Patent ID: 8434116

Claim:
A set top box comprising: a first television tuner; a power detection module coupled to a first television, wherein the power detection module is configured to determine whether the first television is in a first standby mode; and a processor coupled to the power detection module, the processor configured to: receive a first request to use the first television tuner; determine whether a recording associated with the first television tuner is scheduled; determine, based on a first signal from a device associated with a second television, whether the second television is in a standby mode; transmit a second request to a second set top box to use a second television tuner associated with the second set top box; receive a rejection associated with the second request from the second set top box; and generate an indication of the rejection associated with the second request received via the second set top box, wherein the indication includes a graphical message specifying the rejection of the second request.