A system for Instant Messaging based control of the digital personal video
stream manager (102), for example, to program a video recording device
(114). The system includes a personal computer (110) having an Instant
Messaging client (2202) and equipping the Instant Messaging client with a
DPVSM control plug in (2204). The DPVSM control plug in (2204) is adapted
to identify a special DPVSM control Instant Message (2301) which is then
translated by the DPVSM control program (312). The digital personal video
stream manager (102) then activates at the appropriate time to record the
program.