diff --git a/HISTORY b/HISTORY
index 95263a6..c3040ea 100644
--- a/HISTORY
+++ b/HISTORY
@@ -256,3 +256,5 @@ Version 0.3.3
 - added Token {percentseen} to listelements in menurecordings. For
   VDR Version < 2.1.8 {percentseen} is set to -1.
 - added Token {timers[isremotetimer]} to <timers> in main menu
+- added parameter mode to viewelement <devices>. if mode="light"
+  no signal information will be fetched to improve performance.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dtd/displaychannel.dtd b/dtd/displaychannel.dtd
index bb440a6..a98129c 100644
--- a/dtd/displaychannel.dtd
+++ b/dtd/displaychannel.dtd
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@
   fadetime CDATA #IMPLIED
   debug CDATA #IMPLIED
   condition CDATA #IMPLIED
+  mode CDATA #IMPLIED
 >
 
 <!ELEMENT currentweather (area|areascroll)*>
diff --git a/dtd/displaymenu.dtd b/dtd/displaymenu.dtd
index a8aa362..081caa2 100644
--- a/dtd/displaymenu.dtd
+++ b/dtd/displaymenu.dtd
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@
   fadetime CDATA #IMPLIED
   debug CDATA #IMPLIED
   condition CDATA #IMPLIED
+  mode CDATA #IMPLIED
 >
 
 <!ELEMENT systemload (area|areascroll)*>
diff --git a/libtemplate/templatefunction.c b/libtemplate/templatefunction.c
index 9081d23..9cd1861 100644
--- a/libtemplate/templatefunction.c
+++ b/libtemplate/templatefunction.c
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ void cTemplateFunction::SetParameters(vector<pair<string, string> > params) {
             p.first = ptCond;
         } else if (!name.compare("name")) {
             p.first = ptName;
+        } else if (!name.compare("mode")) {
+            p.first = ptMode;
         } else if (!name.compare("x")) {
             p.first = ptX;
         } else if (!name.compare("y")) {
@@ -1488,6 +1490,9 @@ string cTemplateFunction::GetParamName(eParamType pt) {
         case ptName:
             name = "Name";
             break;
+        case ptMode:
+            name = "Mode";
+            break;
         case ptX:
             name = "X";
             break;
diff --git a/libtemplate/templatefunction.h b/libtemplate/templatefunction.h
index 3c7e515..fa2e86a 100644
--- a/libtemplate/templatefunction.h
+++ b/libtemplate/templatefunction.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ enum eFuncType {
 enum eParamType {
     ptCond,
     ptName,
+    ptMode,
     ptX,
     ptY,
     ptWidth,
diff --git a/libtemplate/templateview.c b/libtemplate/templateview.c
index b20796f..352b6c7 100644
--- a/libtemplate/templateview.c
+++ b/libtemplate/templateview.c
@@ -229,6 +229,14 @@ bool cTemplateView::DetachViewElement(eViewElement ve) {
     return viewElement->Detach();    
 }
 
+string cTemplateView::GetViewElementMode(eViewElement ve) {
+    map < eViewElement, cTemplateViewElement* >::iterator hit = viewElements.find(ve);
+    if (hit == viewElements.end())
+        return "";
+    cTemplateViewElement *viewElement = hit->second;
+    return viewElement->GetMode();    
+}
+
 int cTemplateView::GetNumListViewMenuItems(void) {
     int numElements = 0;
     cTemplateViewList *menuList = GetViewList(vlMenuItem);
@@ -626,6 +634,7 @@ void cTemplateView::SetFunctionDefinitions(void) {
     attributes.insert("fadetime");
     attributes.insert("name");
     attributes.insert("condition");
+    attributes.insert("mode");
     funcsAllowed.insert(pair< string, set<string> >(name, attributes));
 
     name = "area";
diff --git a/libtemplate/templateview.h b/libtemplate/templateview.h
index 51bb4bf..b1fd17d 100644
--- a/libtemplate/templateview.h
+++ b/libtemplate/templateview.h
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ public:
     bool HideView(void);
     bool ExecuteView(eViewElement ve);
     bool DetachViewElement(eViewElement ve);
+    string GetViewElementMode(eViewElement ve);
     int GetNumListViewMenuItems(void);
     bool GetScalingWindow(cRect &scalingWindow);
     map<string,string> GetCustomStringTokens(void) { return globals->GetCustomStringTokens(); };
diff --git a/libtemplate/templateviewelement.c b/libtemplate/templateviewelement.c
index aae68a8..5b18de2 100644
--- a/libtemplate/templateviewelement.c
+++ b/libtemplate/templateviewelement.c
@@ -133,6 +133,12 @@ bool cTemplateViewElement::Detach(void) {
     return false;
 }
 
