Patent ID: 8111974

Claim:
A method for enabling complete viewing of selected programming content stored on a digital video recorder, the method comprising the steps of: the digital video recorder storing programming data within an input stream in a first storage device located in the digital video recorder as the digital video recorder receives the input stream from a programming service provider, wherein the programming data is for a plurality of programs being aired on a plurality of channels and comprises a first portion of a program of the plurality of programs being aired on a channel of the plurality of channels; responsive to a user selecting to view the channel after the first portion of the program completed airing on the channel: the digital video recorder storing additional programming data within the input stream in a second storage device located in the digital video recorder as the digital video recorder receives the input stream from the programming service provider, wherein the additional programming data comprises a remaining portion of the program; and the digital video recorder outputting the first portion of the program from the first storage device to a display device; and the digital video recorder determining that all of the first portion of the program was outputted from the first storage device to the display device, and in response, the digital video recorder outputting the remaining portion of the program from the second storage device to the display device and the digital video recorder purging the programming data from the first storage device.