A video media storage control system to control a video media storage device, be it for a tape or other storage media, includes means for sending commands to the device to instigate positioning of the video media at a desired position and where the desired position is arrived at automatically by reading the video media to obtain position information, directly or indirectly, and changing the position of the video media until the desired position has been obtained. Positioning may be for record or playback purposes. According to one aspect of the invention selection of the desired position at least for playback is controlled selectively from a display of the index of contents of the video media, which display includes at least one image of the contents and preferably a plurality of images on the media taken at discrete intervals. Positioning of the video media may utilise characterisation data for the video media storage device. More particularly the position information is obtained by reading position data recorded on the tape or alternatively by generating position data from the contents of the video tape for example by reading the tape and generating a data sequence or data value derived from the contents of the tape and storing same in memory in conjunction with position information.