A set top box comprising: a receiver/tuner for receiving programming content over a broadband communications network; an encrypter/decrypter for encrypting and decrypting the programming content, a secure memory configured to store at least a first cryptography key that is uniquely associated with the set top box; a digital storage medium for storing encrypted programming content; a multimedia processor operationally associated with the receiver/tuner, the decrypter, and the digital storage medium; and a user interface operationally associated with the multimedia processor; wherein the multimedia processor is configured to: encrypt decoded programming content using the first cryptography key stored in the secure memory and uniquely associated with the set top box; store the encrypted content on the digital storage medium; encrypt the first cryptography key using a second cryptography key acquired from a third party to form an encrypted first cryptography key; and store the encrypted first cryptography key on the digital storage medium, wherein the encrypted first cryptography key is stored in a playlist on the digital storage medium, said playlist associating each program stored on the digital storage medium with an encrypted cryptography key used to encrypt each program if such an encrypted cryptography key is used, and wherein the multimedia processor is further configured to: access the playlist in response to a user request to view a particular program stored on the digital storage medium; and if the content is not encrypted using the first cryptography key to send a request to obtain a third cryptography key from said third party that can decrypt an encrypted content key that is stored on the digital storage medium and was used to encrypt the particular content, wherein the content key is uniquely associated with another client device, receive and use the third cryptography key to decrypt the content key, and use the content key to decrypt the content. a receiver/tuner for receiving programming content over a broadband communications network; an encrypter/decrypter for encrypting and decrypting the programming content, a secure memory configured to store at least a first cryptography key that is uniquely associated with the set top box; a digital storage medium for storing encrypted programming content; a multimedia processor operationally associated with the receiver/tuner, the decrypter, and the digital storage medium; and a user interface operationally associated with the multimedia processor; wherein the multimedia processor is configured to: encrypt decoded programming content using the first cryptography key stored in the secure memory and uniquely associated with the set top box; store the encrypted content on the digital storage medium; encrypt the first cryptography key using a second cryptography key acquired from a third party to form an encrypted first cryptography key; and store the encrypted first cryptography key on the digital storage medium, encrypt decoded programming content using the first cryptography key stored in the secure memory and uniquely associated with the set top box; store the encrypted content on the digital storage medium; encrypt the first cryptography key using a second cryptography key acquired from a third party to form an encrypted first cryptography key; and store the encrypted first cryptography key on the digital storage medium, wherein the encrypted first cryptography key is stored in a playlist on the digital storage medium, said playlist associating each program stored on the digital storage medium with an encrypted cryptography key used to encrypt each program if such an encrypted cryptography key is used, and wherein the multimedia processor is further configured to: access the playlist in response to a user request to view a particular program stored on the digital storage medium; and if the content is not encrypted using the first cryptography key to send a request to obtain a third cryptography key from said third party that can decrypt an encrypted content key that is stored on the digital storage medium and was used to encrypt the particular content, wherein the content key is uniquely associated with another client device, receive and use the third cryptography key to decrypt the content key, and use the content key to decrypt the content. access the playlist in response to a user request to view a particular program stored on the digital storage medium; and if the content is not encrypted using the first cryptography key to send a request to obtain a third cryptography key from said third party that can decrypt an encrypted content key that is stored on the digital storage medium and was used to encrypt the particular content, wherein the content key is uniquely associated with another client device, receive and use the third cryptography key to decrypt the content key, and use the content key to decrypt the content. send a request to obtain a third cryptography key from said third party that can decrypt an encrypted content key that is stored on the digital storage medium and was used to encrypt the particular content, wherein the content key is uniquely associated with another client device, receive and use the third cryptography key to decrypt the content key, and use the content key to decrypt the content.