Abstract: A TV broadcast receiver measures, at least two times, a signal intensity in a maximum receiving direction and a signal intensity in the 180 degree opposite receiving direction among 16 receiving directions of a smart antenna. If the signal intensity in the maximum receiving direction is significantly different from that in the opposite receiving direction, it determines that the smart antenna is connected. If the signal intensity in the maximum receiving direction is substantially the same as that in the opposite receiving direction, it determines that the smart antenna is disconnected. It displays messages of the connection and disconnection of the smart antenna on a monitor. This makes it possible to quickly determine whether the antenna connected to the TV broadcast receiver is a smart antenna or a stationary unidirectional antenna.

Abstract: For changing setting of caption output format, a TV receiver sequentially outputs, to a monitor; a font setting image having options of two parameters, font type and size, in matrix; a color setting image having options of foreground and background colors in matrix; an edge setting image having options of edge type and color in matrix; and an opacity setting image having options of foreground and background opacities in matrix, and allows user to select the options of each two parameters based on each setting image, and further changes the setting image to be output to the monitor, depending on whether “Transparent” is selected as the foreground and/or background color. The TV receiver excludes, from each setting image, an option combination of two options, one causing loss of discriminability of the other, to make impossible selection of such option combination. The user can quickly complete intended setting without redundant procedures.

Abstract: A television signal receiver comprises a tuner, a decoder, a first storage medium that stores a frame of video signals extracted by the decoder as a captured image, a second storage medium that stores sound data representing a variety of shutter sounds to be generated for informing a user that a captured image has been stored in the first storage medium, and a sound generating circuit that, when a captured image is stored in the first storage medium, selects a shutter sound among the variety of shutter sounds represented by the sound data stored in the second storage medium and generates the selected shutter sound. Since the television signal receiver is configured to generate a shutter sound when a captured image is stored in the first storage medium, it can inform a user about storage of a captured image in the first storage medium without causing video images of a television program to be partly hidden from view.

Abstract: At a starting of a summer time, an indication “D.S.T.” is displayed on an EPG screen with a deleted time zone in a different background color from other time zones. The deleted time zone is displayed in a flashed manner, and “D.S.T.START” is indicated at a start time of the summer time. At an end of the summer time, a time indicating a repeated time zone is displayed in a flashed manner on an EPG screen, and “D.S.T.END” is indicated at an end time of the summer time. When a user makes a reservation in a deleted time or repeated time zone, it is displayed that the reservation is invalid on the EPG screen.

Abstract: In a digital TV broadcast signal receiver connected to a multi-directional antenna called smart antenna, having a first number, for example, sixteen of signal receiving directions defined in a technical standard such as EIA-909, a simplified multi-directional antenna having a second number, for example, four or eight signal receiving directions smaller than the first number is connectable. When a multi-directional antenna is connected, an initial processing is performed for confirming a number of signal receiving directions of the multi-directional antenna. When the multi-directional antenna is simplified one, the digital TV broadcast signal receiver treats the signal receiving directions more than two showing substantially the same signal sensing conditions as the same direction. Therefore, a number of times for switching the effective signal receiving direction of the multi-directional antenna can be reduced without switching indistinctive signal receiving directions in practice.

Abstract: When a user commands a microprocessor, using a remote control, to output information about a video and audio signal output device itself to a monitor device, the microprocessor superimposes, on video signals decoded by a decoder, video signals of a terminal connection information image for displaying, on the monitor device, color images corresponding to output signals from respective output terminals of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) in a VGA terminal or a BNC terminal so as to form and output combined video signals to the monitor device. Thus, e.g. if the monitor device has multiple video signal input terminals for inputting output signals from the respective output terminals of R, G and B, and if no signal is input from one of the input terminals, the user can confirm the input terminal, from which no signal is input, by just watching the screen of the monitor device without confirming the actual connection of the input terminals.

