Abstract: A digital television receiver comprises a receiving means having selectable first and second inputs. The first input receives a broadcast digital television signal and the second input receives a digital television signal from a reproduction apparatus, and generates a video signal for display. A generating means is coupled to the receiving means for generating a display message responsive to display message data derived from the selected input and combining the display message with said video signal.

Abstract: A digital apparatus for reproducing a digital video representative signal stored on a recorded medium is connected to a receiving device including a decoder. The apparatus comprises a processing means for the digital video representative signal stored on the recorded medium to produce an output compressed digital video signal bit stream for decoding by the decoder. A status message generator generates a message data signal indicative of an operating mode of the apparatus. A display message combiner has a first input coupled to the message data signal and a second input coupled to receive a decoded digital video signal from the decoder, for combining the message data signal with the decoded digital video signal for display on a video monitor.

Abstract: The absence of MPEG processing in a consumer digital recorder player may preclude on-screen message display of recorder status. Various methods are disclosed which facilitate the on-screen display of recorder player status messages. A first embodiment returns a reproduced decoded, analog video signal (102) to the digital recorder player (200) for insertion of status messages. In a further embodiment recorder messages data (221) is coupled to the digital signal decoder (100, 117, 520) for inclusion with the decoded analog video signal (102). In a another embodiment a recorder message command (TAG/CMD) is coupled to the decoder (100, 510) to access recorder specific graphical messages. In yet a further embodiment, recorder message data (221) is tagged and coupled to the decoder (100, 510) to select recorder messaged data. In yet another embodiment, digital or analog operating mode determines recorder (200) message display timing with respect to a reproduced decoded video signal.

Abstract: A digital apparatus for reproducing a digital video representative signal stored on a recorded medium is connected to a receiving device including a decoder. The apparatus comprises a processing means for the digital video representative signal stored on the recorded medium to produce an output compressed digital video signal bit stream for decoding by the decoder. A status message generator generates a message data signal indicative of an operating mode of the apparatus. A display message combiner has a first input coupled to the message data signal and a second input coupled to receive a decoded digital video signal from the decoder, for combining the message data signal with the decoded digital video signal for display on a video monitor.

Abstract: The absence of MPEG processing in a consumer digital recorder player may preclude on-screen message display of recorder status. Various methods are disclosed which facilitate the on-screen display of recorder player status messages. A first embodiment returns a reproduced decoded, analog video signal (102) to the digital recorder player (200) for insertion of status messages. In a further embodiment recorder message data (221) is coupled to the digital signal decoder (100,117,520) for inclusion with the decoded analog video signal (102). In a another embodiment a recorder message command (TAG/CMD) is coupled to the decoder (100,510) to access recorder specific graphical messages. In yet a further embodiment, recorder message data (221) is tagged and coupled to the decoder (100,510) to select recorder specific graphical messages if available or to display recorder message data.