Method and system for transfer of subscription media

1. A method of managing subscription media at a networked media viewing device, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a request to establish a roaming profile session at the networked media viewing device, wherein the roaming profile session includes access to the subscription media by a subscriber of a central authority;

(b) establishing a direct connection between the networked media viewing device and the central authority;

(c) authenticating the networked media viewing device with the central authority via the direct connection;

(d) identifying, by the networked media viewing device, at least one set-top box in wireless connection range of the networked media viewing device, capable of transmitting the subscription media directly to the networked media viewing device, wherein the at least one set-top box is part of a network of the central authority and is not associated with the subscriber;

(e) transmitting, by the networked media viewing device, a listing of the identified at least one set-top box to the central authority;

(f) facilitating a content link via a one-to-one wireless connection between the networked media viewing device and at least one of the identified set-top boxes; and

(g) receiving, by the networked media viewing device, the subscription media from the central authority via the content link.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authenticating the networked media viewing device further comprises transmitting roaming profile authentication information stored on the networked media viewing device to the central authority.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the listing of the identified at least one set-top box is transmitted to the central authority via the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(f) notifying the central authority when the roaming profile session has been terminated; and

(g) disconnecting the content link.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the roaming profile session is terminated by disconnecting a roaming profile token.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the central authority is associated with a cable television provider.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authenticating the networked media viewing device includes pairing a roaming profile token of a subscriber to the networked media viewing device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the roaming profile token includes account information corresponding to the subscriber.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the facilitating the one-to-one wireless connection includes initiating a connection request from the networked media viewing device to the identified set-top box.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the facilitating the one-to-one wireless connection includes receiving a connection request from the identified set-top box at the networked media viewing device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authenticating of (c) does not involve a connection via one or more set-top boxes.

12. A method of managing subscription media at a networked media viewing device, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by a central authority of a subscriber-based network, a request to establish a roaming profile session at the networked media viewing device, the roaming profile session permitting access to the subscription media via the subscriber-based network, wherein the request to establish a roaming profile session is received via a direct connection between the networked media viewing device and the central authority;

(b) authenticating the networked media viewing device via the direct connection;

(c) identifying one or more source devices within wireless connection range of the networked media viewing device, the source devices having wired connections to the subscriber-based network;

(d) providing to the central authority of the subscriber-based network a listing of the identified one or more source devices, via the direct connection

(f) receiving, by the networked media viewing device, the subscription media from the subscriber-based network via a wireless content link established between the networked media viewing device and at least one of the one or more source devices.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the request to establish the roaming profile session includes, transmitting roaming profile authentication information to the central authority.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the receiving a request to establish a roaming profile session includes, pairing a roaming profile token of a subscriber to the networked media viewing device.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the identifying the one or more source devices includes, analyzing a connection strength between the networked media viewing device and the at least one of the one or more source devices.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the subscriber-based network is a cable television network.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the subscriber-based network is a satellite television network.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one of the one or more source devices are set-top boxes.

19. A networked media viewing apparatus for presenting subscription media, wherein the networked media viewing apparatus receives the subscription media from a content distributor through a source device not associated with a subscriber, the networked media viewing apparatus comprising:

(a) an input device configured to receive a roaming profile session activation request from a subscriber associated with the networked media viewing device;

(b) a processor configured to identify and select a source device, the source device having a physical connection to a central authority associated with the content distributor and being in wireless connection range of the networked media viewing apparatus and being capable of wirelessly transmitting the subscription media to the networked media viewing apparatus;

(c) at least one communications device configured to transmit the roaming profile session activation request to the central authority associated with the content distributor and to authenticate with the central authority without connecting to the source device, and further configured to transmit an identifier for the selected source device to the central authority, the at least one communications device also configured to maintain a connection with the selected source device for receiving the subscription media from the source device;

(d) a storage device configured to store the received subscription media.

20. An article of manufacture for managing subscription media received from a content distributor through a source device associated with a subscriber, the article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

(a) receiving a request to establish a roaming profile session at a networked media viewing device, wherein the roaming profile session includes access to the subscription media by a subscriber of a central authority;

(b) establishing a direct connection between the networked media viewing device and the central authority;

(c) authenticating the networked media viewing device with the central authority via the direct connection;

(d) identifying, by the networked media viewing device, at least one set-top box in wireless connection range of the networked media viewing device, capable of transmitting the subscription media directly to the networked media viewing device at, wherein the at least one set-top box is part of a network of the central authority and is not associated with the subscriber;

(e) transmitting, by the networked media viewing device, a listing of the identified at least one set-top box to the central authority;

(f) facilitating a content link via a one-to-one wireless connection between the networked media viewing device and at least one of the identified set-top boxes; and

(g) receiving, by the networked media viewing device, the subscription media from the central authority via the content link.