Multi-room entertainment system with in-room media player/dispenser

A method of providing media to a plurality of in-room systems from a head-end system remote from the plurality of in-room systems, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing a plurality of acquisition media at each of the in-room systems;
• storing a plurality of access-only media at the head-end system;
• at each in-room system, providing access to each of the access-only media to assist the user in media acquisition choices;
• at the in-room system, sensing the access to one of the access-only media;
• upon sensing the access of one of the access-only media, activating a free-sample timer and storing an access signal encoded with a room identifier and a media access identifier at the in-room system;
• monitoring the in-room system for continued access to the accessed media;
• if the accessed media is accessed throughout the free-sample time allotted, transmitting the access signal to the head-end system and processing the access signal to determine any charge associated with the access.

A method of providing access-only media to a plurality of in-room systems from a head-end system remote from the plurality of in-room systems and tracking the access to the access-only media, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing a plurality of access-only media at the head-end system;
• transmitting each of the access-only media over a communications line, each access-only media transmitted at a unique frequency;
• at each in-room system, providing access to the communication line through a frequency tuner for adjustably tuning to one of the unique frequencies;
• at the in-room system, sensing the access to one of the access-only media;
• upon sensing the access of one of the access-only media, activating a free-sample timer and storing an access signal encoded with a room identifier and a media acquisition identifier and
• monitoring the in-room system for continued access to the accessed media;
• and
• if the accessed media is accessed throughout the free-sample time allotted, transmitting the access signal to the head-end system and processing the access signal to determine any charge associated with the acquisition.