Abstract: In a multi-directional antenna that is connected to a digital TV broadcast signal receiver, an RF amplifier in which its transmission gains are controlled is installed on the front of a tuner, a BER (BIT ERROR RATE) threshold is set as a reception determination standard to assess received images, and while auto-scanning, the amplification transmission gain level of the RF amplifier is controlled while changing in a phased manner to measure the BER value, and upon obtaining a BER value that is lower than the BER threshold, remaining scan and controlling transmission gains are stopped, and the receiving direction is determined. Thereby, by deleting scans in all directions in the adjustment of receiving directions for all channels, improving the reception sensitivity in a weak electric field, and determining the receiving direction by measuring and assessing the BER value, meaningless time for the direction adjustment can be saved, and the best reception condition can always be obtained quickly.

Abstract: In a digital recording device, image data recorded in a recording portion has its resolution decreased to be recorded in the recording portion when it is determined that the digital recording device is not being used. In other words, when it is determined that a power switch is turned off, a system portion allows an MPEG decoder to convert a bit stream of a program data at high definition recorded in a hard disk drive to image data at low resolution and allows an MPEG encoder to convert the converted image data at low resolution to a bit stream to be stored in the hard disk drive.

Abstract: A digital broadcasting receiver includes an operating section configured to select a channel, and a video/audio data obtaining section configured to obtain video/audio data on a selected channel from television broadcasting signals. The digital broadcasting receiver also includes a channel table and a designated channel table. The digital broadcasting receiver further includes a channel selecting section configured such that when the channel is selected by the operating section, the channel selecting section determines whether or not the selected channel has been replaced with an alternative channel by a broadcasting station by reference to the two tables. If it is determined that the selected channel has been replaced with the alternative channel, the channel selecting section instructs the video/audio data obtaining section to select the alternative channel instead of the selected channel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a personal configuration information sharing system comprising a plurality of pieces of electric equipment connected with one another through a network, the plurality of pieces of electric equipment sharing personal configuration information with each other, wherein a setting time of set contents in a first personal configuration information of a first electronic equipment received by a first personal configuration information reception unit is compared with a setting time of set contents in a second personal configuration information of a second electronic equipment extracted by an extraction unit, and the first personal configuration information and the second personal configuration information are merged to update the second personal configuration information to the set contents which are set later.

Abstract: A broadcasting receiver for receiving a digital broadcast of the invention has a sub-channel changing-dedicated operation key so that upon reception of an instruction sent from this operation key, such a sub-channel that is adjacent in a predetermined direction in the same main channel may be selected in switch-over. If the desired channel cannot be found in the predetermined direction when an upward channel-movement instruction is received, such a sub-channel is selected that has the largest or smallest channel number. Thus, it is possible to accommodate a digital broadcast that has a hierarchical construction consisting of the main channel and the sub-channels and also that has a frequently fluctuating channel configuration, thus avoiding a delay in time required for channel changing.

Abstract: A burn-in correction system including a display unit equipped with a display panel displaying an image according to input image data, and an imaging unit acquiring imaged image data by imaging the display panel from a viewing side, the system correcting burn-in on the display panel. The system further includes: a lighting unit lighting each pixel constituting the display panel in order under a preset lighting condition; a calculation unit calculating a difference value between luminance of the imaged image data of each pixel lighted by the lighting unit, the imaged image data acquired by imaging each lighted pixel with the imaging unit, and luminance preset in the lighting condition; and a correction unit correcting luminance of each pixel based on the input image data, the correcting performed based on the difference value calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: A television receiver including: a reception control unit which judges whether reception of the cable television broadcast signal has succeeded, by setting the channel data composed of the combination of the frequency table stored in the first storage unit and the modulation method stored in the second storage unit, the modulation method corresponding to the tuned channel. The reception control unit sequentially changes the channel data to be set in a previously determined order to make the reception unit receive the cable television broadcast signal corresponding to the tuned channel when the reception control unit judges that the reception of the cable television broadcast signal has not succeeded.

