Patent ID: 7366206

Claim:
A server apparatus for receiving packetized multi-media data and transmitting the packetized multi-media data over an asynchronous network, the apparatus comprising: an input for receiving the packetized multi-media data from a selected one of a plurality of remote signal sources each corresponding to one or more head-end networks, the packetized multi-media data including synchronizing information associated with the selected signal source; a clock; a controller, coupled to the input and the clock, for generating a clock adjustment factor for correlating the clock to a clock associated with the selected signal source in response to the synchronizing information, the controller generating data frames having the packetized multi-media data and the clock adjustment factor included therein; an output, coupled to the asynchronous network, for transmitting the data frames to a client device; a time stamping device, coupled to the controller, the clock and the output of the server apparatus, for placing a synchronizing time stamp in each data frame, the synchronizing time stamp being indicative of the time the respective data frame is placed onto the asynchronous network, whereby the synchronizing time stamp and the clock adjustment factor are used by the client device for synchronizing a clock associated with the client device with the clock associated with the selected signal source without changing the clock of the server apparatus.