Internet protocol television audio and video calling

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

• displaying a list of recipient identifiers on a media device, wherein the media device is currently presenting a media program;
• receiving first user input from a remote controller, wherein the first user input includes a selected recipient identifier from the list of recipient identifiers;
• initiating by a soft phone client executing on a device an outgoing video call according to the selected recipient identifier;
• presenting the outgoing video call on the media device;
• determining by the soft phone client that presenting the outgoing video call on the media device interrupts the presenting of the media program on the media device;
• directing by the soft phone client that at least a portion of the media program be stored in a digital video recorder in response to presenting the outgoing video call and in response to the determining that the presenting of the outgoing video call on the media device interrupts the presenting of the media program on the media device;
• in response to the directing, storing the at least a portion of the media program in the digital video recorder;
• converting, by a terminal adapter, voice over internet protocol signals to plain old telephone service signals;
• and
• processing, by the soft phone client, digital samples of the plain old telephone service signals,
• wherein the device is in communication with a gateway that includes a switching element for directing incoming calls to a terminal device that is located at a same premises as the device.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a processing system including a processor, an incoming video call by a soft phone client executed on a set top box while presenting a media program on a media device;
• selectively, by the processing system, answering the incoming video call;
• identifying, by the processing system, a targeted user for the incoming video call;
• selecting, by the processing system, the media device according to the targeted user;
• presenting, by the processing system, the incoming video call on the media device;
• determining, by the processing system, that the presenting of the incoming video call on the media device interrupts the presenting of the media program on the media device;
• causing, by the processing system, the soft phone client to direct that at least a portion of the media program be stored in a digital video recorder in response to presenting the incoming video call and in response to the determining that the presenting of the incoming video call on the media device interrupts the presenting of the media program on the media device;
• in response to the causing, storing, by the processing system, the at least a portion of the media program in the digital video recorder;
• converting, by a terminal adapter, voice over internet protocol signals to plain old telephone service signals;
• and
• processing, by the soft phone client, digital samples of the plain old telephone service signals,
• wherein the set top box is in communication with a gateway that includes a switching element for directing incoming calls to a terminal device that is located at a same premises as the set top box.