Abstract: If a situation in which it is difficult to make a decision about automatic processing without involving user intervention occurs, an inquiry is made to a user to clear such a situation and a response by the user to the inquiry is used as a decision criterion by which to decide the execution of automatic processing when a similar situation occurs later. If a change occurs in the broadcast time of a broadcast program set for timer-recording, this broadcast program overlaps, in broadcast time, another broadcast program set for timer-recording. However, if a need occurs for recording broadcast programs in excess of the number of broadcast programs that may be simultaneously recorded, an inquiry is made to the user which of these broadcast programs is to be preferentially recorded. A response by the user to this inquiry is also used as a criteria for selecting a broadcast program to be preferentially recorded if a similar situation occurs later.

Abstract: Data relating to a predetermined media are formed as a database which can be retrieved by key data generated based on information of a predetermined area of such media. When a predetermined media is inserted into an apparatus, data relating to corresponding media within the database is retrieved and the retrieved data can be obtained. Therefore, information relating to package media such as a CD can be provided with ease.

Abstract: If a situation in which it is difficult to make a decision about automatic processing without involving user intervention occurs, an inquiry is made to a user to clear such a situation and a response by the user to the inquiry is used as a decision criterion by which to decide the execution of automatic processing when a similar situation occurs later. If a change occurs in the broadcast time of a broadcast program set for timer-recording, this broadcast program overlaps, in broadcast time, another broadcast program set for timer-recording. However, if a need occurs for recording broadcast programs in excess of the number of broadcast programs that may be simultaneously recorded, an inquiry is made to the user which of these broadcast programs is to be preferentially recorded. A response by the user to this inquiry is also used as a criteria for selecting a broadcast program to be preferentially recorded if a similar situation occurs later.

Abstract: Data relating to a predetermined media are formed as a database which can be retrieved by key data generated based on information of a predetermined area of such media. When a predetermined media is inserted into an apparatus, data relating to corresponding media within the database is retrieved and the retrieved data can be obtained. Therefore, information relating to package media such as a CD can be provided with ease.

Abstract: An information providing apparatus by which the relevant information pertinent to a product and the additional information pertinent to the relevant information can be automatically acquired by exploiting identification codes, such as bar codes, without the need to effectuate manual retrieval. When a software, such as PC media player software, provided with the bar code readout function, is executed, a computer device 30 is booted in association with an enclosed database 31 forming a portion of an HDD to reprieve the product information corresponding to the bar codes. The computer device 30 may retrieve the product information using a bar code-content database 40 connected to outside over the network. The computer device 30 automatically acquires the relevant information over the Internet from the Web servers 41, 42 and 43, connected to the internet, based on the retrieved product information, for demonstration on a display unit 50.

Abstract: Data relating to a predetermined media are formed as a database which can be retrieved by key data generated based on information of a predetermined area of such media. When a predetermined media is inserted into an apparatus, data relating to corresponding media within the database is retrieved and the retrieved data can be obtained. Therefore, information relating to package media such as a CD can be provided with ease.