Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which an end user device sends a first request to a digital video recorder (DVR) to receive a media content item, and receives a metadata file including authentication information and a network address of a media content server where the media content item is located. The end user device sends a second request to the media content server to receive the media content item; the second request is sent to the network address and includes the authentication information and an identification of the requested media content item. The end user device receives the media content item from the media content server, responsive to the authentication information and the identification of the media content item sent in the second request. Other embodiments are disclosed.