Television on/off detector for use in a video cassette recorder

Abstract

An apparatus for providing a television guide includes a device for detecting whether a television is off, a device for switching a signal output from a first television signal source to a second television signal source, if television guide data is not contained in the signal output from the first television signal source when the device for detecting detects that the television is off, a device for extracting the television guide data from the signal output when the device for detecting detects that the television is off, and memory for storing the extracted television guide data. In another embodiment an apparatus for providing a directory for transmitted and recorded programs, includes a device for detecting whether a television is off, a device for switching a signal output from a first television signal source to a second television signal source, if a directory is not contained in the signal output from the first television signal source when the device for detecting detects that the television is off, a device for extracting the directory from the signal output when the device for detecting detects that the television is off, a recorder for recording the transmitted programs, and a memory for storing the extracted directory.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.