Patent ID: 8607272

Claim:
A set top box comprising: a storage device to store content, wherein the storage device is located in proximity to the set top box, and wherein the set top box is in a customer premises; and a processor coupled to the storage device, wherein execution of instructions by the processor causes the processor to perform operations, comprising: providing an electronic programming guide to available television programming, wherein the available television programming comprises previously-aired content that was broadcast to completion, currently-airing content, and to-be-aired content, and wherein the previously-aired content is presented in the electronic programming guide with a symbol that indicates the previously-aired content is stored in the storage device; receiving a selection indicating selected content; determining if the selected content is previously aired content, currently airing content, or to-be-aired content; determining if the selected content is stored in the storage device when the selected content is previously aired content; receiving the selected content from the storage device when the selected content is stored in the storage device; if the selected content is previously aired content, then requesting the selected content from a distribution server when the selected content is previously aired content and not stored in the storage device, wherein the distribution server is in a remote location from the customer premises where the set top box is located, wherein the selected content comprises captured content of a signal of a linear content provider stored by a capture module of the distribution server according to popularity of the captured content, age of the captured content, and proximity of the distribution server to the set top box; and if the selected content is to-be-aired content, then performing operations comprising: searching for an alternative source for the selected content; determining whether the alternative source is available; presenting a first option for viewing the selected content from the alternative source according to determining that the alternative source is available; and presenting a second option for setting a reminder for viewing the selected content when it is scheduled for airing, wherein the reminder causes the set-top box to automatically switch to the selected content at a time of airing.