Patent ID: 8620135

Claim:
A media content recording system in a subscriber television system, comprising: a memory for storing logic; a buffer space for buffering a plurality of media content instances; and a processor configured with the logic to designate as permanent a user-selected media content instance among the plurality of media content instances in the buffer space that is requested by a user for permanent recording, the processor further configured with the logic to configure each media content instances as independent media content instance files, the processor further configured with the logic to designate as permanent through configuration of a management file, wherein the management file comprises a start time and duration for each media content instances, wherein the management file further comprises a flag indicative of status of the media content instant file, wherein the status is at least one of: a temporary recording and the permanent recording, the selected media content instance title, and the source of the selected media content instance, and wherein the management file is stored separately from media content instance file associated with the selected media content instance.