Patent Publication Number: US-2009228620-A1

Title: Digital Adapter

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/034,063, filed 5 Mar. 2008, and titled, “Digital Adapter” the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The term Network Attached Storage (NAS) refers to a dedicated data storage device(s) connected directly to a computer network to provide centralized data access and storage services to one or more network clients such as, e.g., a personal computer. In some circumstances it may be useful to allow for connectivity between a NAS device and a digital rendering device to view content stored on the NAS device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of network environment with network attached storage devices and a digital adapter. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a digital adapter. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a network attached storage device with a digital adapter. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating operations in one embodiment of digital adapter system. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating operations in one embodiment of a digital adapter system. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a digital rendering device and a digital adapter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein are exemplary systems and methods for a digital adapter in a network environment. The methods described herein may be embodied as logic instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. When executed on a processor, the logic instructions cause a general processor to be programmed as a special-purpose machine that implements the described methods. The processor, when configured by the logic instructions to execute the methods recited herein, constitutes structure for performing the described methods. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of network environment with a digital adapter communicatively connected to a network attached storage device and a digital rendering device. Environment  100  may comprise one or more network attached storage devices  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c  connected to one or more network clients  112   a ,  112   b ,  112   c ,  112   d ,  112   e ,  112   f , and/or one or more digital adapter(s)  125  by a communication network  120 . Environment  100  may comprise one or more digital rendering devices  130 . 
     Network attached storage devices  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c  may be implemented as one or more communicatively connected storage devices. Exemplary storage devices may comprise, but are not limited to, the HP MediaSmart Server line of storage devices commercially available form Hewlett-Packard Corporation of Palo Alto, Calif., USA. In some embodiments, at least a portion of communication network  120  may be implemented as a private, dedicated network such as, e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). Alternatively, portions of communication network  120  may be implemented using public communication networks pursuant to a suitable communication protocol such as, e.g., the Internet. 
     Network clients  112   a ,  112   b ,  112   c ,  112   d ,  112   e ,  112   f  may be implemented as computing devices such as, e.g., a networked computer  112   a , a laptop computer  112   b , a desktop computer  112   c , a personal digital assistant (PDA)  112   d , a smart phone  112   e , other computing devices  112   f  or the like. Applications running on network clients  112   a ,  112   b ,  112   c ,  112   d ,  112   e ,  112   f  may initiate file access requests to access information stored in network attached storage devices  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c . Network attached storage devices  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c  receive file access requests and, in response, locate and return the requested information to the network client that originated the request. 
     A network attached storage device  110  may be communicatively connected to a digital adapter  125 . By way of example and not limitation, a network attached storage device and a digital adapter may be connected via a serial interface such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB), an external Serial advanced technology attachment (eSATA), a Firewire or the like. In operation, a connection via a high speed serial interface allows for transmission of uncompressed digital video formats, digital audio formats, digital image formats or the like. 
     Among other components, the digital adapter  125  comprises a circuit board  126 . The circuit board  126  may comprise at least one integrated circuit  129  and in practice typically comprises a plurality of integrated circuits  129 . In some embodiments, the circuit board  126  may comprise at least one processor  130 . In some embodiments, a digital adapter may include a plurality of processors  130 . 
     Among other components, a digital adapter  125  may include at least one digital signal interface  127 , and at least one digital rendering device interface  128 . In some embodiments, digital signal interface  127  and digital rendering device interface  128  are communicatively connected to the circuit board  126 . In some embodiments, a digital signal interface  127  may comprise a serial port to receive digital signals from a network attached storage device  110 . In some embodiments, a digital signal interface  127  may include a cable to connect to a port in a network attached storage device  110  or the like. In operation, a network attached storage device  110  may transmit an uncompressed digital signal containing video content, music content, or the like, to a digital signal interface  127  which may receive the signal and allow the signal to be processed in the digital adapter  125 . 
     A digital rendering device interface  128  may comprise ports and/or cables to allow for communication with one or more digital rendering devices  136  such as a HDTV, monitor or the like. By way of example and not limitation, a digital rendering device interface  128  ports and/or cables may use formats such as HDMI, BNC, or other renderable physical interface connectors. 
     In some embodiments, the digital adapter  126  may include logic to convert digital signals from a first received digital format to a second different digital format. By way of example, a digital adapter may convert a signal received from an eSATA interface and convert the signal to one which may be transmitted through a high definition media interface. 
