Patent ID: 7574723

Claim:
A home media system comprising: network; coupled to said network, a plurality of media devices comprising a plurality of different types of media objects comprising media, said plurality of media devices comprising a video device comprising video objects, an audio device comprising audio objects, and an image device comprising image objects; acquisition storage set-top box, coupled to said network, configured for: acquiring a plurality of different types of media objects comprising video, audio, and image objects from the plurality of media devices; storing the plurality of different types of media objects; and organizing the plurality of different types of media objects based on the type of media object; and control/playback set-top box, coupled to said network, configured for: accessing, across said network, at least one media object from said acquisition storage set-top box; running at least one of a plurality of media applications that provide functionality, through a user interface, to play media, said plurality of media applications comprising a video application for playing video media, an audio application for playing audio media, and a photo application for viewing image media; receiving a first request for a first media object; retrieving, across said network, said first media object from said acquisition storage set-top box; running a first media application for playing first media in said first media object; receiving a second request for a second media object; retrieving, across said network, said second media object from said acquisition storage set-top box; and running a second media application for playing second media in said second media object, wherein said first and second media applications are run simultaneously and said first and second media are played simultaneously; and plurality of client devices, coupled to said control/playback set-top box, the plurality of client devices comprising a display client device for displaying said user interface for said media application and for displaying video or image media and an audio client device for presenting audio media.