A method of automatically identifying a format of a video signal, the video signal including HSync pulses, VSync pulses, and video display data, wherein each of the Sync pulses comprise an amplitude as measured between a tip level and a baseline level, the method comprising: receiving the video signal; routing the received video signal through a first path for processing low-noise signals, comprising adjusting a bias level of the received video signal such that the tip level of said each of the Sync pulses is equal to a tip reference value, and adjusting a gain level of the bias level adjusted received video signal such that the amplitude of said each of the Sync pulses is standardized; routing the bias level adjusted received video signal through a second path for processing high-noise signals, comprising: adjusting a gain level of the bias level adjusted received video signal such that the baseline level of said each of the Sync pulses is equal to a reference baseline level; and filtering the gain and bias level adjusted received video signal with a matched filter, wherein the matched filter is matched to a pre-determined width of the HSync pulses; extracting information about timing and width characteristics of the HSync pulses and the VSync pulses from the video signal routed through the first path and the video signal routed through the second path, wherein the timing and width characteristics of the HSync pulses and the VSync pulses from the video signal routed through the first path are comprised of a distribution of the video signal routed through the first path into a series of bins; and determining two formats of the video signal based on the extracted information, wherein determining two formats of the video signal based on the extracted information comprises: for each path, comparing the extracted information to characteristic information about a plurality of different formats, and selecting one of the two formats based on a degree of correlation of the characteristic information about the selected format with the extracted information. receiving the video signal; routing the received video signal through a first path for processing low-noise signals, comprising adjusting a bias level of the received video signal such that the tip level of said each of the Sync pulses is equal to a tip reference value, and adjusting a gain level of the bias level adjusted received video signal such that the amplitude of said each of the Sync pulses is standardized; routing the bias level adjusted received video signal through a second path for processing high-noise signals, comprising: adjusting a gain level of the bias level adjusted received video signal such that the baseline level of said each of the Sync pulses is equal to a reference baseline level; and filtering the gain and bias level adjusted received video signal with a matched filter, wherein the matched filter is matched to a pre-determined width of the HSync pulses; adjusting a gain level of the bias level adjusted received video signal such that the baseline level of said each of the Sync pulses is equal to a reference baseline level; and filtering the gain and bias level adjusted received video signal with a matched filter, wherein the matched filter is matched to a pre-determined width of the HSync pulses; extracting information about timing and width characteristics of the HSync pulses and the VSync pulses from the video signal routed through the first path and the video signal routed through the second path, wherein the timing and width characteristics of the HSync pulses and the VSync pulses from the video signal routed through the first path are comprised of a distribution of the video signal routed through the first path into a series of bins; and determining two formats of the video signal based on the extracted information, wherein determining two formats of the video signal based on the extracted information comprises: for each path, comparing the extracted information to characteristic information about a plurality of different formats, and selecting one of the two formats based on a degree of correlation of the characteristic information about the selected format with the extracted information. for each path, comparing the extracted information to characteristic information about a plurality of different formats, and selecting one of the two formats based on a degree of correlation of the characteristic information about the selected format with the extracted information.