     A digital adapter  125  may comprise, among other components, a digital signal input module  131 , a digital signal converter module  132 , a digital signal output module  133 , and a conversion routine settings module  134 . 
     A digital signal input module  131  may include logic to receive digitals signals in a digital adapter  125 . In some embodiments, a digital signal input module  131  may receive a digital signal from a digital signal interface  127  which may be communicatively connected to through a circuit board  126  or the like. In some embodiments, a digital signal input module  131  may also defect a digital signal format from a digital signal received from a digital signal interface  127 . 
     A digital signal converter module  132  may include logic to receive a digital signal from a digital signal input module  131  and transcode the signal to a different format. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  132  may transcode a single input video format to HDMI, composite video, or the like. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  132  may use a default conversion routine to transcode received digital signals. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  132  may receive conversion routine settings from a conversion routine settings module  134 . By way of example and not limitation, a digital signal converter module  132  may transcode a digital signal received from an eSATA interface to a format which may be communicated over a HDMI. 
     A digital signal output module  133  may include logic to transmit a digital signal to a digital rendering device interface  128 . By way of example and not limitation, a digital video signal may be outputted to a digital rendering device interface  128  using formats such as HDMI, BNC or other renderable video physical interfaces. 
     A conversion routine settings module  134  may include logic to allow a user to select options and/or functionalities for a digital adapter  125 . In some embodiments, a conversion routine settings module  134  may receive setting selections from sources such as; a touch screen, a number pad, a remote control  140  or the like. 
     In some embodiments, a digital adapter  125  may comprise a remote control  140 . In some embodiments, a remote control  140  may allow a user to interface with a digital adapter  125 , and thereby may allow a user to choose among settings on a digital adapter  125 . In some embodiments, a remote control may allow a user to input setting choices through a digital rendering device such as the digital rendering device  136 . Furthermore, in some embodiments, a remote control  140  may allow a user to access functionalities of a digital rendering device  136  such as; video playback, audio playback, volume, or the like. In some embodiments, a digital adapter comprise logic to transmit a settings menu to a digital rendering device and receive, from a remote control, at least one settings selection for input and output data formats. 
     In some embodiments, a digital adapter  125  may include an input/output interface  135 . In some embodiments, an input/output interface  135  may include a touch screen, a number pad or the like, and may allow a user to select among conversion routines and/or other functionalities of a digital adapter  125 . In some embodiments, a digital adapter may comprise an input/output interface and logic to; display, on the input/output interface, current data format selections and data format options, receive, in a digital adapter, data format selections, and process, in a digital adapter, the selected data format selections. In some embodiments, a digital adapter may comprise logic to; display, on a digital rendering device, current data format selections and data format options, receive, in a digital adapter, data format selections, and process, in a digital adapter, the selected data format selections. 
     In operation, a digital adapter  125  may provide a dedicated video interface from the central storage location, such as a network attached storage device or the like, to a digital video rendering device without the necessity to use lower bandwidth and lower quality of service data transmissions means such as Ethernet or the like. Furthermore, in operation, by harnessing the computational power of a network attached storage device or the like, a digital adapter is not burdened with processor intensive compressing and decompressing of digital content. 
     A digital adapter  125  may convert digital signals received from a network attached storage device to a format that may be transmitted to a digital rendering device  130 . A digital adapter  125  may be communicatively connected to a digital rendering device  138 . In some embodiments, a digital adapter and a digital rendering device are connected through interfaces such as; HDMI, BNC, composite video, WiFi or the like. By way of example and not limitation, a digital adapter may convert digital formats such as; Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG), MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MP3, VideoCD, MPEG-4, Motion JPEG, Digital Video, Windows Media Video (WMV), Real Media DivX, Sorenson 3, Quicktime 6, RP9, WMV9 or the like, to real-time renderable outputs such as; High Definition Media Interface (HDMI), BNC, composite video, or the like. In operation, a network attached storage device may send an uncompressed digital video to a digital adapter via an eSATA interface, a digital adapter may then transcode the digital content to a format that may be transmitted through a HDMI cable to a digital rendering device such as a HDTV. 
