The invention provides an external speaker control apparatus for causing only one of an internal speaker and an external speaker to output audio when a power supply of the external speaker control apparatus which controls the external speaker changes from an off state to an on state, the external speaker being a speaker outside a video and audio output apparatus. The external speaker control apparatus includes a microcomputer for detecting the change of the power supply of an amplifier from an off state to an on state and a HDMI/CEC communication unit for outputting an instruction requesting output of information which indicates the audio output mode to the video and audio output apparatus while at the same time receiving the information indicating the audio output mode from the video and audio output apparatus in the case where the microcomputer detects the change of the power supply from an off state to an on state, wherein the microcomputer controls the output of the audio from the external speaker based on the information indicating the audio output mode.