An apparatus and method for providing information in conjunction with media content, including a receiver, wherein the receiver receives at least one of a transmission of media content and a broadcast of media content, wherein the media content includes at least one of broadcast media content and entertainment media content, and further wherein the receiver receives information regarding the media content, a processor for processing at least one of the received media content and the received information regarding the media content, a display device for visually displaying the information regarding the media content, and/or a speaker device for audibly announcing the information regarding the media content.

Music is blanket transmitted (for example, via satellite downlink transmission) to each customer's user station where selected music files are recorded. Customers preselect from a list of available music in advance using an interactive screen selector, and pay only for music that they choose to playback for their enjoyment. An antipiracy WID tag is woven into the recorded music so that any illegal copies therefrom may be traced to the purchase transaction. Music is transmitted on a fixed schedule or through an active scheduling process that monitors music requests from all or a subset of satellite receivers and adjust scheduling according to demand for various CD's. Receivers store selections that are likely to be preferred by a specific customer. In those instances where weather conditions, motion of atmospheric layers or dish obstructions result in data loss, the system downloads the next transmission of the requested CD and uses both transmissions to produce a good copy. In conjunction 20 with the blanket transmission of more popular music, an automated CD manufacturing facility may be provided to manufacture CD's that are not frequently requested and distribute them by ground transportation.

A distributed database management system provides a central database resident on a server that contains database objects. Objects, e.g., program guide data, to be replicated are gathered together into distribution packages called slices, that are transmitted to client devices. A slice is a subset of the central database which is relevant to clients within a specific domain, such as a geographic region, or under the footprint of a satellite transmitter. The viewer selects television programs and Web content from displayed sections of the program guide data which are recorded to a storage device. The program guide data are used to determine when to start and end recordings. Client devices periodically connect to the server using a phone line and upload information of interest which is combined with information uploaded from other client devices for statistical, operational, or viewing models.

Audio data are played back by a personal computer a relationship with a playback process recognized easily. Displays showing the contents of play lists are arranged and displayed so that the contents become continuous in sequence in a playback sequence from content that is currently being played back from a display of an operation element that causes an image of a playback process to appear or from a display showing the content which is currently being played back. When the playback of one piece of content of one play list from among a plurality of play lists is terminated and one piece of content of an other play list is played back, at least the content that is currently being played back and content to be subsequently played back are displayed so that the contents can be distinguished.

A method, performed by software executing on the processor of a portable music playback device, that automatically files tracks according to hierarchical structure of categories to organize tracks in a logical order. A user interface is utilized to change the hierarchy, view track names, and select tracks for playback or other operations. The user interface uses an overlapping hierarchy of categories. A song title can be accessed in multiple different ways by starting with different categories. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses the top-level categories Albums, Artists, Genres (or styles), and Play Lists. Within the Albums category are names of different albums of songs stored in the device. Within each album are the album tracks, or songs, associated with that album. Navigation is performed by presenting a sequence of display screens for each level of the hierarchy.

A distributed database management system provides a central database resident on a server that contains database objects. Objects, e.g., program guide data, to be replicated are gathered together into distribution packages called slices, that are transmitted to client devices. A slice is a subset of the central database which is relevant to clients within a specific domain, such as a geographic region, or under the footprint of a satellite transmitter. The viewer selects television programs and Web content from displayed sections of the program guide data which are recorded to a storage device. The program guide data are used to determine when to start and end recordings. Client devices periodically connect to the server using a phone line and upload information of interest which is combined with information uploaded from other client devices for statistical, operational, or viewing models.

A portable apparatus includes a first connector, a memory, and first circuitry. The first connector automatically receives a plurality of content data from a computer. The memory stores the plurality of content data. The first circuitry performs a mutual authentication process with the computer via the first connector, and plays back the plurality of content data. The computer includes second circuitry and a second connector. The first circuitry stores the plurality of content data to a storage medium, and provides a graphical user interface to receive an input identifying a list of the plurality of content data stored in said storage medium that are to be automatically transferred to the portable apparatus. The second connector is configured to transfer the plurality of content data stored in the storage medium to the portable apparatus.