Patent ID: 8321885

Claim:
A system for providing communications with an in-home system at a residence of a user, comprising: a set top box having a first communication port configured to receive digital television programming content; said set top box being responsive to a user input to tune to a selected digital television programming content; said set top box having a second port configured to be connected to a television; said set top box having a third port configured to transmit data to, and receive data from, an in-home system that includes a video camera; wherein said set top box is configured to receive video content from the video camera and is configurable by the user to cause said video content to be displayed on a television connected to said second port; wherein said set top box includes a memory and is configurable by the user to cause said received video content to be stored in said memory for subsequent display in response to a user input; wherein one or more templates are stored in the memory; wherein said set top box is configured to cause at least some of the templates to be displayed on a television connected to said second port; and wherein said at least some of said templates are configured to present information to the user for monitoring operation of the in-home system.