Abstract: Alpha Numeric Media Program Stream Selection uses a method of database lookup and conversion from easily human understood mnemonics to the computer machine level instructions necessary to present the desired programming for various media presentation devices. In one implementation, a portable and usually hand held device with both alphabetic and numeric keys that are available to use to input a user friendly name in alpha-numeric format, which said device then performs a conversion of the information input to send data from the handheld device to a media presentation device that instructs the media presentation device to select the corresponding media stream from several streams available to the media presentation device. In an alternate implementation, the user information would be transmitted from a portable and usually handheld device to the media presentation device without modification and database lookup would occur within the media presentation device.