Patent ID: 7215382

Claim:
An apparatus for displaying a status to a user when digital programming is not being displayed or detected when programming a channel map comprising: an RF receiver to convert an RF signal to a digital bit stream, said RF receiver including a software module that evaluates a signal strength of a received RF signal and outputs an RF signal strength indicator value that is automatically displayed if television programming is not being displayed or detected when programming the channel map or under control of a user; a transport demultiplexer to convert the digital bit stream into its constituent packets, said transport demultiplexer including a software module that evaluates a transport signal and provides a transport signal validity indicator value that is automatically displayed if television programming is not being displayed or detected when programming the channel map or under control of a user; and a decoder to convert the packets into a television signal, said decoder including a software module that evaluates a parsing information and provides a parsing validity indicator value that is automatically displayed if television programming is not being displayed or detected when programming the channel map or under control of a user.