System and method for providing personal video recording trick modes

A method for providing a trick mode in a personal video recording system, comprising:

• retrieving a first frame from a data storage;
• decoding the first frame;
• retrieving a second frame from the data storage;
• and
• decoding the second frame using the first frame.

A method for entering a trick mode in a personal video recording system, comprising the steps of:

• halting data feed into video decoder;
• reading a time stamp from last displayed picture;
• flushing video buffer;
• and
• selecting particular pictures for display using an index table.

A method for providing a trick mode in a personal recording system, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a trick mode command;
• determining a requested speed from the trick mode command;
• if the requested speed is less than real time speed, then configuring a video decoder to decode one frame for each X vertical synchronization pulses, where X is a positive number greater than one;
• and
• if the requested speed is not less than real time speed, then configuring the video decoder to decode Y frames for each vertical synchronization pulse, where Y is a positive number greater than one.