Digital video apparatus user interface

A method for controlling a system for processing stored information stored on a storage medium, the system including a plurality of playmodes (PMs) representing respectively different processing sequences, includes the following steps. A sequence represented by one of the plurality of PMs is played back during play mode of operation. An opportunity is provided to a user, during the play mode of operation, to select a PM from among the plurality of PMs. Then the sequence represented by the selected PM is played back during the play mode of operation. Apparatus for processing information, in this manner includes playback circuitry for retrieving information from the storage medium during a play mode of operation in one of the plurality of PMs. A user control device receives user input. A control means conditions the playback circuitry to assume a play mode of operation, select one of the plurality of PMs during the play mode of operation in response to the user input, and change to retrieve the selected one of a plurality of PMs during the play mode of operation.