Method to Improve Storage Efficiency of High Definition Digital Video Recorders

A computer program product stored on a recordable-type computer readable medium for improving storage efficiency for a digital video recorder, wherein the computer program product comprises:

• computer useable program code for determining whether a television programming is being presented on a high definition channel or a standard definition channel;
• computer useable program code for responsive to determining that the television programming is being presented on the standard definition channel, recording the television programming using the digital video recorder on the standard definition channel without making any resolution changes to the television programming;
• computer useable program code for responsive to determining that the television programming is being presented on the high definition channel, determining whether content of the television programming originates in high definition or standard definition;
• computer useable program code for responsive to determining that the content of the television programming originates in the standard definition, determining whether a corresponding standard definition channel is available;
• computer useable program code for responsive to determining the corresponding channel is available, recording the television programming in the standard definition from the corresponding standard definition channel;
• computer useable program code for responsive to an absence of the television programming being available on the corresponding standard definition channel, downscaling the television programming on the high definition channel from a high definition resolution to a standard definition resolution;
• and
• computer useable program code for responsive to downscaling the television programming on the high definition channel from the high definition resolution to the standard definition resolution, recording the television programming in the standard definition resolution.

A data processing system for improving storage efficiency for a digital video recorder, wherein the data processing system comprises:

• a bus system;
• a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein computer usable program code is stored on the storage device;
• and
• a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit is adapted to determine whether a television programming is being presented on a high definition channel or a standard definition channel;
• responsive to determining that the television programming is being presented on the standard definition channel, to record the television programming using the digital video recorder on the standard definition channel without making any resolution changes to the television programming;
• responsive to determining that the television programming is being presented on the high definition channel, to determine whether content of the television programming originates in high definition or standard definition;
• responsive to determining that the content of the television programming originates in the standard definition, to determine whether a corresponding standard definition channel is available;
• responsive to determining the corresponding channel is available, to record the television programming in the standard definition from the corresponding standard definition channel;
• responsive to an absence of the television programming being available on the corresponding standard definition channel, to downscale the television programming on the high definition channel from a high definition resolution to a standard definition resolution;
• and
• responsive to downscaling the television programming on the high definition channel from the high definition resolution to the standard definition resolution, to record the television programming in the standard definition resolution.