A home entertainment system (100) includes modules (120, 135, 140), connected by digital links (115, 125, 130), which do not have redundant capabilities. A gateway (110) receives external signals from the Internet, digital cable or satellite network, or digital terrestrial network. The gateway is connected to a storage/playback module (135), including a DVD/CD-RW (520) and/or hard drive (HD) (530), a digital audio amplifier module (140), and a video display module (120). The storage/playback module (135) plays back and record content. Copyright protection allows a user to store programs on the HD, to back them up on a DVD, or to record directly on DVD. The audio amplifier includes an audio decoder (420) to provide audio outputs, and has a control panel to play back music from the HD or DVD player. The video display module supports only video capabilities and includes a video decoder (320). The modules share a conditional access component (220) at the gateway.