An apparatus for searching in a layered hierarchical audio or video hit stream followed by replay, said layered bit stream including a base layer which can be decoded separately starting from base layer entry points, and including at least one enhancement layer which cannot be replayed without re-synchronized data from said base layer and which has fewer entry points than said base layer, said apparatus comprising means being, adapted for:
- from an enhancement layer entry point located directly prior to a desired base layer entry point, starting a partial decoding of the related enhancement layer data, followed by re-synchronization of the related enhancement layer data and, partially in parallel, starting a muted base layer decoding;
- upon said re-synchronization being carried out, starting from the following base layer entry point, which needs not be an enhancement layer entry point, decoding of the enhancement layer data and decoding of the base layer data, and combining the decoded base layer data and the decoded enhancement layer data so as to output a full-quality audio or video signal.