Abstract: An EPG database for a home entertainment system includes files that contain information about television programs retrievable by time and channel. The files are linked to each other so information about a future television program can be obtained by accessing a file about a current television program. A current television program displayed on the screen (20) of a home entertainment system includes an announcement or advertisement (56) of a future television program. The availability of an electronic program guide function (54) is signaled during, before, or after the announcement. A command is issued to invoke the EPG function (54). The information about the future television program is retrieved from the file about the current television program in the database. The EPG function (54) is executed with the retrieved information. The EPG function can be performed with respect to a future television program without embedding information about the future television program in the television signal.

Abstract: A channel map is created and/or edited with the aid of a PIP window in which a real time television program is displayed. The PIP window is displayed on a monitor screen at the same time as a channel map of pairs of network names and local channel numbers. The local channel numbers can be individually changed to create the channel map or edit the pairings of network name and local channel number. When the local channel numbers are changed, the tuner for the PIP window also automatically changes so the television program displayed in the PIP window corresponds to the television program telecast on the local channel number displayed on the screen. This provides verification of the accuracy of the pairing of network names and local channel numbers in the channel map.