     In operation, the connectivity between a digital adapter and a digital rendering advice allows for communication of high bandwidth data with less likelihood of a user experiencing interruptions. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a digital adapter  200 , which may be used to implement one or more digital adapters  125  depicted in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , digital adapter  200  comprises a housing  205  defining a chamber  210 . Components of the digital adapter  200  reside within the chamber  210 . Among other components, the digital adapter comprises a circuit board  212  positioned in the chamber  210 . The circuit board  212  comprises at least one integrated circuit  214  and in practice typically comprises a plurality of integrated circuits  214 . In some embodiments, the circuit board  212  may comprise at least one processor  216 . In some embodiments a digital adapter may include a plurality of processors  216 . 
     Among other components, the housing  205  may include at least one digital signal interface  218 , and at least one digital rendering device interface  220  formed in the housing  205 . In some embodiments, digital signal interface  218  and digital rendering device interface  220  are communicatively connected to the circuit board  212 . In some embodiments, a digital signal interface  218  may comprise a serial port to receive digital signals from a network attached storage device. In some embodiments, a digital signal interface  218  may include a cable to connect to a port in a network attached storage device or the like. In operation, a network attached storage device may transmit an uncompressed digital signal containing video content, music content, or the like, the digital signal interface  218  may receive the signal and allow the signal to be processed in the digital adapter. 
     A digital rendering device interface  220  may comprise ports and/or cables to allow for communication with digital rendering devices such as an HDTV, monitor or the like. By way of example and not limitation, a digital rendering device interface  220  ports and/or cables may use formats such as HDMI, BNC, or other renderable physical interface connectors. 
     In some embodiments, the digital adapter  200  may include logic to convert digital signals from a received digital format to a different digital format. By way of example, a digital adapter may convert a signal received via an eSATA interface and convert the signal to one which may be transmitted via a high definition media interface. A digital adapter  200  may comprise, among other components, a digital signal input module  222 , a digital signal converter module  224 , a digital signal output module  226 , and a conversion routine settings module  228 . 
     A digital signal input module  222  may include logic to receive digitals signals in a digital adapter  200 . In some embodiments, a digital signal input module  222  may receive a digital signal from a digital signal interface  218  which may be communicatively connected to via a circuit board  212  or the like. In some embodiments, a digital signal input module may also defect a digital signal format from a received signal. 
     A digital signal converter module  224  may include logic to receive a digital signal from a digital signal input module  222  and transcode the signal to a different format. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  224  may transcode a single input video format to HDMI, composite video, or the like. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  224  may use a default conversion routine to transcode received digital signals. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  224  may receive conversion routine settings from a conversion routine settings module  228 . By way of example and not limitation, a digital signal converter module  224  may transcode a digital signal received via an eSATA interface to a format which may be communicated over a HDMI. 
     A digital signal output module  226  may include logic to transmit a digital signal to a digital rendering device interface  220 . By way of example and not limitation, a digital video signal may be outputted to a digital rendering device interface  220  using formats such as HDMI, BNC or other renderable video physical interfaces. 
     A conversion routine settings module  228  may include logic to allow a user to select options and/or functionalities for a digital adapter  200 . In some embodiments, a conversion routine settings module  228  may receive setting selections from sources such as; a touch screen, a number pad, a remote control  230  or the like. 
     In some embodiments, a digital adapter  200  may comprise a remote control  230 . In some embodiments, a remote control  230  may allow a user to interface with a digital adapter  200 , and thereby may allow a user to choose among settings on a digital adapter  200 . In some embodiments, a remote control may allow a user to input setting choices via a digital rendering device such as the digital rendering device  130  depicted in  FIG. 1 . Furthermore, in some embodiments, a remote control may allow a user to access functionalities of a digital rendering device such as; video playback, audio playback, volume, or the like. 
     In some embodiments, a digital adapter  200  may include an input/output interface  232 . In such embodiments, an input/output interface  232  may include a touch screen, a number pad or the like, and may allow a user to select among conversion routines and/or other digital adapter functionalities. 
     In operation, a digital adapter  200  may provide a dedicated video interface from the central storage location, such as a network attached storage device or the like, to a digital video rendering device without the necessity to use lower bandwidth and lower quality of service data transmissions means such as Ethernet or the like. Furthermore, in operation, by harnessing the computational power of a network attached storage device or the like, a digital adapter is not burdened with processor intensive compressing and decompressing of digital content. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a network attached storage device with a digital adapter. Referring to  FIG. 3 , network storage device  300  comprises one or more network interfaces  310  which enable a communication connection with a network such as, e.g., network  120 . The network storage device may comprise one or more digital adapter interfaces  370  which enable a communication connection with a digital rendering device such as, e.g. digital rendering device  130 . 
