A video replay system which allows for the playback of video files from a buffer in random access memory and from disk to minimize the delay between capturing and replaying a desired video portion. In one embodiment, a portion of RAM is allocated to provide a buffer for holding video files in memory before the files are written to a hard drive or other non-volatile storage. An index of key frames is also stored in the buffer. The computer system executes software that is responsive to an operator's commands to read the video files and index and playback desired video portions in a variety of modes and speeds, including slow motion, reverse, fast-forward, and slow or fast reverse.

Improved techniques to utilize and manage a group of media items (or media assets) on a computing device are disclosed. The group of media items can be utilized and managed at a host computer for the host computer as well as a media device (e.g., media player) that can couple to the host computer. One popular example of a group of media items is know as a playlist, which can pertain to a group of audio tracks. One aspect pertains to providing a persistent media device playlist at a host computer. Another aspect pertains to imposing capacity limits to a playlist, such as a media device playlist. Still another aspect pertains to a graphical user interface that enables a user to trade-off storage capacity of a media device between media asset storage and data storage. Yet still another aspect pertains to a graphical user interface that assists a user with selecting media items to fill a group of media items.

A video replay system which allows for the payback of video files from a buffer in random access memory and from disk to minimize the delay between capturing and replaying a desired video portion. In one embodiment, a portion of RAM is allocated to provide a buffer for holding video files in memory before the riles are written to a hard drive or other non-volatile storage. An index of key frames is also stored in the buffer. The computer system executes software that is responsive to an operator's commands to read the video fifes and index and playback desired video portions in a variety of modes and speeds, including slow motion, reverse, fast-forward, and slow or fast reverse.

A portable apparatus includes a first connector, a memory, and first circuitry. The first connector automatically receives a plurality of content data from a computer. The memory stores the plurality of content data. The first circuitry performs a mutual authentication process with the computer via the first connector, and plays back the plurality of content data. The computer includes second circuitry and a second connector. The first circuitry stores the plurality of content data to a storage medium, and provides a graphical user interface to receive an input identifying a list of the plurality of content data stored in said storage medium that are to be automatically transferred to the portable apparatus. The second connector is configured to transfer the plurality of content data stored in the storage medium to the portable apparatus.

Improved techniques to utilize and manage a group of media items (or media assets) on a computing device are disclosed. The group of media items can be utilized and managed at a host computer for the host computer as well as a media device (e.g., media player) that can couple to the host computer. One popular example of a group of media items is known as a playlist, which can pertain to a group of audio tracks. One aspect pertains to providing a persistent media device playlist at a host computer. Another aspect pertains to imposing capacity limits to a playlist, such as a media device playlist. Still another aspect pertains to a graphical user interface that enables a user to trade-off storage capacity of a media device between media asset storage and data storage. Yet still another aspect pertains to a graphical user interface that assists a user with selecting media items to fill a group of media items.

A playback device includes a port configured to receive content from an external memory device, a device memory residing in the device, and a controller programmed to execute instructions that cause the controller to read a read data pattern from the defined region in the external memory device and determine if the read data pattern correlates to an expected data pattern to a predetermined level, wherein the expected data pattern is derived at least in part from a defect map of the defined region.