A method, system, computer medium, and other embodiments for integrating unrelated web services with stand-alone media-based devices are provided. Users can access and control the media-based device conveniently with a web-browser through various portals on the Internet. In an embodiment directed to a single web session, users program the media-based device by clicking on one or more hyperlinks or hypertexts in the form of advertisements of upcoming broadcasts. The advertisements may be web-hosted or sponsored by web portals.