Distributed database management system

A method, comprising:

• receiving television program guide data as database subsets at a device;
• storing the television program guide data on at least one storage device at the device, the television program guide data including television program broadcast schedule information;
• causing a tuner, among at least one tuner in communication with the device, to receive a specific television broadcast program listed in the television program guide data;
• and
• communicating, by the device, an inventory of received database subsets to a server that compares the inventory with a list of database subsets that were to be sent to the device and transmits database subsets in the list of database subsets that were not in the inventory to the device.

A method, comprising:

• receiving user viewing information from a DVR at a server;
• storing the user viewing information in a database at the server, the database containing user viewing information from a plurality of DVRs;
• sending database subsets to the DVR based at least in part on the user viewing information;
• receiving an inventory of received database subsets from the DVR;
• comparing the inventory with a list of database subsets that were to be sent to the DVR;
• and
• sending database subsets in the list of database subsets that were not in the inventory to the DVR.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a receiving module on a device that receives television program guide data;
• a storage module that stores the television program guide data on at least one storage device in communication with the device, the television program guide data including television program broadcast schedule information;
• and
• a database inventory module at the device that communicates an inventory of received database subsets to a server that compares the inventory with a list of database subsets that were to be sent to the device and transmits database subsets in the list of database subsets that were not in the inventory to the device.

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one tuner in communication with a device;
• a receiving module at the device that receives television program guide data;
• at least one storage device at the device;
• a storage module that stores television program guide data on the at least one storage device, the television program guide data including television program broadcast schedule information;
• a tuning module that causes a tuner among the at least one tuner to receive a specific television broadcast program listed in the television program guide data;
• and
• a database inventory module at the device that communicates an inventory of received database subsets to a server that compares the inventory with a list of database subsets that were to be sent to the device and transmits database subsets in the list of database subsets that were not in the inventory to the device.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a receiving module at a server that receives user viewing information from a DVR;
• a user viewing information storage module that stores the user viewing information in a database at the server, the database containing user viewing information from a plurality of DVRs;
• an inventory receiving module that receives an inventory of received database subsets from the DVR;
• a comparison module that compares the inventory with a list of database subsets that were to be sent to the DVR;
• and
• a database subset sending module that sends database subsets in the list of database subsets that were not in the inventory to the DVR.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, on a device, program guide data that includes television program content broadcast schedule information selectable for recording by a user and Web content URL information selectable for recording by the user;
• storing program guide data on at least one storage device communicably connected to the device;
• receiving television broadcast program content listed in the program guide data at the device selectable via an input device that receives television broadcast signals;
• for each content selected from the program guide data for recording by the user, listing, schedule, a recording time in the future, according to the program guide data, for the selected content;
• recording automatically, at a scheduled recording time from the recording schedule, Web content listed in the program guide data retrieved via a network connection using a URL from the program guide data, the recorded Web content stored on the at least one storage device as part of a collection of recorded content available for on demand playback by the user.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a receiving module at a device that receives program guide data that includes television program content broadcast schedule information selectable for recording by a user and Web content URL information selectable for recording by the user;
• at least one storage device in communication with the device;
• a storage module that stores program guide data on the at least one storage device;
• and
• at least one television input, in communication with the device, that is configurable to receive a television broadcast program content listed in the program guide data;
• a listing module that lists, in a recording schedule, a recording time in the future, according to the program guide data, for each content selected from the program guide data for recording by the user;
• at least one network input that is configurable to record automatically, at a scheduled recording time from the recording schedule, Web content listed in the program guide data retrieved via a network connection using a URL from the program guide data, the recorded Web content stored on the at least one storage device as part of a collection of recorded content available for on demand playback by the user.