Patent ID: 8155507

Claim:
A method for controlling a video device having a priority-based recording function, the method comprising the steps of: a) setting a recording priority of a specific program for timer recording or immediate recording according to a received recording priority mode command; b) when a time to perform the timer recording or immediate recording of the specific program has been reached, determining whether or not at least one program, which has a higher recording priority than the specific program and which been recorded is recorded after the time, is present among programs for timer recording so as to produce a determination result; c) if the determination result indicates that the at least one program is not present among the programs for timer recording, recording the specific program; d) if the determination result indicates that the at least one program is present among the programs for timer recording, comparing a sum of a memory capacity required for the specific program and a memory capacity required for the at least one program with an available memory capacity of the video device so as to produce a comparison result; and e) recording the specific program if the comparison result indicates that the sum of the memory capacity required for the specific program and the memory capacity required for the at least one program is less than or equal to the available memory capacity of the video device, wherein a recording priority mode is changed between one of an automatic mode and a manual mode according to the received recording priority mode command.