FAST CHANNEL SWITCHING IN TV BROADCAST SYSTEMS

摘要

The invention relates to a technique for supporting a fast channel switching in broadcast systems or similar systems for the distribution of media data, for example mobile TV data, in a point-to-multipoint (‘PTM’) fashion. A method embodiment of the technique for supporting a fast channel switching in a system (100) comprising multiple PTM primary channels is performed in a transmitter (102) and comprises the steps of transmitting pictures (P) on each of the multiple PTM primary channels; and transmitting channel switching information (‘CSI’) items on a secondary channel for supporting a fast channel switching, wherein each CSI item allows a determination of an intra-coded picture of one of a pair of primary channels at a receiver side based on a picture of the other of the pair of primary channels.