Patent ID: 8718440

Claim:
An autonomous digital video recording apparatus comprising: means for a user interface to control and operate the autonomous digital video recording apparatus, for example via front panel buttons or remote control; means for an input/output module to interface with external devices, such as analog and IP cameras, that may be connected to the autonomous digital video recording apparatus; means for a configuration module to configure the digital video recorder for operating in various modes, including automatically detecting other digital video recorders in a network and providing capability to remotely configure the other digital video recorders; and means for a processor module coupled to the user interface, the input/output module and the configuration module to provide the autonomous digital video recording apparatus the functionality of a standalone local digital video recorder to perform live monitoring, controlling, analyzing, recording, playback, and streaming of multimedia data in a local environment through its front panel controls, or to remotely access and operate, through the same front panel controls, a remote digital video recorder, from plurality of digital video recorders, detected on the network for operation in a networked environment.