Channel selecting method and apparatus

A channel selecting apparatus of a video processor, comprising:

• a key input part including a channel select key;
• a first tuning unit to tune a first channel and to output audio and video data of the first channel;
• a second tuning unit to tune a second channel and to output audio and video data of the second channel;
• an audio/video switch to receive audio and video data of said first and second tuning units, and to output the audio and video data of one of said first and second tuning units as a signal of a current viewing channel;
• and
• a controller
• to select the current viewing channel by setting said first tuning unit as a main tuner,
• to selecting a channel predicted to be selected by setting said second tuning unit as a sub tuner,
• to set said second tuning unit as the main tuner when a channel change to the channel predicted to be selected is requested, and
• to select a signal of a channel selected by the main tuner as a signal of the current viewing channel by said audio/video switch,
• wherein the main tuner outputs the current viewing channel, and the sub tuner does not output the predicted channel.

A channel selecting apparatus of a video processor, comprising:

• a key input part including a channel select key;
• first and second tuners for selecting different channels;
• an audio/video switch for generating a signal of a current viewing channel;
• and
• a controller for selecting the current viewing channel by setting said first tuner to a main tuner, selecting a channel predicted to be selected by setting said second tuner to a sub tuner, setting said sub tuner to said main tuner when a channel change to the channel predicted to be selected is requested, and selecting a signal of a channel selected by said main tuner as a signal of said current viewing channel by said audio/video switch;
• first and second intermediate frequency modules for converting intermediate frequency signals generated from said first and second tuners into baseband signals, respectively;
• first and second channel decoders for decoding said baseband signals generated from said first and second intermediate frequency modules to reproduce data bit streams, respectively;
• and
• first and second transport stream decoders for separating said data bit streams reproduced by said first and second channel decoders, respectively, into corresponding audio and video data.

A channel selecting apparatus of a video processor which receives a broadcast signal, comprising:

• a first tuning unit to process a first channel of the broadcast signal for current viewing, the first tuning unit comprising a first tuner and a first unit to convert the output of the first tuner to audio and video data;
• a second tuning unit to process a second channel of the broadcast signal predicted to be selected next while said first channel processes the first channel, the second tuning unit comprising a second tuner and a second unit to convert the output of the first tuner to audio and video data;
• and
• a controller to place the second unit of the second tuning unit in a standby state, receive a channel change request, and make the second channel the viewing channel by operating the second unit if the received channel change request matches the second channel.

A channel selecting apparatus of a video processor which receives a broadcast signal, comprising:

• a controller to select a first channel of the broadcast signal as a current viewing channel based upon an input from a user, and to predict a second channel of the broadcast signal as a next viewing channel based upon a channel select input;
• a first tuner to process the first channel selected by the user;
• and
• a second tuner to process the second channel predicted by said controller,
• wherein said second tuner does not output the predicted second channel while the first channel is the current viewing channel.

A channel selecting apparatus of a video processor which receives a broadcast signal, comprising:

• a controller to select a first channel of the broadcast signal as a current viewing channel based upon an input from a user, and to predict a second channel of the broadcast signal as a next viewing channel based upon a channel select input;
• a first tuner to process the first channel selected by the user;
• a second tuner to process the second channel predicted by the controller;
• and
• a switch to receive the first and second processed outputs of said first and second tuner, said first and second tuner processing the respective first and second channels simultaneously,
• wherein said controller
• enables said switch to output one of the first and second processed outputs as the viewing channel,
• selects the second channel as the viewing channel if a channel change request matches the second channel, and
• selects a third channel and said first tuner processes the third channel as the viewing channel if the channel change request does not match the second channel.

A method of selecting channels of a broadcast signal, comprising:

• selecting a first channel of the received broadcast signal as a current viewing channel;
• predicting without displaying a second channel of the broadcast signal;
• receiving a channel selection for one of the broadcast channels while the first channel is the current viewing channel;
• and
• selecting as the current viewing channel:
• the predicted second channel if the one channel is the second channel, and
• a third channel if the one channel is not the predicted second channel.

A method of selecting channels of a broadcast signal, comprising:

• selecting a first channel of the broadcast signal as a current viewing channel;
• predicting without displaying a second channel of the broadcast signal based upon a channel select input from a user prior to receiving a channel select input from a user to change the viewing channel;
• and
• selecting the second channel as the viewing channel if the channel select input matches the second channel.