Method and apparatus for controlling a television tuner

摘要

One of the television signals from a plurality of channels includes as supplemental data a plurality of channel lineups and a unique geographic area identifier for each channel lineup. When the transmitted television signals are received at a tuner (18), the transmitted identifiers are compared with a user inputted geographic area identifier. The transmitted channel lineup for the transmitted identifier that matches the user inputted identifier is stored (28) for future use as a valid channel lineup. The valid channel lineup is then used to set the tuner in response to user inputted channel commands. The described arrangement can be used to download channel lineups with a television signal that is transmitted to viewers of services that have different channel lineups. The applicable channel lineup is determined at the local tuner by means of the geographic area identifier.