A system for providing visual content to a user, the system includes: a memory unit for storing information representative of a large image; an input for receiving a request to view a first portion of the large image; an encoder for processing the large image in order to generate macro-blocks and for generating an MPEG compliant video stream representative of the first portion of the large image; wherein the generating includes processing the macro-blocks that form the first portion; and a transmitter for transmitting over a cable network to the user the MPEG compliant video stream.