Patent ID: 7526184

Claim:
A video recording system to record an external video data stream for a video program segment selected using an electronic program guide, the video recording system comprising: a user interface that receives user input; a video input interface that receives the external video data stream for the selected video program segment; an isochronous interface connectable to an external hard disk drive; and a video data management system that: uses the electronic program guide to select the video program segment in response to the user input; recognizes connection of the external hard disk drive to the video recording system and subsequently identifies the external hard disk drive as available for video data storage; uses the external video data stream for the video program segment to provide streaming video data; selects at least a portion of the streaming video data to be routed to the external hard disk drive based on user input, an electronic program guide, and information regarding the storage capacity of the external hard disk drive; and routes the selected portion of the streaming video data to the external hard disk drive via the isochronous interface in order to record the external video data stream for the video program segment, wherein the user interface controls playback commands of the video data management system and the playback commands are usable while the external video data stream is being recorded.