A display apparatus for controlling a peripheral device and a method thereof are provided. The method may include transmitting, to a remote controller, a first turn-on signal to turn on the peripheral device; measuring a time interval between a first time when the display apparatus transmits the first turn-on signal to the remote controller and a second time when the display apparatus starts to receive content from the peripheral device in response to the first turn-on signal; and setting the measured time interval as a threshold time to determine whether the content is received from the peripheral device.