Patent ID: 7840437

Claim:
A system for the processing, recording, and playback of audio or video data, comprising: a. a receiver apparatus for receiving audio or video data from at least one data feed; b. memory circuitry comprising a storage device built in to the system and which is not removable from the system; c. processing circuitry for processing the data and for storing the processed data in the built in storage device; d. a user interface operatively connected to the processing circuitry for programming which processing functions are to be applied to the received data by the processing circuitry; e. playback circuitry, which reads the data from the built in storage device and which converts the data to electronic signals for driving a playback apparatus; and f. a microprocessor having software programming to control the operation of the processing circuitry and the playback circuitry enabling the recording of rented data and enacting a simulated return of said rented data by deleting or scrambling said data from said built in storage device or blocking further access to said data, and notifying a data supplier of said simulated return.