     Network interface  310  may comprise an input/output (I/O) port to provide a physical connection with a network. For example, network interface  310  may comprise an Ethernet port. Network interface  310  may comprise a network interface card (NIC), also commonly referred to as a network adapter or a network card. The NIC manages I/O operations to enable NAS device  300  to communicate over a network. Alternatively, the operations of the NIC may be implemented on a main circuit board such as, e.g., a motherboard of NAS device  300 . 
     Digital adapter interface  370  may comprise an input/output (I/O) port to provide physical connection to a digital rendering device such as, a television, a high definition television or the like. By example, and not limitation, a digital adapter interface  370  may comprise a high definition media interface (HDMI) port, a BNC port or the like. Digital adapter interface  370  may comprise a network interface card (NIC), also commonly referred to as a network adapter or a network card. The NIC manages I/O operations to enable NAS device  300  to communicate over a network and/or to other computing devices directly. Alternatively, the operations of the NIC may be implemented on a main circuit board such as, e.g., a motherboard of NAS device  300 . 
     NAS device  300  further comprises at least one processor  312 . As used herein, the term “processor” means any type of computational element, such as but not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or any other type of processor or processing circuit. 
     NAS device  300  further comprises system random access memory and/or read-only memory  330 . Memory  330  comprises an operating system  340  for managing operations of NAS device  300 . In one embodiment, operating system  340  comprises a hardware interface module  354  that provides an interface to system hardware. The particular embodiment of operating system  340  is not critical to the subject matter described herein. Operating system  340  may be embodied as a UNIX operating system or any derivative thereof (e.g., Linux, Solaris, etc.) or as a Windows® brand operating system. 
     Operating system  340  comprises (or interfaces with) a file system(s)  350  that manages files used in the operation of NAS device  200 . For example, file system(s)  350  may implement one or more of a Network File System (NFS) protocol, a Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol, or the like. In one embodiment operating system  340  may comprise a file cache management system  344  interposed logically between the file system(s)  350  and underlying modules such as, e.g., the hardware interface module  354 . File cache management system  344  interfaces with the file system(s)  350  to manage the file cache  356  as a resource that may be shared between users of the computer system, e.g., on a per-workload basis. 
     Operating system  340  further comprises a system call interface module  242  that provides an interface between the operating system  340  and one or more application modules that execute on NAS device  300 . 
     NAS device  300  further comprises storage media  380 . For example, storage media  380  may be embodied as one or more arrays of magnetic disk drives. Alternatively, storage media  380  may comprise optical, magneto-optical, or electro-optical storage media. Storage media  380  may be configured to implement RAID redundancy. 
     NAS device  300  further comprises a digital adapter  360 . In some embodiments, a digital adapter is embodied as a software module that executes on processor(s)  312 . In some embodiments, the digital adapter  300  may include logic to convert digital signals from a received digital format to a different digital format. By way of example, a digital adapter may convert a signal received via an eSATA interface and convert the signal to one which may be transmitted via a high definition media interface. A digital adapter  300  may comprise, among other components, a digital signal input module  362 , a digital signal converter module  364 , a digital signal output module  366 , and a conversion routine settings module  368 . 
     A digital signal input module  362  may include logic to receive digitals signals in a digital adapter  300 . In some embodiments, a digital signal input module  362  may receive a digital signal from a digital adapter interface  370 . In some embodiments, a digital signal input module  362  may also defect a digital signal format of a received signal. 
     A digital signal converter module  364  may include logic to receive a digital signal from a digital signal input module and transcode the signal to a different format. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  364  may transcode a single input video format to HDMI, composite video, or the like. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  364  may use a default conversion routine to transcode received digital signals. In some embodiments, a digital signal converter module  364  may receive conversion routine settings from a conversion routine settings module  368 . By way of example and not limitation, a digital signal converter module  364  may convert a digital signal received via an eSATA interface to a format which may be communicated over a HDMI. 
     A digital signal output module  366  may include logic to transmit a digital signal to a digital rendering device interface  220 . By way of example and not limitation, a digital video signal may be outputted to a digital adapter interface  370  using formats such as HDMI, BNC or other renderable video physical interfaces. 
