Patent ID: 7292775

Claim:
A digital video recorder (DVR) for use with a monitor and a set top box (STB), the STB for demodulating program data from a program signal received over a communication channel and for generating a STB graphical user interface (GUI), the STB comprising a DVR interface, the DVR comprising: (a) a local memory for storing the program data received from the STB; (b) a plurality of program identifiers; (c) a STB interface for communicating with the STB over the DVR interface; and (d) a DVR controller for: maintaining the plurality of program identifiers; and communicating to the STB the plurality of program identifiers independent of when the STB demodulates the program data identified by the program identifiers, wherein the STB is responsive to the plurality of program identifiers to modify at least one selected operation of the STB.