Method and apparatus for obtaining recorded media content

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which an end user device sends a first request to a digital video recorder (DVR) to receive a media content item, and receives a metadata file including authentication information and a network address of a media content server where the media content item is located. The end user device sends a second request to the media content server to receive the media content item; the second request is sent to the network address and includes the authentication information and an identification of the requested media content item. The end user device receives the media content item from the media content server, responsive to the authentication information and the identification of the media content item sent in the second request. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising:   receiving a media content request from a user device via a communication network, the media content request comprising an identification of a media content item recorded at a media processing device and authentication information associated with the media content item,
 wherein a metadata file received by the user device from the media processing device via a first communication channel of the communication network includes a network address of the processing system, 
 wherein the media content request is received via a second communication channel of the communication network distinct from the first communication channel and not including the media processing device; 
   determining, by the processing system using the authentication information, whether the authentication information is valid for the media processing device; and   responsive to determining that the authentication information is valid for the media processing device, sending the media content item to the user device via the second communication channel,
 wherein the authentication information comprises credential information, the credential information including unique identification information of the media processing device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the media processing device comprises a digital video recorder. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the digital video recorder is located at a residence of a subscriber to a service that delivers media content to the digital video recorder. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the processing system comprises a media content server, and wherein the operations further comprise synchronizing the metadata file among the user device, the digital video recorder and the media content server. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the metadata file is received by the user device in response to a request sent by the user device to the digital video recorder for the media content item. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the authentication information comprises unique identification information of a subscriber to a service that delivers media content to the media processing device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the authentication information comprises digital rights management information. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the media content request is sent to the processing system in accordance with input to a graphical user interface of the user device. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the user device presents the media content item sent by the processing system by displaying the media content item on a display of the user device, outputting the media content item via a speaker of the user device, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the user device is configured to cache information from the metadata file for a period of time. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processing system including a processor of a media content server, a media content request from a user device via a communication network, the media content request comprising an identification of a media content item recorded at a media processing device and authentication information associated with the media content item,
 wherein a metadata file received by the user device from the media processing device via a first communication channel of the communication network includes a network address of the media content server, 
 wherein the media content request is received via a second communication channel of the communication network distinct from the first communication channel and not including the media processing device; 
   determining, by the processing system using the authentication information, whether the authentication information is valid for the media processing device; and   responsive to determining that the authentication information is valid for the media processing device, sending, by the processing system, the media content item to the user device via the second communication channel,
 wherein the authentication information comprises credential information, the credential information including unique identification information of the media processing device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the media processing device comprises a digital video recorder. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the digital video recorder is located at a residence of a subscriber to a service that delivers media content to the digital video recorder. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the authentication information comprises unique identification information of a subscriber to a service that delivers media content to the media processing device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the authentication information comprises digital rights management information. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor of a media content server having a network address, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 receiving a media content request from a user device via a communication network, the media content request comprising an identification of a media content item recorded at a media processing device and authentication information associated with the media content item,
 wherein a metadata file received by the user device from the media processing device via a first communication channel of the communication network includes the network address, 
 wherein the media content request is received via a second communication channel of the communication network distinct from the first communication channel and not including the media processing device; 
   determining, by the processing system using the authentication information, whether the authentication information is valid for the media processing device; and   responsive to determining that the authentication information is valid for the media processing device, sending the media content item to the user device via the second communication channel,
 wherein the authentication information comprises credential information, the credential information including unique identification information of the media processing device. 
   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the media processing device comprises a digital video recorder. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the digital video recorder is located at a residence of a subscriber to a service that delivers media content to the digital video recorder. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the authentication information comprises unique identification information of a subscriber to a service that delivers media content to the media processing device. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the authentication information comprises digital rights management information.