commence decoding data already transmitted and held in said receiver buffer, said receiver buffer would not underflow; continuing transmission to the receiver, wherein, said analyzing comprises analyzing the entire said sequence of data packets to calculate for each of a plurality of first sections in the recording a maximum timing error value calculated as the maximum of the extent to which the transmission time of the respective following section of the recording exceeds its playing time interval for a following section of any length, wherein said point is determined as the end of the shortest first section that meets the condition that it covers a playing time interval greater than or equal to its respective maximum timing error value; and causing the receiver to commencing playing of received data only after said first section has been received.