Patent ID: 8799966

Claim:
A computer implemented method for distributing media content, the method comprising: configuring a set-top box to provide media content to a set of display devices, wherein the set-top box has a limited amount of bandwidth available for receiving media content from a content provider; receiving at the set-top box a request for media content from a display device; determining whether there is sufficient bandwidth to provide the requested media content to the display device; responsive to a determination that there is sufficient bandwidth to provide the requested media content to the display device, providing the requested media content to the display device; responsive to a determination that there is insufficient bandwidth to provide the requested media content to the display device, displaying a user interface for enabling a user to modify the request to a lower picture quality associated with the requested media content, wherein the user interface further includes an option to modify a picture quality associated with a second display device within the set of display devices to free up bandwidth to provide the requested media content to the display device, wherein the second display device is selected from a group of devices and one or more recording units; responsive to receiving a modification request to the lower picture quality associated with the requested media content, providing the requested media content at the lower picture quality to the display device; and providing the requested media content to the display device based on a set of preconfigured user preferences in response to not receiving the modification request to the lower picture quality associated with the requested media content within a specified time, wherein the user interface includes an option for the user to select between allocating based on device priority or allocating based on program priority, wherein allocating based on device priority prioritizes the requested media content against other media content provided to the set of display devices as well as media content being recorded by the one or more recording units based on a receiving device, and wherein allocating based on program priority prioritizes based on a media content priority.