Techniques to seamlessly switch reception between multimedia programs are described. For "continued decoding", a wireless device continues to receive, decode, decompress, and (optionally) display a current program, even after a new program has been selected, until overhead information needed to decode the new program is received. After receiving the overhead information, the wireless device decodes the new program but continues to decompress the current program. The wireless device decompresses the new program after decoding this program. For "early decoding", the wireless device receives a user input and identifies a program with potential for user selection. The identified program may be the one highlighted by the user input or a program anticipated to be selected based on the user input. The wireless device initiates decoding of the identified program, prior to its selection, so that the program can be decompressed and displayed earlier if it is subsequently selected.