text: fig1 b shows a digital network 100 having a digital information distribution system 104 according to one embodiment of the invention . digital information distribution system 104 includes a hub receiver 106 having a master csu / dsu 108 , a distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 and a plurality of csu / dsus 116 . csu / dsus are communications units which perform hand - shaking functions to initiate communications between synchronous digital equipment . one example of a csu / dsu unit is csu / dsu model 1056s from integrated network corporation ( i . n . c .). digital information distribution system 104 further includes a master controller 126 having a master controller display 128 and a master controller keypad 132 . master controller 126 is connected to the plurality of customer service units / data service units csu / dsus 116 via one or more rs - 232 lines 135 . digital information distribution system 104 also includes a first backup unit 134 having a first backup hard disk 134a and a second backup unit 136 having a second backup hard disk 136a . backup unit 134 is connected to hub receiver 106 via rs - 232 line 138 . second backup unit 136 is connected to first backup unit 134 via rs - 232 line 139 . digital information distribution system 104 also has a recorder 144 connected to hub receiver 106 via rs - 232 lines 146 . digital information distribution system 104 operates as follows . a suitcase transmission unit 150 , such as the suitcase unit described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 047 , 089 , gathers a video clip , compresses that clip and then transmits or uplinks that clip to a satellite system 160 which may include one or more satellites and one or more earth stations . satellite system 160 eventually downlinks the compressed video news clip to an earth station 164 which is coupled to a land network 170 such as acunet . land network 170 can include microwave links , hard wire links and optical fiber links . land network 170 is a synchronous digital system and consequently is coupled to hub receiver 106 , and in particular to master customer service unit / data service unit csu / dsu 108 via a v . 35 pin input 174 which receives lines 176 . synchronous ( v . 35 ) line 178 interconnects master csu / dsu 108 to distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 . digital network 100 transmits digital information corresponding to a news clip from a camera ( not shown ) which can serve as a news clip for television and other audio / video media . alternatively , the digital information can serve as a series of still photographs for printed media . fig1 c shows a transmission system 410 which can be used to transmit video clips from remote locations . transmission system 410 includes an interface unit 430 which receives an analog audio / video signal from a camera ( not shown ) and transforms that analog audio / video signal into a digital red , green , blue ( rgb ) signal . interface unit 430 demodulates the audio / video signal which can be a ntsc , pal , or secam signal and outputs the digital rgb signal . the digital rgb signal is received by a transmit signal processor 440 which compresses the digital rgb signal into an asynchronous compressed signal and stores that asynchronous compressed signal on a hard disk 440a . transmit signal processor 440 can then output the asynchronous compressed signal which , in turn , is received by a signal converter 450t . signal converter 450t includes a protocol converter 454t and a level translation unit 458t . protocol converter 454t receives the asynchronous compressed signal and converts that signal to a synchronous compressed signal . the synchronous compressed signal is then input to level translation unit 458t which translates it into a level translated synchronous compressed signal ready to be received by a microwave transmitter ( not shown ) which is part of digital network 100 . returning to fig1 b , hub receiver 104 distributes digital information such as a compressed video news clip or a series of still pictures as follows . the compressed video news clip is input to master csu / dsu 108 via line 176 which receives a synchronous digital data stream and performs handshaking functions . these handshaking functions initiate communications between network 170 and distribution amplifier equalizer 112 . master csu / dsu 108 then outputs the synchronous digital signal which is received by distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 . distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 then splits up the resulting synchronous signal and outputs a plurality of synchronous signals to each of the plurality of csu / dsus 116 via output lines 180 . each of the plurality of csu / dsus 116 is coupled into land network 170 via lines 172 which in turn are coupled to receiving stations 184 . alternatively , if no digital network ( e . g ., acunet ) is available , remote suitcases 188 can be used as receiving stations as described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 047 , 089 . first and second backup units 134 and 136 function as a digital receiving system similar to digital receiving system 510 in u . s . patent application ser . no . 047 , 089 . in particular , referring to fig1 d , backup units 134 and 136 include a signal converter 550r followed by a receive signal processor 460 . signal converter 550r includes level translation unit 558r followed by protocol converter 454r . a high speed digital ( hsd ) signal is received on line 516 by signal converter 550r . level translation unit 558r in turn translates the voltage level of that high speed digital signal for transmission on serial line 456r as a synchronous compressed signal . protocol converter 454r then receives and transforms this synchronous compressed signal into an asynchronous , compressed signal for transmission on a bus 446 to receive signal processor 460 . receive signal processor 460 decompresses this asynchronous , compressed signal and stores a resulting asynchronous , compressed signal on a hard disk 460a . if the decompression of the asynchronous compressed signal received by signal processor 480 is the inverse of the compression which the digital clip underwent at transmission unit 150 , receive signal processor 460 outputs a digital signal corresponding to the news clip output from the camera at unit 150 . fig2 shows digital information distribution system 104 in somewhat more detail . again , land network 170 is coupled to master csu / dsu 108 via line 176 . v . 35 input 174 is coupled to master csu / dsu 108 via synchronous line 178 . v . 