PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM FOR RECORDING TELEVISION PROGRAMS
An interactive program guide system is provided. The system facilitates recording of programs selected from the program guide. The system handles the recording and viewing of pay programs, parentally-controlled programs, consecutive programs on different television channels, and programs with and without copy protection. Programs may be recorded using combination television videocassette recorder (TV/VCR) units.
1 - 12 . (canceled)
13 . A method for presenting media assets at user equipment of a user, comprising:
receiving a user request to access a media asset having copy protection;
displaying on a display screen of the user equipment a first option to view the media asset and a second option to record the media asset;
determining, with control circuitry, which of the first option and the second option is selected by the user;
the control circuitry initiating display of the media asset with copy protection on the display screen when the user selects the first option; and
the control circuitry initiating recording of the media asset without copy protection when the user selects the second option.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first option is associated with a first fee and the second option is associated with a second fee.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first fee is less than the second fee.
16 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
charging a fee to record the media asset without copy protection by requiring the user to purchase the media asset.
17 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
displaying a message on the display screen indicating that the media asset cannot be recorded when the user selects the first option.
18 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
receiving user selection of the second option at the user equipment; and
the control circuitry removing the copy protection from the media asset in response to the user selection of the second option.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the media asset is scheduled to be available at the user equipment at a future time.
20 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
displaying a parental control option for locking the media asset on the display screen.
21 . The method of claim 20 further comprising:
receiving a user selection of the parental control option to lock the media asset; and
the control circuitry blocking access to the media asset in response to receiving the user selection of the parental control option.
22 . A system for presenting media assets, the system comprising:
a display screen; and
circuitry configured to:
receive a user request to access a media asset having copy protection;
display on the display screen a first option to view the media asset and a second option to record the media asset;
determine which of the first option and the second option is selected by the user;
initiate display of the media asset with copy protection on the display screen when the user selects the first option; and
initiate recording of the media asset without copy protection when the user selects the second option.
23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the first option is associated with a first fee and the second option is associated with a second fee.
24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the first fee is less than the second fee.
25 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to charge a fee to record the media asset without copy protection by requiring the user to purchase the media asset.
26 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to display a message on the display screen indicating that the media asset cannot be recorded when the user selects the first option.
27 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive user selection of the second option; and
remove the copy protection from the media asset in response to the user selection of the second option.
28 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the media asset is scheduled to be available at a future time.
29 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to display a parental control option for locking the media asset on the display screen.
30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive a user selection of the parental control option to lock the media asset; and
block access to the media asset in response to receiving the user selection of the parental control option.