Patent ID: 8218939

Claim:
A method of synchronizing first content of a portable video device with second content of another digital video recording device, the method comprising: a processor initiating a synchronization process between the portable video device and the digital video recording device; the processor determining a content difference between the first content on the portable video device and the second content on the digital video recording device; the processor determining available storage space on the portable video device; the processor comparing the available storage space on the portable video device to a size of the content difference; responsive to the processor determining that the size of the content difference is greater than the available storage space, the processor determining an amount of content to truncate from multiple video programs within the content difference or to remove from at least one video program within the content difference by compression in order to reduce the size of the content difference so that the content difference can be stored in the available storage space; responsive to the processor determining the amount of content, the processor producing a reduced size content difference, wherein the processor producing the reduced size content difference comprises the processor automatically truncating the multiple video programs within the content difference according to a result of the processor determining the amount of content to reduce a storage space requirement of the multiple video programs or the processor compressing the at least one video program of within the content difference according to a result of the processor determining the amount of content to reduce a quality and storage space requirement of the at least one video program; and the processor transferring the reduced size content difference to the portable video device over an interface between the portable video device and the digital video recorder.