Image-oriented electronic programming guide

An image-oriented electronic programming guide (EPG) apparatus comprising:

• a tuner to tune to a selected channel to receive a video stream;
• a scene detector, coupled to the tuner, to detect a scene change in the video stream;
• a shutter function, coupled to the scene detector, to capture a snapshot of the video stream when the scene change is detected;
• and
• an EPG, coupled to the tuner, to display the snapshot in an individual image area associated with the selected channel.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, causes the machine to:
• provide a plurality of individual image areas in an EPG display;
• prompt a viewer to select at least one channel to display in a one of the individual image areas;
• and
• display a reduced video image of real-time programming in each of the individual image areas, wherein the reduced video image is associated with the selected channel.

A method of providing an enhanced preview video channel comprising:

• converting a video stream having full resolution to a thumbnail resolution;
• encapsulating the converted video stream with an identifying header;
• multiplexing the converted video stream with other converted video streams into a preview channel;
• and
• transmitting the preview channel to a receiver.