ON SCREEN HEADER BAR FOR PROVIDING PROGRAM INFORMATION

1 . A method, comprising:

receiving, by a television, electronic program guide (“EPG”) information associated with a channel and/or program;

determining, by a microprocessor executable application framework and based on metadata associated with a selected program, a graphical image associated with the selected program; and

in a first mode, displaying, by the application framework and on a screen of the television, a thumbnail preview comprising EPG information associated with the selected program and the graphical image, wherein the selected program corresponds to an in focus program in a listing of EPG information for multiple channels and/or programs and wherein the graphical image is not related with a currently viewed program; and

in a second mode, displaying, by the application framework and on the television screen, a header bar, the header bar comprising EPG information associated with the selected program and the graphical image, wherein the selected program corresponds to a currently viewed program and is not related to an in focus program in a listing of EPG information for multiple channels and/or programs.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mode is performed when the user changes a channel to the selected program and/or when the user moves a remote control.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second mode is performed when the listing EPG information is displayed on the television screen and wherein the EPG information comprises, for each program, airtime, program name, program channel, and program description.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected program is one or more of a movie, an episode, sport event, and a television special and wherein the image is one of a captured frame of the selected program, a picture associated with the selected program, and a photograph associated with the selected program.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the image is a captured frame, wherein the captured frame is a still image and wherein the image is displayed only on part of the screen.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the image is a captured frame, wherein the captured frame is a still and not moving image, and wherein the header bar comprises at least one of a program name, series name, episode number, episode name, and sport event name and a plurality of a program description, a program type, a program category, a start-to-finish time, current runtime, and a remaining runtime.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metadata and image are provided by an electronic program guide service.

8 . A television, comprising:

a screen for displaying programming;

at least one of an infrared and radio frequency module configured to receive wireless signals from a remote control of a user; and

a microprocessor executable application framework configured to receive electronic program guide (“EPG”) information associated with a channel and/or program, determine, based on metadata associated with a selected program, a graphical image associated with the selected program, and operate in the following modes:

in a first mode, displaying, on the television screen, a thumbnail preview comprising EPG information associated with the selected program and the graphical image, wherein the selected program corresponds to an in focus program in a listing of EPG information for multiple channels and/or programs and wherein the graphical image is not related with a currently viewed program; and

in a second mode, displaying, on the television screen, a header bar, the header bar comprising EPG information associated with the selected program and the graphical image, wherein the selected program corresponds to a currently viewed program and is not related to an in focus program in a listing of EPG information for multiple channels and/or programs.

9 . The television of claim 8 , wherein the first mode is performed when the user changes a channel to the selected program and/or when the user moves a remote control.

10 . The television of claim 8 , wherein the second mode is performed when the listing EPG information is displayed on the television screen and wherein the EPG information comprises, for each program, airtime, program name, program channel, and program description.

11 . The television of claim 8 , wherein the selected program is one or more of a movie, an episode, sport event, and a television special and wherein the image is one of a captured frame of the selected program, a picture associated with the selected program, and a photograph associated with the selected program.

12 . The television of claim 11 , wherein the image is a captured frame, wherein the captured frame is a still image and wherein the image is displayed only on part of the screen.

13 . The television of claim 11 , wherein the image is a captured frame, wherein the captured frame is a still and not moving image, and wherein the header bar comprises at least one of a program name, series name, episode number, episode name, and sport event name and a plurality of a program description, a program type, a program category, a start-to-finish time, current runtime, and a remaining runtime.

14 . The television of claim 8 , wherein the metadata and image are provided by an electronic program guide service.

15 . A tangible and non-transient computer readable medium, comprising microprocessor executable instructions that, when executed, are configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving electronic program guide (“EPG”) information associated with a channel and/or program;

determining, based on metadata associated with a selected program, a graphical image associated with the selected program; and

operating in the following modes:

in a first mode, displaying, on the television screen, a thumbnail preview comprising EPG information associated with the selected program and the graphical image, wherein the selected program corresponds to an in focus program in a listing of EPG information for multiple channels and/or programs and wherein the graphical image is not related with a currently viewed program; and

in a second mode, displaying, on the television screen, a header bar, the header bar comprising EPG information associated with the selected program and the graphical image, wherein the selected program corresponds to a currently viewed program and is not related to an in focus program in a listing of EPG information for multiple channels and/or programs.

16 . The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first mode is performed when the user changes a channel to the selected program and/or when the user moves a remote control.

17 . The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the second mode is performed when the listing EPG information is displayed on the television screen and wherein the EPG information comprises, for each program, airtime, program name, program channel, and program description.

18 . The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the selected program is one or more of a movie, an episode, sport event, and a television special and wherein the image is one of a captured frame of the selected program, a picture associated with the selected program, and a photograph associated with the selected program.

19 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the image is a captured frame, wherein the captured frame is a still image and wherein the image is displayed only on part of the screen.

20 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the image is a captured frame, wherein the captured frame is a still and not moving image, and wherein the header bar comprises at least one of a program name, series name, episode number, episode name, and sport event name and a plurality of a program description, a program type, a program category, a start-to-finish time, current runtime, and a remaining runtime.

21 . The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the metadata and image are provided by an electronic program guide service.