Patent ID: 8359625

Claim:
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising: monitoring recordings of media programs by a group of set top boxes, wherein each set top box of the group of set top boxes is operable to record a media program, and wherein the group of set top boxes are in communication with each other over a network; determining that multiple set top boxes of the group of set top boxes have recorded a same targeted media program; responsive to determining that multiple set top boxes have recorded the same targeted media program, identifying a host set top box from the multiple set top boxes to retain a recording of the same targeted media program; responsive to identifying the host set top box to retain the recording, removing the recording of the same targeted media program from the remainder of the multiple set top boxes; and directing the remainder of the multiple set top boxes to access a recorded version of the same targeted media program by way of the host set top box.