Patent ID: 6961430

Claim:
An apparatus for performing background caching of encrypted programming for later playback, comprising: a memory operatively connected to a bus for storing received, encrypted digital data packets of at least one pay-per-view (PPV) event; a processor for decrypting the data packets when they are transferred by the memory via the bus; and a decoder for decoding the decrypted data packets for display on a display device, wherein the apparatus is adapted to search a program guide to find upcoming PPV events, and, to select at least one PPV event for recording without instruction from a user, and when the PPV event begins, the apparatus tunes to an appropriate transponder to begin receiving the encrypted digital data packets and caches the data packets of the selected at least one PPV event when in a power-down mode, and plays back a recorded PPV event in a power-up mode upon selection by the user.