Digital video recorder recording and rendering programs formed from spliced segments

A set top terminal comprising:

• a receiver/tuner for receiving programs over a broadband network;
• a DVR module for coordinating storage and playback of programs received over the broadband network, wherein the DVR module is configured to store in at least one content file first and second program segments associated with a single program received over the broadband network, wherein an identification of a splice point is included in an elementary stream associated with at least one of the first and second program segments, the splice point denoting a transition between the first and second program segments, and further configured to store in at least one index file program specific information associated with the first and second program segments, wherein the program specific information includes a program's service number that is used to access a program map table, wherein the program map table includes packet identifiers, wherein the DVR module is further configured to store, in a common splice index file, timing information denoting a splice point between the first and second program segments, wherein the splice index file further includes a splice index record comprising:
• one or more pre-service acquisition packet identifiers that identify packets of a first program transport stream for receiving the first program segment, and
• a corresponding one or more post-service acquisition packet identifiers that identify packets of a second program transport stream for receiving the second program segment;
• at least one storage medium for storing the content file, index file, and the splice index file;
• and
• a processor operationally associated with the receiver/tuner, the at least one storage medium, and the DVR module;
• wherein, during a playback of the content file in a trick play mode, the splice index record is available to the DVR module, and the splice index record enables the transition between the first and second program segments, such that the DVR module does not need to receive the identification of the splice point from one of the first and second program segments during the playback of the content file in the trick play mode.

At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method including:

• receiving user input requesting playback of a recorded program that includes first and second program segments that are stored in at least one content file, wherein an identification of a splice point is included in an elementary stream associated with at least one of the first and second program segments, the splice point denoting a transition between the first and second program segments;
• causing a first set of program specific information associated with the first segment of the recorded program to be loaded into a DVR processor, wherein the program specific information includes a program's service number that is used to access a program map table, wherein the program map table includes packet identifiers;
• causing the first segment of the recorded program to be retrieved from a content file and rendered using the first set of program specific information;
• retrieving timing information from a splice index record that includes a splice point denoting a transition time between the first and second program segments, wherein the splice index record further includes:
• one or more pre-service acquisition packet identifiers that identify packets of a first program transport stream for receiving the first program segment, and
• a corresponding one or more post-service acquisition packet identifiers that identify packets of a second program transport stream for receiving the second program segment;
• determining from the timing information when the splice point in the recorded program being rendered has been reached, wherein, during a playback of the content file in a trick play mode, the splice index record is available to the DVR processor, and the splice index record enables the transition between the first and second program segments, such that the DVR processor does not need to receive the identification of the splice point from one of the first and second program segments during the playback of the content file in the trick play mode;
• upon reaching the splice point, causing a second set of program specific information associated with the second segment of the recorded program to be loaded into the DVR processor;
• and
• causing the second segment of the recorded program to be retrieved from the content file and rendered using the second set of the program specific information presently loaded in the DVR processor.