Patent ID: 8213630

Claim:
A sound processing unit connectable to a video sound signal outputting unit for outputting a video signal and a sound signal and for outputting sound according to a sound signal from the video sound signal outputting unit, comprising: hot plug means for changing a connection state between the sound processing unit and the video sound signal outputting unit; memory means for holding sound output information including information about sound channels of the sound processing unit; and control means for controlling the hot plug means, wherein after the sound output information held by the memory means is sent to the video sound signal outputting unit, when the sound output information is changed, the control means controls the hot plug means so as to change the connection state between the sound processing unit and the video sound signal outputting unit to a disconnected state for a prescribed time period to enable transmission of the changed sound output information to the video sound signal outputting unit; and wherein after the disconnected state for the prescribed time period, the changed sound output information is sent to the video sound signal outputting unit according to a request of the video sound signal outputting unit.