Interactive multimedia presentation & communication system

A multiplexing and distribution system is provided for use in a digital data distribution system for multiplexing block data which represent predetermined quantities of information with stream data representative of a continuous flow of information onto a single distribution channel. The multiplexing system utilizes a framing technique in which fixed time intervals, or frames, are provided along the distribution channel. The start of each frame is defined by one or more digital bytes which represent frame synchronization characters. A stream control character is inserted in each frame after the frame synchronization characters. Consecutive stream control characters may be concatenated to provide a control channel which contains information used to select which particular stream data channels are to be multiplexed, and where the data is to be placed within the frame. A multiplexer controller selects the particular stream data channels which are to be multiplexed, and inserts successive one byte increments of each of these stream data channels into each successive frame after the stream control character. The remaining space in each frame is filled with consecutive block data.