A video output apparatus includes a video output unit which outputs a video signal while switching the format of the video signal between a first format and a second format for expressing color differently. The video output apparatus also includes a mute signal generation unit which generates, as a muting video signal, a specialized video signal expressing a color in which the difference between the color displayed when the specialized video signal is interpreted in its own format and the color displayed when the specialized video signal is interpreted in a different format is a minimum. The video output apparatus further includes a selection unit, which selects one of the video signal outputted by said video output unit and the mute signal generated by said mute signal generation unit and outputs the selected signal, and a control unit, which causes the selection unit to select the mute signal in a period including the switch performed by the video output unit.