Multi-mode display

1. A multi-mode display for operating with a processor, comprising:

a switch that enables a user to select among a plurality of different image data signal formats supported by the display, said switch having a first setting corresponding to a first of said plurality of different image data signal formats and a second setting corresponding to a second of said plurality of different image data signal formats; and

a memory module that receives requests from a channel and transmits a response associated with the setting of said switch, the response indicating the image data signal format selected by the user,

wherein the memory module receives image data signals in the selected image data signal format if the processor supports the selected image data signal format, and

wherein the switch enables the user to select another one of said plurality of different image data signal formats if the memory module does not receive image data signals in the selected image data signal format.

2. The display of claim 1 , wherein said memory module comprises a first memory and a second memory, each of said first and second memories containing a response associated with one of the first and second switch settings.

3. The display of claim 2 , wherein each of said first and second memories is a serial electrical erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

4. The display of claim 1 , wherein said channel is an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I 2 C) serial bus.

5. The display of claim 1 , wherein said channel is a display data channel (DDC).

6. The display of claim 1 , wherein said response includes an Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) structure corresponding to one of said plurality of different image data signal formats.

7. The display of claim 1 , wherein said response includes an Enhanced Extended Display Identification Data (EEDID) structure corresponding to one of said plurality of different image data signal formats.

8. A method for a multi-mode display of establishing operation with a processor, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from the processor;

transmitting to the processor a response associated with a setting of a switch having a plurality of settings corresponding to a plurality of different image data signal formats supported by the display, the response indicating an image data signal format selected by a user with the switch from the plurality of different image data signal formats;

receiving image data signals from the processor in the selected image data signal format if the processor supports the selected image data signal format; and

enabling the user to select another one of the plurality of different image data signal formats with the switch if image data signals in the selected image data signal format are not received from the processor.

9. A multi-mode display adapter for operating with a processor, the display adapter capable of converting image data signals for display on a coupled display device, comprising:

a switch that enables a user to select among a plurality of different image data signal formats supported by the display adapter, said switch having a first setting corresponding to a first of said plurality of different image data signal formats and a second setting corresponding a second of said plurality of different image data signal formats; and

a memory module that receives requests from a channel and transmits a response associated with the setting of said switch, the response indicating the image data signal format selected by the user,

wherein the memory module receives image data signals in the selected image data signal format if the processor supports the selected image data signal format, and

wherein the switch enables the user to select another one of said plurality of different image data signal formats if the memory module does not receive image data signals in the selected image data signal format.

10. The display adapter of claim 9 , wherein said memory module comprises a first memory and a second memory, each of said first and second memories containing a response associated with one of the first and second switch settings.

11. The display adapter of claim 9 , wherein each of said first and second memories is a serial electrical erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

12. The display adapter of claim 9 , wherein said channel is an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I 2 C) serial bus.

13. The display adapter of claim 9 , wherein said channel is a display data channel (DDC).

14. The display adapter of claim 9 , wherein said response includes an Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) structure corresponding to one of said plurality of different image data signal formats.

15. The display adapter of claim 9 , wherein said response includes an Enhanced Extended Display Identification Data (EEDID) structure corresponding to one of said plurality of different image data signal formats.

16. A method for a multi-mode display adapter of establishing operation with a processor, the display adapter capable of converting image data signals for display on a coupled display device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from the processor; and

transmitting to the processor a response associated with a setting of a switch having a plurality of settings corresponding to a plurality of different image data signal formats supported by the display adapter, the response indicating an image data signal format selected by a user with the switch from the plurality of different image data signal formats;

receiving image data signals from the processor in the selected image data signal format if the processor supports the selected image data signal format; and

enabling the user to select another one of the plurality of signal formats with the switch if image data signals in the selected image data signal format are not received from the processor.