System for receiving broadcast signals with variable encoding formats and number of transmission channels

摘要

A receiver system (12) automatically adaptively tunes to broadcast signals that are variable in the number of channels that are transmitted, their signal coding type and their modulation format. A system receives (15) a digital bitstream representing video information encoded in one of a plurality of different formats, and transmitted on one of a plurality of transmission channels. In the system, a method for acquiring data transmitted on a transmission channel involves selecting (17) a transmission channel from the plurality of channels and selecting (17) a modulation format (25). The method also involves tuning (20) to receive the modulation format and determining (50) whether valid data is being received on the selected transmission channel. The method steps are repeated until valid data is received. The method may also involve selecting (17) a coding type (30,40), and tuning to receive the coding type. In addition, the method of acquiring data may involve capturing program guide information and re-tuning to receive a transmission channel in response to the program guide information.