VIRTUAL SET-TOP BOX

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method for streaming media on an end user device, comprising:

providing a management component to create a set-top box (STB) execution environment for a plurality of vendor applications within the end user device, wherein:

each of the plurality of vendor applications is associated with one of a plurality of providers of streaming media; and

the management component comprises a conditional access (CA) component;

providing, to at least one of the plurality of vendor applications, an interface to the CA component;

executing, by the end user device, the at least one vendor application within the STB execution environment;

managing access, via the CA component, to the streaming media of the associated provider according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the CA component;

receiving a first streaming media from the associated provider; and

presenting, by the end user device, the first streaming media.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of vendor applications is a middleware.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of vendor applications is provided by the corresponding associated provider.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the management component further comprises a decryption component, the method further comprising:

providing, to the at least one of the plurality of vendor applications, an interface to the decryption component; and

decrypting, via the decryption component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the decryption component.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the management component further comprises a codec component, the method further comprising:

providing, to the at least one of the plurality of vendor applications, an interface to the codec component; and

decoding, via the codec component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the codec component.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the management component further comprises a player component, the method further comprising:

providing, to the at least one of the plurality of vendor applications, an interface to the player component, wherein presenting the first streaming media comprises presenting, via the player component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the player component.

27 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of vendor applications executed by the end user device is associated with the provider chosen by a viewer of the end user device.

28 . An end user device comprising a processor and a non-transitory data storage comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform an automated process for streaming media, the automated process comprising:

providing, to at least one of a plurality of vendor applications stored within the end user device, a programming interface to a management component of the end user device, wherein:

the management component creates a set-top box (STB) execution environment for the plurality of vendor applications;

the management component comprises a conditional access (CA) component;

the programming interface comprises an interface to the CA component; and

each of the vendor applications is associated with one of a plurality of providers of streaming media;

executing, by the end user device, the at least one vendor application within the STB execution environment;

managing access, via the CA component, to the streaming media of the associated provider according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the CA component;

receiving, by the end user device, a first streaming media from the associated provider; and

presenting, by the end user device, the first streaming media.

29 . The end user device of claim 28 , wherein each of the plurality of vendor applications is a middleware.

30 . The end user device of claim 28 , wherein each of the plurality of vendor applications is provided by the corresponding associated provider.

31 . The end user device of claim 28 , wherein:

the management component further comprises a decryption component;

the programming interface further comprises an interface to the decryption component; and

the automated process further comprises decrypting, via the decryption component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the decryption component.

32 . The end user device of claim 28 , wherein:

the management component further comprises a codec component;

the programming interface further comprises an interface to the codec component; and

the automated process further comprises decoding, via the codec component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the codec component.

33 . The end user device of claim 28 , wherein:

the management component further comprises a player component;

the programming interface further comprises an interface to the player component; and

presenting the first streaming media comprises presenting, via the player component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the player component.

34 . The end user device of claim 28 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of vendor applications executed by the end user device is associated with the provider chosen by a viewer of the end user device.

35 . An automated process to be performed by an end user device to stream media, the automated process comprising:

providing, by a set-top box (STB) execution environment operating on the end user device and to at least one of a plurality of vendor applications stored within the end user device, a programming interface to a management component of the end user device, wherein:

the management component comprises a conditional access (CA) component;

the programming interface comprises an interface to the CA component; and

each of the vendor applications is associated with one of a plurality of providers of streaming media;

executing, by the end user device, the at least one vendor application;

managing access, via the CA component, to the streaming media of the associated provider according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the CA component;

receiving, by the end user device, a first streaming media from the associated provider; and

presenting, by the end user device, the first streaming media.

36 . The automated process of claim 35 , wherein each of the plurality of vendor applications is a middleware.

37 . The automated process of claim 35 , wherein each of the plurality of vendor applications is provided by the corresponding associated provider.

38 . The automated process of claim 35 , wherein:

the management component further comprises a decryption component;

the programming interface further comprises an interface to the decryption component; and

the automated process further comprises decrypting, via the decryption component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the decryption component.

39 . The automated process of claim 35 , wherein:

the management component further comprises a codec component;

the programming interface further comprises an interface to the codec component; and

the automated process further comprises decoding, via the codec component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the codec component.

40 . The automated process of claim 35 , wherein:

the management component further comprises a player component;

the programming interface further comprises an interface to the player component; and

presenting the first streaming media comprises presenting, via the player component, the first streaming media according to the at least one vendor application via the interface to the player component.