Patent ID: 8458220

Claim:
A method for early notification of a pending deletion event by a digital play back device, said method comprising: a processor of a computer system automatically scheduling a recording by a digital play back device; said processor setting said deletion event for said recording; said processor receiving a selection from a user of a notification method for notifying the user of the pending deletion event of deleting said recording; said processor configuring a plurality of notification options at a predefined time for said recording, wherein said plurality of notification options are maintained with respect to a first user profile for notifying the user of the pending deletion event of deleting said recording, wherein the user is associated with the first user profile, and wherein said configuring said plurality of notification options for said recording comprises: configuring the notification method selected by the user for notifying the user of the pending deletion event of deleting said recording; configuring a notification interval selected by the user between successive notifications of said pending deletion event of deleting said recording; and configuring a notification of said pending deletion event of deleting said recording that was recorded by another user associated with a second user profile; after said configuring the plurality of notification options, said processor sending the notification of said pending deletion event of deleting said recording to the user associated with said first user profile via the notification method selected by the user; and said processor delaying said pending deletion event of deleting said recording by a specified magnitude of time delay.