Abstract: A system (10) has a pipeline (12) comprised of a multi-channel bi-directional video bus (14), multi-channel bi-directional audio bus (16), and a digital interprocessor communications bus (18). The pipeline (12) is equipped with a number of ports (20) where media controller (microprocessor) printed circuit cards (22) can be connected, thus providing a convenient method for connecting media devices (24) to the pipeline (12). In this manner, a media device's video input and output can be optionally connected to any of the video pipes (26) of the video bus (14). Similarly, the media device (24) audio inputs and outputs can be optionally connected to any of the audio bus (16) pipes (26). The switching is accomplished through a pair of analog multiplexers (28) whose connection options have been commanded by local microprocessor (30) resident on the media device microprocessor control board (22).