Patent ID: 8881217

Claim:
A method comprising: detecting, by a media content processing subsystem including at least one tuner, a request for the media content processing subsystem to use a tuner included in the at least one tuner to receive a media content instance transmitted by a media content provider over a network; determining, by the media content processing subsystem, that the at least one tuner is busy; sending, by the media content processing subsystem, a shared content request for the media content instance to the media content provider, the shared content request configured to cause the media content provider to identify at least one other media content processing subsystem that is able to receive the media content instance transmitted by the media content provider and provide the media content instance to the media content processing subsystem, and instruct the at least one other media content processing subsystem to transmit, to the media content processing subsystem, the media content instance received by the at least one other media content processing subsystem from the media content provider; and receiving, by the media content processing subsystem without using a tuner included in the at least one tuner, the media content instance from the at least one other media content processing subsystem.