Patent ID: 8831397

Claim:
A video player capable of playing back video data stored in a recording medium and capable of controlling a control target apparatus via a network, the video player comprising: a reader that reads, from the recording medium storing the video data and control data, the control data which includes a plurality of operation control methods for the control target apparatus, each of the plurality of operation control methods being set, based on one of a plurality of playback controls and an elapsed time indicating a playback position from a head of the video data, for one of the plurality of playback controls including a normal playback control and a special playback control; and a general-purpose computer that executes: a measurement unit configured to measure the elapsed time at a same time as a start of the playback of the video data; a detection unit configured to detect one of the plurality of playback controls which is required, to obtain a detected playback control; a video playback unit configured to play back the video data in the recording medium in accordance with a playback control method corresponding to the detected playback control; and a control unit configured to control operation of the control target apparatus in accordance with the operation control method in the control data which corresponds to the detected playback control and the measured elapsed time.