An input-output signal selection based on Phillips-Heffron model of a parallel high voltage altative current/high voltage direct current (HVAC/HVDC) power system is presented to study power system stability. It is well known that appropriate coupling of inputs-outputs signals in the multivariable HVDC-HVAC system can improve the performance of designed supplemetary controller. In this work, different analysis techniques are used to measure controllability and observability of electromechanical oscillation mode. Also inputs–outputs interactions are considered and suggestions are drawn to select the best signal pair through the system inputs-outputs. In addition, a supplementary online adaptive controller for nonlinear HVDC to damp low frequency oscillations in a weakly connected system is proposed. The results obtained using MATLAB software show that the best output-input for damping controller design is rotor speed deviation as out put and phase angle of rectifier as in put. Also response of system equipped with adaptive damping controller based on HVDC system has appropriate performance when it is faced with faults and disturbance.