Abstract: Disclosed a digital-broadcasting receiving apparatus including: a scramble judgment member, a decode judgment member, a first registration member to register the sub-channel as a viewable channel when the decode judgment member judges that the broadcast data of the sub-channel can be decoded, a second registration member to register the sub-channel as a viewable channel when the scramble judgment member judges that the broadcast data of the sub-channel is not scrambled, a judgment member, a channel registration control member to register the sub-channel by the first registration member when the judgment member judges that the scramble judgment does not accord with the decode judgment, and registers the sub-channel by the second registration member when the judgment member judges that the judgment obtained by the scramble judgment member accords with the judgment obtained by the decode judgment member.

Abstract: Disclosed a digital-broadcasting receiving apparatus including: a scramble judgment member, a decode judgment member, a first registration member to register the sub-channel as a viewable channel when the decode judgment member judges that the broadcast data can be decoded, a second registration member to register the sub-channel as a viewable channel when the scramble judgment member judges that the broadcast data is not scrambled, a judgment member, a channel registration control member to register the sub-channel by the first registration member when the judgment member judges that the scramble judgment does not accord with the decode judgment in all kinds of the scramble judgment data, and refers to one of a plural kinds of scramble judgment data and registers the sub-channel by the second registration member when it judged that the scramble judgment obtained by referring to the one scramble judgment data accords with the decode judgment.

Abstract: A video output device adds a blank on both left and right sides or both upper and lower sides of an input video to produce a video having the same aspect ratio as that of the display screen of the display device, when an aspect ratio of the input video and an aspect ratio of a display device for displaying the video are different. At this time, the brightness of the blank to be added to the input video is adjusted in accordance with the brightness near the boundary between the input video and the blank to suppress a difference in brightness near the boundary.

Abstract: An image output device includes a light emission unit, a light reception unit, a decision unit, and an output unit, and outputs an image upon a display device that has a light reception surface for receiving a control signal. The light emission unit is for placement opposite the light reception surface. The light reception unit receives a control signal outputted from the remote control device. The decision unit decides whether the received control signal is a control signal for which processing should be performed by the display device, or is a control signal for which processing should be performed by the image output device. The output unit, when it has been decided by the decision unit that the received control signal is a control signal for which processing should be performed by the display device, causes the light emission unit to emit light based upon the received control signal.

Abstract: A television receiver having: an external input terminal to receive a non-RF signal from a first external device, the non-RF signal being a video and/or audio signal which is not modulated into a radio frequency signal; an RF input terminal to receive an RF signal from a second external device, the RF signal being generated by modulating a video and/or audio signal, and an external-input switching unit to perform switching selection to the non-RF signal received through the external input terminal, wherein the external-input switching unit is capable of tuning in a frequency of RF signal transferred through the RF input terminal to perform switching selection to a receiving channel when the detecting unit detects that an RF signal has been transferred through the RF input terminal.

Abstract: A television device includes a reception device, a first decision unit, and a second decision unit. The reception device receives, from a broadcast signal of a system set, a channel which is tuned. The second decision unit, when it has been decided by the first decision unit that this channel for which tuning has been received is not registered in the channel map of the set broadcast signal, decides whether or not this channel is registered in the channel map of the broadcast signal of some other system. And, when it has been decided by the second decision unit that this channel for which tuning has been received is registered in the channel map of the broadcast signal of some other system, the reception device receives the channel for which tuning has been received from the broadcast signal of some other system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a television broadcast receiver including: a reception member to receive a television broadcast signal with added time information; an acquirement member to acquire broadcast program information; program information storage member to store the broadcast program information; a time information storage member to store the time information; judgment member to judge whether a time period from interception of a power supply to re-activation is longer than a predetermined time or not, based on time information stored just before the interception and time information received just after the re-activation, the judgment being performed when the power supply of the television broadcast receiver is activated; and acquirement control member to make the acquirement member acquire new broadcast program information when the judgment member judges that the time period is longer than the predetermined time.