35 input 174 is in turn coupled to a synchronous - to - asynchronous converter 210 ( such as converter 450t in fig1 c and in u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 047 , 089 ) in distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 . distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 further includes outputs 230 and 234 connected to recorder 144 and backup unit 134 via rs - 232 lines 146 and 138 , respectively . distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 also has an input 242 for receiving the backup signal from backup unit 134 or backup unit 136 . the plurality of csu / dsus 116 have respective output cables 217 which are coupled to receiving stations 184 of fig1 b . master controller 126 is coupled to the plurality of csu / dsus 116 via rs - 232 line 220 . rs - 232 line 220 can be a bundle of individual rs - 232 lines , wherein each line is connected to a different csu / dsu , or each of the plurality of csu / dsus 116 can have a unique address , in which case line 220 can be a single rs - 232 line . distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 also has an input 242 for receiving a backup signal via rs - 232 line 239 from backup unit 134 or backup unit 136 . this backup signal is received by backup unit 134 or backup unit 136 at the same time it is transmitted out of distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 to csu / dsus 116 . master controller 126 sends commands to the plurality of csu / dsus on rs - 232 line 220 . these commands can be entered using master controller keypad 132 . the plurality of csu / dsus 116 can send commands to master controller 126 indicating which , if any , csu / dsu in the plurality of csu / dsus 116 , did not receive the news clip , or received a news clip with more than a predetermined number of errors . fig3 a and 3b show a rear and a front view , respectively , of distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 . distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 has a housing 304 with a rear panel 310 and a plurality of outputs 316 coupled to the plurality of csu / dsus 116 via lines 117 . fig3 b shows that distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 has a display 324 and a keypad 328 for manually controlling which particular lines 117 and consequently which particular csu / dsu of the plurality of csu / dsus 116 are activated . fig4 shows master controller 126 connected to the plurality of csu / dsus 116 via rs - 232 lines 220 . here , a separate rs - 232 line is connected to a respective csu / dsu . however , as discussed above , a single rs - 232 line can be connected to the plurality of csu / dsus 116 , if csu / dsus 116 are separately addressable . again , an operator sends commands to the csu / dsu 116 by entering commands into master controller 126 using keypad 132 and then master controller 126 in turn sends these commands along the appropriate rs - 232 line 220 . also , a particular csu / dsu 116 can send information back to master controller 126 along the appropriate rs - 232 line 220 . the plurality of csu / dsus 116 can have transmission rates varying from 9 . 6 kilobytes / s ( corresponding to normal telephone line rates ) up to 2 megabytes / s ( corresponding to special high speed data line rates ). it should be understood , however , that hub receiver 106 can couple to very low rate telephone lines such as telephone lines having rates of 2 . 4 kilobytes / s presently found in some undeveloped countries . also , the plurality of csu / dsus 116 can be connected in parallel . consequently , multiples of such 9 . 6 kilobyte can be multiplexed to yield a &# 34 ; virtual &# 34 ; 54 kilobyte line or a virtual 64 kilobyte line . fig5 shows an on - demand video news distribution system 500 according to another embodiment of the invention . system 500 includes a video menu unit 504 coupled to a telephone line unit 508 ( corresponding to distribution amplifier - equalizer 112 in fig1 b and 2 ) via line 512 . telephone line unit 508 has a plurality of output lines 514 which in turn are coupled to a plurality of menu csu / dsu units 516 . this plurality of menu csu / dsu units are in turn coupled to network 520 ( corresponding to land unit 170 of fig1 b ) via menu lines 524 . video news distribution system 500 includes a plurality of units 525a - 525h similar to backup units 134 or 136 of fig1 b interconnected via bus 526 . each unit 525a - 525h corresponds to a different news topic or subject matter . for example , unit 525a could correspond to current affairs in japan , unit 525b could correspond to events in germany , unit 525c could involve information regarding international financing , and unit 525d could be sports information . each of the plurality of units 525a - 525h includes a respective memory 527a - 527h such as a hard disk in which digital information can be stored . the plurality of video clip storing units 525a - 525h are coupled to distribution amplifier / equalizers 531a - 531h via synchronous lines 529a - 529h , respectively . distribution amplifier / equalizers 531a - 531h are identical to distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 previously discussed . each of distribution amplifier / equalizers 531a - 531h like distribution amplifier / equalizer 112 of fig1 b and fig2 has multi - line outputs 533a - 533h which are respectively coupled to csu / dsu units 535a - 535h . for example , distribution amplifier 531a has three multi - line outputs 533a coupled to csu / dsu units 535a . similarly , csu / dsu units 535a - 535h correspond to the plurality of csu / dsus 116 of fig1 b . csu / dsu units 535a - 535h are all coupled to network 520 in the manner discussed above with reference to fig1 b . video news distribution system 500 operates as follows . users at television stations or at newspaper or magazine printing houses 550a - 550c dual the telephone number of video menu unit 504 using computers 555a - 555c ( such as a personal computer with a modem ), respectively , which establish communications with menu unit 504 . a connected user can then view a menu listing the various clips and / or still photographs available on units 525a - 525h . if the user wishes to obtain a particular clip , he or she simply enters a command to menu unit 504 which in turn sends a &# 34 ; request - to - send &# 34 ; command to the appropriate video storing unit 525a - 525h . the video storing unit with that video clip or photograph then sends the video clip ( photograph ) via its corresponding distribution amplifier / equalizers 531a - 531h via one of the corresponding csu / dsu units 535a - 535h . for example , if a user of computer 555a wants to receive a news clip on japan which is stored in unit 525a , the user sends a command to menu unit 504 via one of the menu csu / dsus 516 and menu amplifier / equalizer 508 . menu unit 504 then sends a command to unit 527a via bus 526 , to send that particular clip to computer 555a via amplifier / equalizer 531a . if a second user at station 550b is currently acquiring that or a different clip from unit 525a and consequently is using one of the csu / dsus 535a , unit 525a uses the csu / dsu 535a which is not being used . numerous additional modification and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise as specifically claimed .