METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MULTIPLE TELEVISION VIEWERS

1 . A method for providing communication between multiple television viewers, the method comprising:

receiving broadcast television content, on a local television receiver, from a programming source;

outputting the broadcast television content for presentation on a presentation device;

establishing a link between the local television receiver and a remote television receiver;

receiving non-broadcast content from the remote television receiver, the non-broadcast content captured by the remote television receiver;

outputting the non-broadcast content simultaneously with the broadcast television content for presentation on the presentation device; and

recording the non-broadcast content to a storage medium for subsequent presentation.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-broadcast content comprises audio chat data captured by the remote television receiver.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the non-broadcast content comprises video chat data captured by the remote television receiver;

the broadcast television content is outputted for presentation in a first region of a display area of the presentation device; and

the non-broadcast content is outputted for presentation in a second region of a display area of the presentation device.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving user input requesting replay on the presentation device of a portion of the non-broadcast content; and

outputting the portion of the non-broadcast content for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

capturing video data of a viewer of the presentation device;

transmitting the video data to the remote television receiver; and

recording the video data to the storage medium for subsequent presentation on the presentation device.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving user input requesting replay of a portion of the video data; and

outputting the portion of the video data for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

7 . A method for providing video chat services between multiple television viewers, the method comprising:

receiving broadcast television content, on a local television receiver, from a programming source;

outputting the broadcast television content for presentation in a first region of a display area of a presentation device;

establishing a link between the local television receiver and a remote television receiver;

receiving video chat data from the remote television receiver, the video chat data captured by the remote television receiver;

outputting the video chat data simultaneously with the broadcast television content in a second region of the display area;

receiving user input selecting a portion of the video chat data; and

transmitting the portion of the video chat data to a selected recipient.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting the portion of the video chat data further comprises transmitting the video chat data to a second remote television receiver.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising recording the video chat data to a storage medium for subsequent presentation.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving user input requesting replay of a portion of the video chat data; and

outputting the portion of the video chat data for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

11 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

capturing second video data of a viewer of the presentation device;

receiving user input selecting a portion of the second video data; and

transmitting the portion of the video chat data to the selected recipient.

12 . A digital video recorder comprising:

a receiver that receives broadcast television content from a programming source;

a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver that:

outputs the broadcast television content for presentation on a presentation device;

establishes a link to a remote television receiver;

receives non-broadcast content from the remote television receiver, the non-broadcast content captured by the remote television receiver;

outputs the non-broadcast content simultaneously with the broadcast television content for presentation on the presentation device; and

a storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor that stores the non-broadcast content to a storage medium for subsequent presentation.

13 . The digital video recorder of claim 12 , wherein the non-broadcast content comprises audio chat data captured by the remote television receiver.

14 . The digital video recorder of claim 12 , wherein the non-broadcast content comprises video chat data captured by the remote television receiver, and wherein the processor:

outputs the broadcast television content for presentation in a first region of a display area of the presentation device; and

outputs the non-broadcast content for presentation in a second region of a display area of the presentation device.

15 . The digital video recorder of claim 12 , further comprising:

an input module that receives user input requesting replay on the presentation device of a portion of the non-broadcast content; and

wherein the processor outputs the portion of the non-broadcast content for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

16 . The digital video recorder of claim 12 , further comprising:

a microphone communicatively coupled to the processor that captures audio data of a viewer of the presentation device;

wherein the processor transmits the audio data to the remote television receiver; and

wherein the storage medium records the audio data for subsequent presentation on the presentation device.

17 . The digital video recorder of claim 12 , further comprising:

a video camera communicatively coupled to the processor that captures video data of a viewer of the presentation device;

wherein the processor transmits the video data to the remote television receiver; and

wherein the storage medium records the video data for subsequent presentation on the presentation device.

18 . The digital video recorder of claim 17 , further comprising:

an input module that receives user input requesting replay on the presentation device of a portion of the video data; and

wherein the processor outputs the portion of the video data for presentation on the presentation device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

19 . A digital video recorder including:

a receiver that receives broadcast television content from a programming source;

a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver that:

establishes a link to a remote television receiver;

receives video chat data from the remote television receiver, the video chat data captured by the remote television receiver;

outputs the broadcast television content for presentation in a first region of a display area of a presentation device; and

outputs the video chat data simultaneously with the broadcast television content in a second region of the display area; and

an input module communicatively coupled to the processor that receives user input selecting a portion of the video chat data;

wherein the processor transmits the portion of the video chat data to a selected recipient

20 . The digital video recorder of claim 19 , wherein the selected recipient comprises a second remote television receiver.

21 . The digital video recorder of claim 19 , wherein:

the processor records the video chat data to a storage medium for subsequent presentation;

the input module receives user input requesting replay of a portion of the video chat data; and

the processor outputs the portion of the video chat data for presentation on the presentation, device while simultaneously outputting the broadcast television content for substantially real-time presentation on the presentation device.

22 . The digital video recorder of claim 19 , further comprising;

a video camera that captures second video data of a viewer of the presentation device;

wherein the input module receives user input selecting a portion of the second video data; and

wherein the processor transmits the portion of the second video chat data to the selected recipient.