Provided is a method and apparatus for detecting errors generated by a DMB receiver by not processing received audio/video data in realtime. The error detection method includes: calculating a time required to process one frame obtained by dividing received data into frames having a predetermined size; and determining as an error a situation in which the calculated time exceeds time predetermined to process the one frame in realtime and transmitting an error recovering command. Accordingly, subsequent data frames can be normally processed by quickly detecting the error and recovering the error by initializing their associated modules.