Method and apparatus for selecting television programs from a database for viewing or recording

摘要

A large database of available television schedule information and a computer for searching the database are located at a site remote from television user terminals that have a television tuner. The database of television schedule information includes program selection criteria and program identification data and the computer is programmed to search the database. The computer at the remote site selects television programs that meet user program selection criteria for viewing or recording at the user terminals.