Patent ID: 8402497

Claim:
A method of downloading content for viewing using a media system, the method comprising: identifying a network-based video scheduled to be played at a particular time, the network-based video being made available, over a network, by at least one source in response to user requests; identifying multiple sources from which the network-based video is available for downloading; selecting, from among the multiple sources, an initial source from which to download the network-based video; initiating a first process to download the network-based video from the initial source; monitoring progress of the download of the network-based video from the initial source, the monitoring including: computing an estimated amount of time remaining for the download of the network-based video from the initial source to complete, and determining whether the estimated amount of time remaining for the download of the network-based video from the initial source to complete enables viewing of the network-based video at the particular time without interruption; in response to determining that the estimated amount of time remaining for the download of the network-based video from the initial source to complete does not enable viewing of the network-based video at the particular time without interruption: selecting, from among the multiple sources, an alternative source from which to download at least a portion of the network-based video, and initiating a second process to download at least the portion the network-based video from the alternative source; storing, in electronic storage associated with the media system, the network-based video; identifying multiple network-based videos scheduled to be played at a first time; initiating download of the multiple network-based videos from a first source; monitoring progress of the downloads of the multiple network-based videos from the first source; based on the monitoring, determining that maintaining download of at least two of the multiple network-based videos from the first source does not enable viewing of the at least two network-based videos at the first time without interruption; accessing at least one rule for downloading network-based videos from a second source; analyzing the at least two network-based videos with respect to the at least one rule for downloading network-based videos from the second source; based on the analysis, identifying a first subset of the at least two network-based videos to change from being downloaded from the first source to the second source and identifying a second subset of the at least two network-based videos to maintain being downloaded from the first source; initiating download of at least a portion of the first subset of the at least two network-based videos from the second source; and maintaining download of the second subset of the at least two network-based videos from the first source.