Patent ID: 8458744

Claim:
A method for reducing channel change time in a digital audio and video apparatus, said method comprising: receiving a regular stream comprising a first audio stream and a first video stream, and a channel change video stream representing a same program, wherein said first video stream has at least one characteristic different from said channel change video stream, and said channel change video stream is received with a delay in time with respect to the regular stream; processing said first audio stream to generate a first processed audio stream; processing said first video stream to generate a first processed video stream; buffering said first processed audio stream and said first processed video stream to provide de-jittering; and providing a synchronized presentation of said buffered first processed audio stream and said first processed video stream, wherein in response to a channel change request: processing said channel change video stream to generate a second processed video stream having a delay with respect to said first processed audio stream; buffering said first processed audio stream and said second processed video stream to provide de-jittering; providing a synchronized presentation of the buffered first processed audio stream and said second processed video stream in response to a channel change command, whereby synchronization between said first processed audio stream and said second processed video stream is maintained during a channel change event and channel change time is reduced by use of said channel change video stream that is delayed with respect to said regular stream, and subsequently switching from said second processed video stream to said first processed video stream and presenting said first processed video stream.