Patent ID: 7536086

Claim:
A video playback apparatus which plays back audio and video on the basis of signals recorded on a recording medium, the video playback apparatus comprising: a unit for producing an audio signal for playing back audio on the basis of the recorded signals; a display unit for displaying a video screen and a menu screen on the basis of the recorded signals; an operating unit for setting a display off state for the display unit whereby the display unit is turned off during the playback of the recorded signals so that only audio is played back; a menu screen detector which analyzes data read from the recording medium and determines during playback whether or not a current screen is a menu screen on the basis of the signals recorded on the recording medium; and a menu screen controller configured to, when the display unit is off and in response to a determination by the menu screen detector that the current screen is a menu screen, automatically turn on the display of the display unit and cause the menu screen to be displayed on the display unit.