APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING EDUCATIONAL AND AMUSEMENT USE OF A TELEVISION

Apparatus and methods are provided for controlling educational and amusement use of a television. The apparatus includes a switch for switching an output between an amusement input and an educational input. The output is coupled to a television input. A measuring device measures the amusement input when it is switched to the output. A controller device controls switching of the educational input to the output when the measuring device measures a predetermined value for the amusement input and the, controller keeps score of a user's responses to the educational material displayed on the television and controls switching of the amusement input to the output when the user attains a predetermined score. In a specific embodiment the measuring device includes a timer for measuring the time the amusement input is switched to the output and the controller switches the educational input to the output when the timer measures a predetermined time. In another specific embodiment the measuring device includes a counter for measuring the number of times a game on the amusement input is played when the amusement input is switched to the television and the controller switches the educational input to the output when the counter measures the game being played a first predetermined number of times. A memory for storing educational material is coupled to the educational input and the controller. The apparatus can include a tuner and a decoder for decoding educational material contained in a television signal. The decoder can include a vertical blanking interval decoder.