One embodiment is directed to a method (and system and apparatus) for determining timing for a time division duplex (TDD) signal in a distributed antenna system (DAS). The method comprises (and the system and apparatus are configured for) grouping power samples of a downlink portion of the TDD signal into blocks corresponding to a respective time period, comparing power samples of the blocks to a power threshold, assigning the blocks as ON or OFF based on a number of power samples in a respective block that are above the power threshold, identifying a start of a downlink burst in the TDD signal as an ON block preceded by at least a minimum number of consecutive OFF blocks, and controlling at least one component in the DAS based on the start of the downlink burst.