Patent ID: 8542729

Claim:
A media codec device, comprising: an input port that receives a first media signal from a first service provider and a second media signal from a second service provider, wherein the input port also receives power for the media codec device, and wherein the first and second media signals are protected and encoded; and a hardware based decoder including a memory that stores a first decoder key associated with the first service provider and a second decoder key associated with the second service provider, wherein the hardware based decoder applies the first decoder key to decode the first media signal and the second decoder key to decode the second media signal, wherein: the memory stores a third decoder key associated with a third service provider; the input port receives a key removal signal; and the hardware based decoder decodes the key removal signal with the third decoder key, wherein the decoded key removal signal provides an instruction to the media codec device to remove the third decoder key; and wherein: the media codec device performs operations comprising: directing at a first time the decoded first media signal to a first output device and the decoded second media signal to a second output device; directing at a second time the decoded first media signal to the second output device and the decoded second media signal to the first output device; and removing the third decoder key from the memory in response to the instruction.