+string cTemplateViewElement::GetMode(void) {
+    if (!parameters)
+        return "";
+    return parameters->GetParameter(ptMode);
+}
+
 bool cTemplateViewElement::DebugTokens(void) {
     if (!parameters)
         return false;
diff --git a/libtemplate/templateviewelement.h b/libtemplate/templateviewelement.h
index 93ef28a..8293109 100644
--- a/libtemplate/templateviewelement.h
+++ b/libtemplate/templateviewelement.h
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ public:
     cTemplateFunction *GetFunction(string name);
     bool Execute(void);
     bool Detach(void);
+    string GetMode(void);
     bool DebugTokens(void);
     virtual void Debug(void);
 };
diff --git a/skinskeleton/xmlfiles/displaychannel.xml b/skinskeleton/xmlfiles/displaychannel.xml
index 5c359a7..f7c4d68 100644
--- a/skinskeleton/xmlfiles/displaychannel.xml
+++ b/skinskeleton/xmlfiles/displaychannel.xml
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@
     </signalqualityback>
 
     <!-- Available Variables devices:
+    signalstrength and -quality are only set if not mode="light" is used in <devices>
     {numdevices}                number of available devices
     {devices[]}                 array with available devices
     {devices[num]}              number of current device
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@
     {devices[channelid]}        ID of the currently tuned channel
     {devices[source]}           source of the currently tuned channel
     -->
-    <devices>
+    <devices mode="full|light">
     </devices>
 
     <!-- Available Variables currentweather:
diff --git a/skinskeleton/xmlfiles/displaymenumain.xml b/skinskeleton/xmlfiles/displaymenumain.xml
index f9275cb..37bb151 100644
--- a/skinskeleton/xmlfiles/displaymenumain.xml
+++ b/skinskeleton/xmlfiles/displaymenumain.xml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
     </discusage>
 
     <!-- Available Variables devices:
+    signalstrength and -quality are only set if not mode="light" is used in <devices>
     {numdevices}                number of available devices
     {devices[]}                 array with available devices
     {devices[num]}              number of current device
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@
     {devices[channelid]}        ID of the currently tuned channel
     {devices[source]}           source of the currently tuned channel
     -->
-    <devices>
+    <devices mode="full|light">
     </devices>
 
     <!-- Available Variables systemload:
diff --git a/views/displaychannelview.c b/views/displaychannelview.c
index 51bfa6b..425f744 100644
--- a/views/displaychannelview.c
+++ b/views/displaychannelview.c
@@ -409,11 +409,15 @@ void cDisplayChannelView::DrawDevices(bool initial) {
     if (!ExecuteViewElement(veDevices)) {
         return;
     }
-
+    string mode = tmplView->GetViewElementMode(veDevices);
+    bool light = false;
+    if (!mode.compare("light")) {
+        light = true;
+    }
     if (DetachViewElement(veDevices)) {
         cViewElement *viewElement = GetViewElement(veDevices);
         if (!viewElement) {
-            viewElement = new cViewElementDevices(tmplView->GetViewElement(veDevices));
+            viewElement = new cViewElementDevices(light, tmplView->GetViewElement(veDevices));
             AddViewElement(veDevices, viewElement);
             viewElement->Start();
         } else {
@@ -426,7 +430,7 @@ void cDisplayChannelView::DrawDevices(bool initial) {
         map < string, vector< map< string, string > > > deviceLoopTokens;
         vector< map< string, string > > devices;
 
-        bool changed = SetDevices(initial, &intTokens, &devices);
+        bool changed = SetDevices(initial, light, &intTokens, &devices);
         if (!changed)
             return;
 
diff --git a/views/displaymenuview.c b/views/displaymenuview.c
index 31b691a..60f79f5 100644
--- a/views/displaymenuview.c
+++ b/views/displaymenuview.c
@@ -423,11 +423,16 @@ bool cDisplayMenuMainView::DrawDevices(void) {
     if (!ExecuteViewElement(veDevices)) {
         return false;
     }
+    string mode = tmplView->GetViewElementMode(veDevices);
+    bool light = false;
+    if (!mode.compare("light")) {
+        light = true;
+    } 
     bool changed = false;
     if (DetachViewElement(veDevices)) {
         cViewElement *viewElement = GetViewElement(veDevices);
         if (!viewElement) {
-            viewElement = new cViewElementDevices(tmplView->GetViewElement(veDevices));
+            viewElement = new cViewElementDevices(light, tmplView->GetViewElement(veDevices));
             AddViewElement(veDevices, viewElement);
             viewElement->Start();
             changed = true;
@@ -441,7 +446,7 @@ bool cDisplayMenuMainView::DrawDevices(void) {
         map < string, vector< map< string, string > > > deviceLoopTokens;
         vector< map< string, string > > devices;
 
