MediaPort™ 7000 I/O modules perform system-wide encoding and decoding for real-time ingest and playout of content on the Spectrum™ media server platform. The modules attach to Spectrum in manageable increments so that systems can be configured to meet exact requirements for channel count and video compression formats. When expansion is needed, additional MediaPort 7000 modules can be added while Spectrum remains up and running. MediaPorts for different media formats can be combined within a single Spectrum system, including support for both SD and HD at the same time. Every channel can be individually controlled by an automation system or a hardware controller.