Content receivers may simultaneously record multiple instances of content for multiple programming channels based on content provider instructions. Systems and methods utilize the content receivers to record these multiple instances from at least a single transponder. In some instances, multiple transponders may have a common control word so that content carried on each such transponder may be simultaneously received, decoded and recorded. Further, a single demodulator may be associated with multiple tuners, so that the single demodulator processes all content received from transponders with common control words and/or other encryption mechanisms.

An apparatus can include an external interface, a user interface, and an assembly engine. The external interface can receive, from a gateway device, a subscriber content price for multimedia content, the subscriber content price being based on a lead-time of electronic delivery of the multimedia content via at least one transport provider servicing the customer premises equipment, and receive the multimedia content within the lead-time. The user interface can schedule, based on the subscriber content price, electronic delivery of the multimedia content to the customer premises equipment within the lead-time. The assembly engine can retrieve the multimedia content from a storage device and output the multimedia content to a display device.

Various arrangements are presented for reducing channel change times. A first tuner of a television receiver may tune to a decryption key transponder stream. The decryption key transponder stream may include a plurality of decryption keys for a plurality of television channels that are transmitted to the television receiver via a plurality of transponder streams. A second tuner of the television receiver may be tuned to a media transponder stream to receive a television channel. Data obtained from the decryption key transponder stream may be used for decoding the television channel.

The present application relates to an interconnect system comprising a video signal transmitter and video signal receiver for transmitting a stream of N-symbol data signals over an error prone wired parallel bus having at least N data signal lines. A line scrambler at the video signal transmitter is configured to accept an N-symbol data signal having a sequence of data symbols in a predefined order and to output a permuted sequence of data symbols in accordance with a permutation. The line de-scrambler at the video signal receiver is configured to accept the permuted sequence of data symbols at its input terminal and to restore the predefined order of data symbols from the permuted sequence of data symbols in accordance with the corresponding reverse permutation.

An image processing apparatus includes: a central processing unit (CPU) configured to process data; a random access memory (RAM) which includes a first storage area which stores the data processed by the CPU and a second storage area different from the first storage area; and a RAM controller configured to authorize the CPU to access the first storage area and block the CPU from accessing the second storage area so that the data loaded to the second storage area can be prevented from being copied by the CPU.

The present invention is intended to permit both real-time display of a picture represented by a non-compressed video signal on a television and display of a picture represented by a compressed video signal at any desired time by simultaneously transmitting the compressed video signal and non-compressed video signal via one interface. An STB packetizes a compressed video signal, and multiplexes the compressed video signal and a blanking signal combined with a non-compressed video signal. Thus, both the video signals are transmitted simultaneously. A picture represented by the non-compressed video signal is displayed on a television in real time. The compressed video signal is stored in a storage medium incorporated in the television, read at any user's desired time, and decoded so that a picture represented by the compressed video signal can be viewed at the user's desired time.

A computer system receives a content-transition indication to provide a second decompressed media stream to a presentation device instead of providing a first decompressed media stream. In response to receiving the content-transition indication, the computer system ceases to receive a first compressed media stream corresponding to the first decompressed media stream and continues to provide the first decompressed media stream to the presentation device using first buffered data. The computer system selects a transition point for a second compressed media stream, corresponding to the second decompressed media stream, based on a quantity of data of the second compressed media stream to be buffered. While continuing to provide the first decompressed media stream to the presentation device using the first buffered data, the computer system receives and buffers the second compressed media stream starting at the transition point. The computer system provides the second decompressed media stream to the presentation device.

A technique for load balancing between first and second DVRs includes receiving a customer selection of content with respect to load balancing between the DVRs, and responsive to the customer selection and based at least in part on a storage size of one content, execute a load balancing algorithm to move at least some content from the first DVR to the second DVR. Responsive to the customer selection and based at least in part on a storage size of a future content, a DVR is selected to record the future content at a future recording time.

Various arrangements are presented for reducing channel change times. A first tuner of a television receiver may tune to a decryption key transponder stream. The decryption key transponder stream may include a plurality of decryption keys for a plurality of television channels that are transmitted to the television receiver via a plurality of transponder streams. A second tuner of the television receiver may be tuned to a media transponder stream to receive a television channel. Data obtained from the decryption key transponder stream may be used for decoding the television channel.

A computer system generates a first decompressed media stream based on a first compressed media stream. While providing the first decompressed media stream to a presentation device, the computer system receives a content-transition indication for providing a second decompressed media stream to the presentation device instead of the first decompressed media stream. The content-transition indication corresponds to a request to display the second decompressed media stream starting at a respective point within a predefined portion of the second decompressed media stream. The computer system receives a second compressed media stream corresponding to the second decompressed media stream. In response to receiving the content-transition indication, the computer system generates the predefined portion of the second decompressed media stream and provides a subset of the predefined portion, that does not include content prior to the respective point, to the presentation device instead of the first decompressed media stream.