Remote access of media items

Abstract

Methods and systems that facilitate the downloading of media items to a first network device from a second network device are disclosed. A plurality of media items are identified Media item metadata associated with the plurality of media items is obtained from the second network device and stored on the first network device. Media item content data associate with a first subset of the plurality of media items is obtained from the second network device and stored on the first network device. In this manner, only media item metadata associate with a second subset of the plurality of media items is stored on the first network device.

1 . A method comprising:
 obtaining, at a playback device, a request for playback of a first episodic media item of a plurality of episodic media items; and   in accordance with the playback device playing the first episodic media item, automatically fetching at least a portion of a second episodic media item of the plurality of episodic media items from a media distribution system based on the second episodic media item not being stored on the playback device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of episodic media items comprise the first episodic media item and the second episodic media item, wherein the second episodic media item is sequentially after the first episodic media item. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second episodic media item is fetched before the first episodic media item is finished playing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining metadata associated with the plurality of episodic media items comprising sequence information for the plurality of episodic media items.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of episodic media items available to the first network device includes at least one media item stored at the first network device and at least one media item accessible from a second network device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising deleting the first episodic media item at the client device after playback of the first episodic media item is completed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sharing the second episodic media item from the plurality of episodic media items with a plurality of network devices. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable code executable by one or more processors to:
 obtain, at a playback device, a request for playback of a first episodic media item of a plurality of episodic media items; and   in accordance with the playback device playing the first episodic media item, automatically fetch at least a portion of a second episodic media item of the plurality of episodic media items from a media distribution system based on the second episodic media item not being stored on the playback device.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of episodic media items comprise the first episodic media item and the second episodic media item, wherein the second episodic media item is sequentially after the first episodic media item. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the second episodic media item is fetched before the first episodic media item is finished playing. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising computer readable code to:
 obtain metadata associated with the plurality of episodic media items comprising sequence information for the plurality of episodic media items.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of episodic media items available to the first network device includes at least one media item stored at the first network device and at least one media item accessible from a second network device. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising computer readable code to delete the first episodic media item at the client device after playback of the first episodic media item is completed. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising computer readable code to share the second episodic media item from the plurality of episodic media items with a plurality of network devices. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more computer readable media comprising computer readable code executable by the one or more processors to:
 obtain, at a playback device, a request for playback of a first episodic media item of a plurality of episodic media items; and 
 in accordance with the playback device playing the first episodic media item, automatically fetch at least a portion of a second episodic media item of the plurality of episodic media items from a media distribution system based on the second episodic media item not being stored on the playback device. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of episodic media items comprise the first episodic media item and the second episodic media item, wherein the second episodic media item is sequentially after the first episodic media item. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the second episodic media item is fetched before the first episodic media item is finished playing. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising computer readable code to:
 obtain metadata associated with the plurality of episodic media items comprising sequence information for the plurality of episodic media items.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of episodic media items available to the first network device includes at least one media item stored at the first network device and at least one media item accessible from a second network device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising computer readable code to delete the first episodic media item at the client device after playback of the first episodic media item is completed.