Abstract: A broadcast receiver is disclosed which separates 16-bit binary program labels from a transmitted television signal and applies the television signal to a recorder. The viewer enters, via a keyboard, short program labels which up to three decimal digits in length. These entered short labels are then converted into 16-bit binary program codes by a mapping function processor. Each of the 16-bit codes differs in at least two binary positions from any other 16-bit codes. These codes are stored and compared with received codes and when they agree the video recorder is controlled so as to record the TV signal. Thus, the viewer does not have to enter long codes but can use short labels to identify the programs. The short labels can be obtained by the viewer from a printed TV listing.