A method of displaying a manipulating-function menu screen in a playback device, comprising: displaying a menu including an array in which a plurality of first identification miniature images for respective ones of a plurality of media from which a plurality of contents can be replayed is laid in a line in a first direction on a display screen and an array in which a plurality of second identification miniature images for respective ones of the plurality of contents currently included in a medium of interest is laid in a line in a second direction intersecting the first direction on the display screen, wherein the first identification miniature image corresponding to the medium of interest is displayed in an intersectional area and wherein a content corresponding to one of the second identification miniature images positioned in an area of interest near the intersectional area between the first-and second-directional arrays is a content of interest; characterized by: displaying, when a predetermined operation is made via a command input unit, a manipulating-function menu screen including the second-directional array of the plurality of second identification miniature images with deletion of the first-directional array of the plurality of first identification miniature images and in which a first group of a plurality of manipulating-function items for the content of interest and a second group of a plurality of manipulating-function items for the entire array of second identification miniature images for the respective ones of the plurality of contents are displayed, wherein one of the plurality of manipulating-function items can be selected by the user, accepting a selection command entered by the user via the command input unit for selection of one of the plurality of manipulating-function items; displaying, when the selection command entered in the command accepting step is for selection of a manipulating-function item included in the first group, the selected manipulation-function item with an indication of which one of the manipulating-function items has been selected, and simultaneously displaying the second identification miniature image corresponding to the content of interest in such a manner that the second identification miniature image corresponding to the content of interest can be differentiated from the other second identification miniature images; and displaying, when the selection command entered in the command accepting step is for selection of a manipulating-function item included in the second group, the selected manipulating-function item with an indication of which one of the manipulating-function items has been selected,, and simultaneously displaying the second identification miniature image corresponding to the content of interest in the same manner as that in which the other second identification miniature images are displayed. displaying a menu including an array in which a plurality of first identification miniature images for respective ones of a plurality of media from which a plurality of contents can be replayed is laid in a line in a first direction on a display screen and an array in which a plurality of second identification miniature images for respective ones of the plurality of contents currently included in a medium of interest is laid in a line in a second direction intersecting the first direction on the display screen, wherein the first identification miniature image corresponding to the medium of interest is displayed in an intersectional area and wherein a content corresponding to one of the second identification miniature images positioned in an area of interest near the intersectional area between the first-and second-directional arrays is a content of interest; characterized by: displaying, when a predetermined operation is made via a command input unit, a manipulating-function menu screen including the second-directional array of the plurality of second identification miniature images with deletion of the first-directional array of the plurality of first identification miniature images and in which a first group of a plurality of manipulating-function items for the content of interest and a second group of a plurality of manipulating-function items for the entire array of second identification miniature images for the respective ones of the plurality of contents are displayed, wherein one of the plurality of manipulating-function items can be selected by the user, accepting a selection command entered by the user via the command input unit for selection of one of the plurality of manipulating-function items; displaying, when the selection command entered in the command accepting step is for selection of a manipulating-function item included in the first group, the selected manipulation-function item with an indication of which one of the manipulating-function items has been selected, and simultaneously displaying the second identification miniature image corresponding to the content of interest in such a manner that the second identification miniature image corresponding to the content of interest can be differentiated from the other second identification miniature images; and displaying, when the selection command entered in the command accepting step is for selection of a manipulating-function item included in the second group, the selected manipulating-function item with an indication of which one of the manipulating-function items has been selected,, and simultaneously displaying the second identification miniature image corresponding to the content of interest in the same manner as that in which the other second identification miniature images are displayed.