Patent ID: 8667549

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing information regarding broadcast video content, comprising: receiving, at a server, via a network connection, a first report of information from a standalone computer, where the first report of information is received according to a reporting schedule, and where the standalone computer manages and communicates locally with a standalone video recorder which records broadcast video content, the first report of information identifying: broadcast video content which has been scheduled to be recorded or has been recorded, a health status of the standalone computer and a health status of the standalone video recorder; storing the first report of information at the server; accessing, at the server, notification settings associated with a user of the standalone computer and the standalone video recorder; and based on the first report of information and the notification settings, providing a routine notification to the user according to a notification schedule, the routine notification provides: a summary of recording operations for the broadcast video content, the health status of the standalone video recorder and the health status of the standalone video recorder; receiving at the server, via the network connection, a second report of information from the standalone computer, the second report of information is received on an urgent basis and at a time which is not according to the reporting schedule, the second report of information identifies an urgent problem regarding at least one of the health status of the standalone computer or the health status of the standalone video recorder; and based on the second report, providing an urgent notification to the user at a time which is not according to the notification schedule, the urgent notification identifies the urgent problem regarding the at least one of the health status of the standalone computer or the health status of the standalone video recorder.