Program shortcuts

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving input that indicates particular media content to which to create a shortcut at a set-top device, the particular media content being unavailable for retrieval via a particular process at the time of the input; based on the input, creating and storing a shortcut object that comprises a reference to the particular process that allows retrieval of the particular media content; responsive to detecting that the particular media content is available for retrieval via the particular process, automatically presenting a menu item including the shortcut object corresponding to the particular media content; the set-top device automatically selecting which menu, from among a plurality of menus, to present the menu item in based on at least one of: a population density of menu items in the selected menu, a number of input commands to access the selected menu from a main menu, or a frequency of access of the selected menu; responsive to receiving input that selects the menu item from the selected menu, the set-top device executing the referenced particular process to cause retrieval of the particular media content; and presenting, at the set-top device, the retrieved particular media content; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular process includes at least any one of: retrieving the particular media content from video on demand service, downloading the particular media content, scheduling a recording of the particular media content, or receiving a stream of the particular media content.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: analyzing media content that has been recorded by the set-top device; identifying a type of the media content that is of interest to a user based at least in part on the analysis of the media content that was recorded by the set-top device; and automatically generating a second shortcut object for media content that is similar to the type of media content identified.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: responsive to the input, automatically generating a second shortcut object for media content related to the particular media content identified by the input.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing the shortcut object to be shared with one or more additional set-top devices within a network.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to determining that the particular media content is no longer retrievable via the process, deleting the shortcut object.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deleting the shortcut object upon an expiration date specified by a provider of the particular media content.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause: receiving input that indicates particular media content to which to create a shortcut at a set-top device, the particular media content being unavailable for retrieval via a particular process at the time of the input; based on the input, creating and storing a shortcut object that comprises a reference to the particular process that allows retrieval of the particular media content; responsive to detecting that the particular media content is available for retrieval via the particular process automatically presenting a menu item including the shortcut object corresponding to the particular media content; the set-top device automatically selecting which menu, from among a plurality of menus, to present the menu item in based on at least one of: a population density of menu items in the selected menu, a number of input commands to access the selected menu from a main menu, or a frequency of access of the selected menu; responsive to receiving input that selects the menu item from the selected menu, the set-top device executing the referenced particular process to cause retrieval of the particular media content; and presenting, at the set-top device, the retrieved particular media content.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the particular process includes at least any one of: retrieving the particular media content from video on demand service, downloading the particular media content, recording the particular media content, or receiving a stream of the particular media content.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause: analyzing media content that has been recorded by the set-top device; identifying a type of the media content that is of interest to a user based at least in part on the analysis of the media content that was recorded by the set-top device; and automatically generating a second shortcut object for media content that is similar to the type of media content identified.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause: responsive to the input, automatically generating a second shortcut object for media content related to the particular media content identified by the input.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the shortcut object to be shared with one or more additional set-top devices within a network.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause, responsive to determining that the particular media content is no longer retrievable via the process, deleting the shortcut object.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause deleting the shortcut object upon an expiration date specified by a provider of the particular media content.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input is user input received via one of: a web browser application, an extension to a web browser application, a plug-in to a web browser application, a module of a web application, a document viewing application, an RSS-based application, a document editing application, or a database client application.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input is one of an email or text message.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the particular media content comprises receiving a transcoded stream of the particular media content from a computing device, other than the set-top device, that has retrieved the particular media content.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the computing device that has retrieved the particular media content is connected to the set-top device via a local area network.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the input in response to presenting search results of content available from a service provider.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular process to retrieve the particular media content comprises purchasing rights to view the particular media content.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular process to retrieve the particular media content comprises receiving the particular media content from a website, the method further comprising presenting, in the menu with the menu item, a plurality of menu items corresponding to content recorded by the set-top device.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular media content corresponds to a plurality of content items, at least one content item of which is not available at the time of the input, wherein the particular process comprises presenting new content items corresponding to the particular media content as the new content items become available.

23. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the input is user command input received via one of: a web browser application, an extension to a web browser application, a plug-in to a web browser application, a module of a web application, a document viewing application, an RSS-based application, a document editing application, a database client application, an email, or a text message.

24. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein retrieving the particular media content comprises receiving a transcoded stream of the particular media content from a computing device, other than the set-top device, that has retrieved the particular media content.

25. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 24 , wherein the computing device that has retrieved the particular media content is connected to the set-top device via a local area network.

26. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause receiving the input in response to presenting search results of content available from a service provider.

27. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the particular process to retrieve the particular media content comprises purchasing rights to view the particular media content.

28. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the particular media content is not available for retrieval via the particular process at the time of the input, wherein the set-top device presents the menu item in the menu responsive to the particular media content becoming available via the process.

29. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the particular media content corresponds to a plurality of content items, at least one content item of which is not available at the time of the input, wherein the particular process comprises presenting new content items corresponding to the particular media content as the new content items become available.

30. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the input via an interface at a remote computing device other than the set-top device.

31. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause receiving the input via an interface at a remote computing device other than the set-top device.

32. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically selecting which menu, from the plurality of menus, to present the menu item in is based on the population density of menu items in the selected menu.

33. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically selecting which menu, from the plurality of menus, to present the menu item in is based on the number of input commands to access the selected menu from the main menu.

34. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically selecting which menu, from the plurality of menus, to present the menu item in is selected based on the frequency of access of the menu.

35. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein automatically selecting which menu, from the plurality of menus, to present the menu item in is based on the frequency of access of the menu by a particular user.

36. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8 , wherein automatically selecting which menu, from the plurality of menus, to present the menu item in is further based on at least one of: a category, a genre, or a type of the particular media content.

37. An apparatus comprising: a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to receive input that indicates particular media content to which to create a shortcut at a set-top device, the particular media content being unavailable for retrieval via a particular process at the time of the input; a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to, based on the input, create and store a shortcut object that comprises a reference to the particular process that allows retrieval of the particular media content; a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to, responsive to detecting that the particular media content is available for retrieval via the particular process, automatically present a menu item including the shortcut object corresponding to the particular media content; a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to, automatically select a menu, from among a plurality of menus, to present the menu item in based on at least one of: a population density of menu items in the selected menu, a number of input commands to access the selected menu from a main menu, or a frequency of access of the selected menu; a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to, responsive to receiving input that selects the menu item from the selected menu, executing the referenced particular process to cause retrieval of the particular media content; and a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to present, at the set-top device, the retrieved particular media content.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 , wherein automatically selecting which menu, from the plurality of menus, to present the menu item in is based on the frequency of access of the menu by a particular user.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 , wherein automatically selecting which menu, from the plurality of menus, to present the menu item in is further based on at least one of: a category, a genre, or a type of the particular media content.