Hot/cold swappable consumer based tuner/demod/fec module

An apparatus (200) for receiving digital terrestrial broadcast television signals in combination with other signals from another source comprising:

• a consumer premise component (320) including a tuner (210) to receive the other signals and a port (330) to accept a removable unit;
• and
• a removable radio frequency tuner (211) to be disposed in the port (330) of the consumer premise component (320) and to receive the digital terrestrial broadcast television signals, said removable radio frequency tuner (211) including:
• a printed wiring interface (430) to couple to the consumer premise component, said printed wiring interface including one or more ground connections (432) and one or more power connections (431), said one or more ground connections (432) being longer in length relative to the one or more power connections (431).

A consumer premise component (320) comprising:

• a body (310);
• a tuner (210) to receive a first signal;
• a modular port (330) formed in said body (310);
• and
• a removable radio frequency tuner (340) to receive digital terrestrial broadcast television signals, said removable radio frequency tuner (340) configured to be securely coupled to said modular port (330).

A modular component (340) for insertion into a consumer premise component (320) comprising:

• a radio frequency tuner (340) to receive digital terrestrial broadcast television signals, said removable radio frequency tuner (340) configured to be securely coupled to a modular port (330) in the consumer premise component (320).
• a modular housing (400) enclosing the radio frequency tuner (340);
• a cantilever snap (350) formed in said housing (400), said cantilever snap (350) being configured to securely couple said modular housing (400) to a body (310) of the consumer premise component (320);
• and
• a handle (360) formed on an edge of said modular housing (400);
• a printed wiring assembly (430) disposed in said modular housing (400), said printed wiring assembly (430) including an interface (430) to couple to the consumer premise component (320), said interface including one or more ground connections (432) and one or more power connections (431), said one or more ground connections (432) being longer in length relative to the one or more power connections (431), wherein said printed wiring assembly (430) is configured to receive and decode the digital terrestrial broadcast television signal;
• an F-connector orifice (610) disposed in a first end of said modular housing (400);
• and
• a processor interface orifice (600) disposed in a second end of said modular housing (400).