It is established that people, when faced with a large number of options, cannot make a choice directly but instead reduce the number intellectually to between seven and nine. They are then able to make a selection by choosing among this smaller number. Television audience analysis bears this out and shows that the average viewer selects a small group of program sources, typically four broadcast networks, perhaps a local independent broadcast station, and two niche market cable networks that respond to particular interests. In the future it will be important for the consumer to record and store favorite types of programs in the electronic channel navigator. Following this interaction, the navigator device may display only those upcoming programs that match the consumer's tastes.
Electronic games require interactive responses at a low data rate.
When games are played online against the program provider or other remote players, the infrastructure must provide for this communication. Home shopping services on cable require consumer responses made upstream. Ideally, these responses may take the form of individual and specialized questions, formatted as an upstream data flow on the cable system, rather than through the use of a telephone. Provision must be made also for demanding various and specific sets of textual data, whether it be particular stock prices, sports statistics, particular news items, or additional data relating to a program that the consumer is watching. It should be possible to record with the program provider particular types of information to be delivered on a regular basis and stored in the consumer's home for later retrieval.