Patent ID: 8001575

Claim:
A method of operating a set-top box that is coupled to a video display, the set-top box being configured for communication with a video content provider, comprising: initiating display of a first portion of video content that is pre-loaded onto the set-top box; transmitting a request to subscribe to a first multicast service in response to initiating display of the first portion of the video content, the video content provider being configured to provide at least one second portion of the video content using the first multicast service, and wherein the video content provider initiates transmission of said at least one second portion of the video content in response to a first user subscribing to the first multicast service, cyclically and repeatedly transmits said at least one second portion of the video content as long as at least one user is subscribed to the first multicast service, and stops transmission of the first multicast service when a last user leaves so that no users are subscribed to the first multicast service.