Method and apparatus for unified switching of digital or analog video and audio using an analog video switching device

摘要

A system and method are described for using the video switching capabilities of a first video switching device to select one of a plurality of distinguishable probe signals. The selected probe signal is detected and a corresponding control signal for a second video switching device is generated. In one embodiment of the present invention, the analog video switching capabilities of an audio-video receiver are used to select one of the probe signals. Said embodiment then detects which probe signal was passed, generates an appropriate control signal, and transmits it to a device capable of switching both analog and digital video, like a digital television or a DVI- or HDMI-capable switcher.