     A conversion routine settings module  368  may include logic to allow a user to select options and/or functionalities of a digital adapter  300 . In some embodiments, a conversion routine settings module may receive setting selections from sources such as; a touch screen, a number pad, a remote control or the like. 
     Operations implemented by some embodiments of digital adapter  200  and digital adapter  360  are described with reference to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating operations in one embodiment of a method of using a digital adapter. At operation  405  a digital signal is received. In some embodiments, receiving a digital signal may comprise detecting the format of data in the digital signal, selecting a default conversion routine, presenting the default conversion routine on a input/output interface, permitting selection of a different conversion routine, changing conversion routine as per the selection from the input/output interface, and in response to a determination that the digital adapter supports the detected format, initiating a digital signal data converter. In some embodiments, the signal may be received from a network attached storage device. In some embodiments, a digital adapter may be integrated into a network attached storage device, and may receive a digital signal directly through the network attached storage device. By way of example, and not limitation, a signal may be received via a high speed serial input such as a USB interface, an eSATA interface, a Firewire interface or the like. 
     If at operation  410 , the format of the digital signal is recognized then the digital adapter selects an appropriate conversion routine (Operation  420 ). By contrast, if at operation  410  the format of the digital signal is not recognized by the digital adapter, then an error message is transmitted (Operation  415 ). 
     At operation  425 , the digital adapter converts the received digital signal into a different digital signal format. In some embodiments, a digital adapter has a default format into which a signal is to be converted. In some embodiments, a user may select which signal format to use after conversion. In some embodiments, a digital adapter may detect an output signal format from an active output interface and convert the digital signal to that format. 
     Finally, at operation  430 , the converted digital signal is transmitted from the digital adapter. In some embodiments, the converted digital signal is transmitted to a digital rendering device. By way of example and not limitation, the transmission interface may include output formats such as HDMI, BNC, composite audio and video, or the like. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating operations in one embodiment of use of a digital adapter in a network environment. At operation  505  a digital signal is received. In some embodiments, the signal may be received from a network attached storage device. In some embodiments, a digital adapter may be integrated into a network attached storage device, and may receive a digital signal directly through the network attached storage device. By way of example, and not limitation, a signal may be received via a high speed serial input such as a USB interface, an eSATA interface, a Firewire interface or the like. 
     At operation  510 , the format of the digital signal is determined. If at operation  515 , the format of the digital signal is recognized then the digital adapter selects an appropriate conversion routine (Operation  525 ). By contrast, if at operation  515  the format of the digital signal is not recognized by the digital adapter, then an error message is transmitted (Operation  520 ). 
     At operation  525 , the digital adapter selects a default conversion routine determined by the format of the received digital signal. In some embodiments, a digital adapter has a default conversion routine which has been programmed in by a manufacturer. In some embodiments, a user may select which conversion routine to use as a default. In some embodiments, a digital adapter may detect an output signal format from an output port and select a default conversion routine compatible with the detected output format. 
     At operation  530 , the selected default conversion routine is presented to a user. In some embodiments, the default conversion routine may be presented via an input/output interface communicatively connected to a digital adapter. In some embodiments, the default conversion routine may be presented via a digital rendering device communicatively connected to the digital adapter. 
     At operation  535 , a user may select a different conversion routine from the default routine. In some embodiments, this selection may be performed by interacting with a user interface such as a touch screen, number pad or the like. In some embodiments, a user may select an alternative conversion routine through a remote control communicatively connected to a digital rendering device such as a television, monitor or the like. 
     At operation  540 , a user selected conversion routine is communicated to a digital adapter. In some embodiments, the user&#39;s selection is communicated to a digital adapter via a user interface on the digital adapter such as a touch screen, number pad or the like. In some embodiments, a user&#39;s selection is communicated through a signal from a digital rendering device that may have inputted via a remote control or the like. 
     At operation  545 , a digital adapter converts an input digital signal with a first format into a digital signal with a second format that has been selected by a user. By way of example and not limitation, a received digital signal may be transmitted through an eSATA interface and converted to transmit through a high definition media interface. 
