I have a friend who owns a small restaurant/bar. He has 6 standard def TV's hooked up to a common CATV feed. The TV's are not always tuned to the same channel. He wants to insert local video announcements on a on a timed schedule. In other words, a promotional commercial is stored on a local device (DVR, computer, etc.). On a preset schedule that can be easily altered or suspended, the promotional announcement is started and interrupts programming on all TV's for the duration of the announcement, after which, all TV's return to their respective original channels.

I had a few thoughts involving modulating a separate local channel on his CATV feed and then instructing all TV's via distributed IR to switch to channel x and then return to the previously viewed channel after. The DVR would also have to instant start on a similar remote command and I have no idea of what control software to use.

We could also have individual STB's for each TV and use a 2-input A/V switch to go back and forth but that would add expense and he wants in on a showstring budget, of course.

Any ideas out there?