Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for configuring an electronic program guide controller is disclosed. The electronic program guide controller is capable of generating a grid pattern for display on a display device. The grid pattern contains program cells having associated lengths and includes one or more rows and a plurality of columns. Each row corresponds to a program channel and each column represents a predefined period of time. Program cells with lengths exceeding the predefined period of time span multiple columns. The electronic program guide controller is configured in one of at least two time shift modes responsive to instructions received from a user and shifts the grid pattern time focus in accordance with the configured time shift mode responsive to shift instructions received from the user. The modes include a column time shift mode, a program time shift mode, and a user defined time period shift mode.

Abstract: A decoder of a digital television signal includes apparatus for synchronizing changes in the format of the digital television signal to corresponding changes in the format of an on-screen display. The apparatus includes a video decoder that receives the digital television signal, determines the format of the digital television signal and whether this format represents a format change. When the decoder identifies a format change, it generates an output signal indicating the format change and assigns a unique identifier to the format change. This output signal is sent to an on-screen display processor and to a user interface processor. The user interface processor is coupled to the video decoder and to the on-screen display processor to receive the output signal and to generate commands for the on-screen display processor. With one of these commands, the user interface sends the unique identifier received from the decoder to the on-screen display processor.