-        changed = SetDevices(initial, &intTokens, &devices);
+        changed = SetDevices(initial, light, &intTokens, &devices);
         if (!changed)
             return false;
 
diff --git a/views/displayviewelements.c b/views/displayviewelements.c
index 73b4b3b..6a1b2b6 100644
--- a/views/displayviewelements.c
+++ b/views/displayviewelements.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "displayviewelements.h"
 
-cViewElementDevices::cViewElementDevices(cTemplateViewElement *tmplViewElement) : cViewElement(tmplViewElement) {
+cViewElementDevices::cViewElementDevices(bool light, cTemplateViewElement *tmplViewElement) : cViewElement(tmplViewElement) {
+    this->light = light;
     init = true;
 }
 
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ bool cViewElementDevices::Render(void) {
 
     if (init)
         InitDevices();
-    bool changed = SetDevices(init, &intTokens, &devices);
+    bool changed = SetDevices(init, light, &intTokens, &devices);
     init = false;
     
     if (!changed)
diff --git a/views/displayviewelements.h b/views/displayviewelements.h
index 500be9e..d47350e 100644
--- a/views/displayviewelements.h
+++ b/views/displayviewelements.h
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@
 class cViewElementDevices : public cViewElement, public cViewHelpers {
 private:
     bool init;
+    bool light;
 public:
-    cViewElementDevices(cTemplateViewElement *tmplViewElement);
+    cViewElementDevices(bool light, cTemplateViewElement *tmplViewElement);
     virtual ~cViewElementDevices() {};
     bool Render(void);
 };
diff --git a/views/viewhelpers.c b/views/viewhelpers.c
index 0e59faa..043f849 100644
--- a/views/viewhelpers.c
+++ b/views/viewhelpers.c
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@ void cViewHelpers::InitDevices(void) {
     devicesInit = true;
 }
 
-bool cViewHelpers::SetDevices(bool initial, map<string,int> *intTokens, vector<map<string,string> > *devices) {
+bool cViewHelpers::SetDevices(bool initial, bool light, map<string,int> *intTokens, vector<map<string,string> > *devices) {
     if (!initial) {
+        if (light)
+            return false;
         //check if drawing is necessary
         bool changed = false;
         for (int i = 0; i < numDevices; i++) {
@@ -105,11 +107,16 @@ bool cViewHelpers::SetDevices(bool initial, map<string,int> *intTokens, vector<m
         } else {
             deviceVals.insert(pair< string, string >("devices[hascam]", "0"));
         }
-        int signalStrength = device->SignalStrength();
-        int signalQuality = device->SignalQuality();
         stringstream strCamNumber;
         strCamNumber << camNumber;
         deviceVals.insert(pair< string, string >("devices[cam]", strCamNumber.str()));
+
+        int signalStrength = 0;
+        int signalQuality = 0;
+        if (!light) {
+            signalStrength = device->SignalStrength();
+            signalQuality = device->SignalQuality();
+        }
         stringstream strStrength;
         strStrength << signalStrength;
         deviceVals.insert(pair< string, string >("devices[signalstrength]", strStrength.str()));
diff --git a/views/viewhelpers.h b/views/viewhelpers.h
index 3e8fb1d..e4c0d12 100644
--- a/views/viewhelpers.h
+++ b/views/viewhelpers.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ private:
     void SetCurrentScheduleFromRecording(const cRecording *recording, map < string, string > &stringTokens, map < string, int > &intTokens);
 protected:
     void InitDevices(void);
-    bool SetDevices(bool initial, map<string,int> *intTokens, vector<map<string,string> > *devices);
+    bool SetDevices(bool initial, bool light, map<string,int> *intTokens, vector<map<string,string> > *devices);
     bool SetSignal(map < string, int > &intTokens);
     bool CheckNewMails(void);
     void SetScraperTokens(const cEvent *event, const cRecording *recording, map < string, string > &stringTokens, map < string, int > &intTokens, map < string, vector< map< string, string > > > &loopTokens);