     Finally, at operation  550 , the converted digital signal is transmitted from the digital adapter. In some embodiments, the converted digital signal is transmitted to a digital rendering device such as a television, HDTV, computer monitor or the like. By way of example and not limitation, the transmission interface may include output formats such as HDMI, BNC, composite audio and video, or the like. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a digital rendering device. The components shown in  FIG. 6  are only examples, and are not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of the functionality of the invention; the invention is not necessarily dependent on the features shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , in one embodiment digital rendering device  600  comprises a tuner  610  coupled to a first live buffer  630 , a controller  620 , file store  640 , and an output port  650 . A display device  660  may be coupled to the output port  652 . Display device may be embodied as, e.g., a television, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD) computer screen, or any other suitable display device. By way of illustration only, and not limitation, a digital rendering device  600  will be described with reference to a multi-media personal computer system. However, as described above, it will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the disclosed subject matter may be employed as part of a personal video recorder (PVR), television, handheld Internet appliance or any other suitable device or system employing a display device. A digital adapter  670  may be coupled to the digital rendering device. By way of example and not limitation, a digital adapter may be coupled to a digital rendering device by a HDMI, BNC, other renderable physical interfaces or the like. 
     The tuner  610  may be embodied as any suitable tuners that may receive digital or analog video and audio information for display on display  660 . In embodiments in which the tuners  610  is implemented as a television tuner, it may include a decoders  612  to perform analog to digital conversion, digital to analog conversion, or both. 
     Tuner  610  is coupled to receive an incoming video signal from a first communication channel, such as incoming signals from digital adapter  670 . If the incoming signal is digital information, then decoder  612  may decompress the information and/or performs format conversion if necessary. As used herein, the term “channel” may include any suitable frequency or code or any other suitable delineation used to distinguish among channels containing differing video information. In some embodiments, the digital rendering device  600  may receive a second input such as, e.g., an index file, via a second channel, or through a separate communication method such as Ethernet or Internet. 
     In some embodiments, digital rendering deice  600  may include a live buffer  630  is coupled to tuner  610  to store video received in tuner  610  for controlled playback. Buffer  630  includes a memory module  632  that may store, for example, a playback file. Digital rendering device  600  may further include an output port  652  through which video signals are output to display  660 . 
     Controller  620  includes a processor  622 , a memory module  624 , and an input/output (I/O) module  626 . In some embodiments, controller  620  may capture quality setting information, for example, a setting indicating that the decoder should capture the video at a specific resolution. The controller  620  may be, for example, one or more suitably programmed microprocessors, DSPs, discrete logic, state machines or any other suitable hardware, software, or suitable combination thereof to perform various operations described herein. A file store  640  is coupled to controller  620 . 
     The terms “logic instructions” as referred to herein relates to expressions which may be understood by one or more machines for performing one or more logical operations. For example, logic instructions may comprise instructions which are interpretable by a processor compiler for executing one or more operations on one or more data objects. However, this is merely an example of machine-readable instructions and embodiments are not limited in this respect. 
     The terms “computer readable medium” as referred to herein relates to media capable of maintaining expressions which are perceivable by one or more machines. For example, a computer readable medium may comprise one or more storage devices for storing computer readable instructions or data. Such storage devices may comprise storage media such as, for example, optical, magnetic or semiconductor storage media. However, this is merely an example of a computer readable medium and embodiments are not limited in this respect. 
     The term “logic” as referred to herein relates to structure for performing one or more logical operations. For example, logic may comprise circuitry which provides one or more output signals based upon one or more input signals. Such circuitry may comprise a finite state machine which receives a digital input and provides a digital output, or circuitry which provides one or more analog output signals in response to one or more analog input signals. Such circuitry may be provided in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or field programmable gate array (FPGA). Also, logic may comprise machine-readable instructions stored in a memory in combination with processing circuitry to execute such machine-readable instructions. However, these are merely examples of structures which may provide logic and embodiments are not limited in this respect. 
     Some of the methods described herein may be embodied as logic instructions on a computer-readable medium. When executed on a processor, the logic instructions cause a processor to be programmed as a special-purpose machine that implements the described methods. The processor, when configured by the logic instructions to execute the methods described herein, constitutes structure for performing the described methods. Alternatively, the methods described herein may be reduced to logic on, e.g., a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or the like. 
     In the description and claims, the terms coupled and connected, along with their derivatives, may be used. In particular embodiments, connected may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. Coupled may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, coupled may also mean that two or more elements may not be in direct contact with each other, but yet may still cooperate or interact with each other. 
     Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is comprised in at least an implementation. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.