Abstract: An operational information obtaining section of a music reproduction device obtains operational information which corresponds to a user's operation and represents an instruction on an action of a reproduction section for reproducing data of a musical composition. A selection condition calculation section changes, during the musical composition being reproduced by the reproduction section, relative merits of attribute information relating to the data of the musical composition in accordance with details of the operational information obtained by the operational information obtaining section, and then calculates, based on the relative merits of the attribute information, a condition for selecting the data of the musical composition to be reproduced by the reproduction section.

Abstract: A program selecting system includes a playback device and a server. During playback of a program, the playback device transmits a program identifier for identifying the program, an evaluation of the program by a viewer, and an attribute of the viewer to the server. The server totalizes evaluations of programs according to viewer attribute and stores evaluation totals. When requested by the playback device, the server transmits program identifiers of programs which are highly evaluated by other viewers having similar attributes to the viewer, and evaluation totals of the programs. The playback device displays ranking of the programs based on the received evaluation totals.

Abstract: When searching for programs similar to a program designated by a viewer, a program selection support device not only searches for similar programs based on program-related information such as program contents, but also determines an algorithm used for similarity judgment based on viewer-related information, such as a program viewing history of a viewer, personal information of the viewer, evaluations by other viewers, and information added by a program producer, or based on a category of the designated program, and searches for similar programs using the determined algorithm. The program selection support device displays the programs found as a result of the search.

Abstract: A recording device, which receives record instructions directly from a user, enables the user to give a variety of record instructions without being restricted by the recording capability of the recording device. The recording device judges whether a processing content specified in a record instruction received from the user is executable internally (step S300), and if judged in the negative, selects an external device capable of executing the record instruction, based pre-collected information relating to the recording capability of one or more external devices (step S302) and forwards the record instruction to the selected device (step S303).

Abstract: A network recording system includes a recording server and a terminal device. The terminal device includes a receiving unit operable to receive a designation of a program to be recorded, from a user, a selecting unit operable to select a user profile to which the user belongs, out of a plurality of user profiles, and a transmitting unit operable to transmit recording instruction information to the recording server, where the recording instruction information includes a combination of a program ID identifying the program to be recorded and user profile information showing the user profile to which the user belongs.

Abstract: A device that performs a master/slave switching process dynamically changing a device functioning as a master device in a network in consideration of fixed device performances and also variable device states is provided. A device's own device information managing section (15) of a master device (1) manages device's own device information regarding its own device. Another device information managing section (16) manages other device information regarding other devices, which are slave devices. A schedule information managing section (17) manages schedule information regarding master device candidates. A device information processing section (13) obtains predetermined information, such as the remaining amount of battery, from a slave device specified based on the other device information and the schedule information at a predetermined time.

Abstract: A network recording system includes a terminal device and a recording device. The terminal device includes a transmitting unit operable to transmit recording instruction information for recording of a punctual program, to the recording device via the network The recording device includes a program receiving unit operable to receive the punctual program, a recording unit operable to start a recording operation of the punctual program from a start time of the punctual program, where the recording operation includes recording the punctual program and performing a process related to the recording, a receiving unit operable to receive the recording instruction information from the terminal device, and a discontinuing unit operable to cause the recording unit to discontinue the recording operation of the punctual program, if the receiving unit does not receive the recording instruction information before a predetermined time elapses from the start time of the punctual program.