Improved approaches for delivering media programs to viewers (e.g., subscribers)
are disclosed. The media programs are typically broadcast in accordance with a
schedule. The media program can be delivered to viewers through multicast or unicast.
According to one aspect, the media programs are buffered (e.g., cached) in a data
packet format such that producing unicasts for particular viewers requires less
computation and resources such that more concurrent unicasts are able to be effectively supported.