Embodiments of an apparatus and method for controlling a playback operation of a digital video device determine whether to reproduce a selection according to a restriction operation characteristic such as filter rate or size. Embodiments can calculate the sum of portions to be skipped over or muted by a (e.g., clearplay) playback restriction operation using a user-defined playback restriction condition and filter table information, compare a determined filter rate of a corresponding video, and determine whether to reproduce the title according to the filter rate. Therefore, embodiments of an apparatus can prevent a user from needlessly viewing the selected video when said portions to be skipped or muted are so sustained as to effect the viewing quality (e.g., as determined by the user).