1. A device for driving a recording apparatus for selective recording of an audio and/or video sequence from a set of received signal sequences, comprising: reducing means for reducing the set of received signal sequences to generate reduced data; selecting means for selecting a reduced reference portion from the reduced data; storing means for storing the selected reduced reference portion; comparing means for comparing the stored reduced reference portion with the reduced data picked up from the set of received signal sequences and output by the reducing means; and control means for controlling the recording apparatus to be activated to begin recording only when the comparing means detects a positive comparison between the stored reduced reference portion and the reduced data picked up from the set of received signal sequences.