A broadband digital video recorder (BDVR) system allows cable or satellite television (TV) viewers to cause a copy of a selected TV show to be downloaded via a broadband Internet network and stored for viewing on a designated computer or a portable media player. Television viewers make a selection of a TV show to record using their remote control device. In response, the BDVR system causes a copy of a video file corresponding to the selected television show to be automatically downloaded from a remote server to the user's computer over a broadband Internet connection. Users may conveniently select a television show to record via a conventional television network but automatically download a digital video file corresponding to the television show to their computer via a broadband Internet network without complicated user interaction and without searching for the video files on the Internet.