Patent ID: 8615164

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving a request to record a television program, the request being initiated by a local recording system; sending an indication of whether recording the television program conflicts with a previously-scheduled recording on a first recording device; sending a message to record the television program on the first recording device if the recording does not conflict with a previously-scheduled recording on the first recording device, the first recording device including a remote recording system; causing storage of a representation of the at least a portion of the television program in the remote recording system, in response to the message; outputting an indication of the television program on a list of recorded programs, the indication of the television program on the list of recorded programs being configured to be output on an integrated display associated with the local recording system; receiving a request to play back the television program via selection of the indication from the list, the request to play back the television program being initiated by the local recording system; outputting at least a first portion of the television program to the local recording system for display on the integrated display, while at least part of the representation of the at least a portion of the television program is being stored in the remote recording system, wherein a representation of the first portion of the television program is stored on the local recording system, the first portion being temporally shorter than a length of the television program; outputting at least a second portion of the television program to the local recording system for display on the integrated display, after outputting the first portion of the television program; in response to receiving a transfer request, allowing transfer of the entire television program to the local recording system, the complete version of the television program including at least the first portion of the television program and the second portion of the television program; allowing the storage of the entire television program by the local recording system; causing deletion of the representation of the at least a portion of the television program in the remote recording system, in response to receiving a request to delete the television program from the local recording system; and receiving a request to schedule recording of the television program on a second recording device if the recording conflicts with a previously-scheduled recording on the first recording device.