Using idle resources to reduce channel change times

A method for preparing television channels for presentation, the method comprising:

• causing a first tuner of the plurality of tuners of a television receiver to tune to a first television channel, wherein the first television channel is received as part of a first transponder stream that comprises the first television channel and a first plurality of indirectly tuned television channels;
• identifying an idle, second tuner of the plurality of tuners, wherein being idle comprises the second tuner not being used to receive any television channels for presentation or recording;
• selecting a second television channel other than the first television channel for preparation, wherein:
• the second television channel is not part of the first plurality of indirectly tuned televisions channels;
• and
• the second television channel is received as part of a second transponder stream that comprises the second television channel and a second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels;
• causing the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels to be prepared for presentation by causing the second tuner to tune to the second transponder stream prior to receiving user input selecting any television channel of the second transponder stream;
• causing at least one frame to be stored for each television channel of the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels received via the second tuner;
• after the second television channel and the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels have the at least one frame stored, processing a channel change command that selects one of the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels;
• and
• in response to receiving the channel change command that indicates a third television channel of the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels, decoding the third television channel of the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels using at least one of the frames that is stored.

A non-transitory processor-readable medium for preparing television channels for presentation, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

• cause a first tuner of the plurality of tuners to tune to a first television channel, wherein the first television channel is received as part of a first transponder stream that comprises the first television channel and a first plurality of indirectly tuned television channels;
• identify an idle, second tuner of the plurality of tuners, wherein being idle comprises the second tuner not being used to receive any television channels for presentation or recording;
• select a second television channel other than the first television channel for preparation, wherein:
• the second television channel is not part of the first plurality of indirectly tuned televisions channels;
• and
• the second television channel is received as part of a second transponder stream that comprises the second television channel and a second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels;
• cause the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels to be prepared for presentation by causing the second tuner to tune to the second transponder stream prior to receiving user input selecting any television channel of the second transponder stream;
• cause at least one frame to be stored for each television channel of the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels received via the second tuner;
• after the second television channel and the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels have the at least one frame stored, process a channel change command that selects one of the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels;
• and
• in response to receiving the channel change command that indicates a third television channel of the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels, decode the third television channel of the second plurality of indirectly tuned television channels using at least one of the frames that is stored.