Methods and apparatuses are provided for receiving content. The method includes receiving a first service, by a receiver of a reception apparatus, the first service providing first content and first metadata associated with the first content. The first content is encoded in one of a plurality of formats decodable by the reception apparatus. Further, the method includes generating, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, first codec mode information based on the first metadata received with the first content. The first codec mode information indicates the one of the plurality of formats or a codec for decoding the one of the plurality of formats. The generated first codec mode information in association with the first service is stored, by the circuitry, in a table. The table includes codec mode information for a plurality of different services, which includes the first service.

Apparatus and methods for enhanced tuner efficiency, wherein tuner resources function to permit multiple content streams to be demultiplexed and thus made available for subsequent display. In one embodiment, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) comprises a resource manager on which a guide application is run to control the tuning of an available tuner resource. This approach obviate reliance on OCAP or other proprietary vendor architecture applications. In another variant, the CPE is adapted to receive RF source data from a wideband tuner, or multiple tuners. The CPE may also be utilized in conjunction with other system configurations designed to enforce a security or other policies within a premises network. The CPE may also employ ‘look ahead’ capabilities to anticipate a QAM stream content before it is received.

Apparatus and methods for enhanced tuner efficiency, wherein tuner resources function to permit multiple content streams to be demultiplexed and thus made available for subsequent display. In one embodiment, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) comprises a resource manager on which a guide application is run to control the tuning of an available tuner resource. This approach obviate reliance on OCAP or other proprietary vendor architecture applications. In another variant, the CPE is adapted to receive RF source data from a wideband tuner, or multiple tuners. The CPE may also be utilized in conjunction with other system configurations designed to enforce a security or other policies within a premises network. The CPE may also employ ‘look ahead’ capabilities to anticipate a QAM stream content before it is received.

An accessory having an RF tuner for digital radio, such as HD radio, can be in communication with a media player such as a portable media device (“PMD”). The user can be given the ability to command the accessory to provide raw digital data, the ability to scan only for stations having digital audio content (or for all available stations), the ability to provide station lists of stations having digital audio content (or all available stations), and the ability to request and store metadata beyond that for stations actually being listened to provide enhanced search capabilities. Enhanced metadata and searching can provide the listener the ability to refine station choices without having to listen at length to any particular station, and further can facilitate tagging broadcast tracks for subsequent access and/or purchase.

A local oscillator outputs a local oscillator signal that provides an upper side heterodyne mode or a lower side heterodyne mode for a received RF signal. A first converter converts the received RF signal into an IF signal, based on the local oscillator signal output from the local oscillator. An FM detector subjects the IF signal produced by conversion to detection. A first measurement unit measures a signal intensity of the IF signal before the IF signal is input to the FM detector. A second measurement unit measures a squelch voltage of a signal detected by the FM detector. A controller that controls the local oscillator based on the signal intensity measured by the first measurement unit and the squelch voltage measured by the second measurement unit.

A method and system for antenna alignment is provided at a receiving antenna. Geolocation information of the receiving antenna is entered. An auto-programming sequence is initiated to tune to channels received from a transmitting antenna. A plurality of transmitted signals is received from the transmitting antenna. Each of the plurality of transmitted signals is transmitted on a respective channel and includes geolocation information of the transmitting antenna, conditional access data, and a payload. A signal processor of the receiving antenna calculates a signal path between the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna for receiving each of the plurality of transmitted signals based on the geolocation information of the receiving antenna and the geolocation information of the transmitting antenna. A storage device of the receiving antenna records, as part of a selection list, a channel number and the calculated signal path to the transmitting antenna for each of the plurality of transmitted signals. One of said plurality of transmitted signals is selected. The receiving antenna is aligned, using a pan/tilt system, to tune the selected one of the plurality of transmitted signals according to the calculated signal path.

A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes a tuner configured to receive a broadcast signal including a plurality of frames by tuning a channel, a display configured to display the received broadcast signal, an interface comprising interface circuitry configured to receive a channel change command, communication circuitry configured to receive timing information of the reference frame of the broadcast signal provided through a channel tuned according to the channel change command from an external apparatus, and a processor configured to, in response to the channel change command being received, predict timing for receiving the reference frame through the tuner based on the timing information of the reference frame received through the communication circuitry, to determine timing for performing channel tuning according to the channel change command based on the predicted timing, and to delay the channel tuning until the determined timing.

A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes a tuner configured to receive a broadcast signal including a plurality of frames by tuning a channel, a display configured to display the received broadcast signal, an interface comprising interface circuitry configured to receive a channel change command, communication circuitry configured to receive timing information of the reference frame of the broadcast signal provided through a channel tuned according to the channel change command from an external apparatus, and a processor configured to, in response to the channel change command being received, predict timing for receiving the reference frame through the tuner based on the timing information of the reference frame received through the communication circuitry, to determine timing for performing channel tuning according to the channel change command based on the predicted timing, and to delay the channel tuning until the determined timing.

Arrangements for preparing a television channel for presentation are presented. A tuner of a television receiver may tune to a first television channel and the first television channel may be output for presentation. One or more idle tuners of the television receiver may be identified. One or more television channels other than the first television channel may be selected for preparation. The one or more television channels may be selected prior to receiving user input selecting a television channel of the one or more television channels for presentation. Each of the one or more television channels may be prepared for presentation by tuning, by each tuner of the one or more idle tuners, to the one or more television channels prior to receiving the user input selecting the television channel of the one or more television channels for presentation.

Arrangements for preparing a television channel for presentation are presented. A tuner of a television receiver may tune to a first television channel and the first television channel may be output for presentation. One or more idle tuners of the television receiver may be identified. One or more television channels other than the first television channel may be selected for preparation. The one or more television channels may be selected prior to receiving user input selecting a television channel of the one or more television channels for presentation. Each of the one or more television channels may be prepared for presentation by tuning, by each tuner of the one or more idle tuners, to the one or more television channels prior to receiving the user input selecting the television channel of the one or more television channels for presentation.