Abstract: In order to edit commercial messages from an off-the-air video recording of a television signal, method and apparatus are disclosed for automatically operating a video tape recorder (VTR) so that it alternates between a normal forward record mode, and a rewind or backscan mode in response to the detection of audio and video fade conditions in the television signal which occur at the beginning and end of each commercial message. A fade detection circuit receives the television signal, while it is being recorded on the VTR, and develops a control signal in response to each detected fade transition such that a single commercial interruption in the television program will be accompanied by a first and then a second fade transition control signal marking the beginning and end of the interruption. Two consecutive commercial messages are accompanied by a first, second, and then a final or third fade control signal.

Abstract: In order to delete commercial messages during the viewing and/or video tape recording of broadcast television signals a control circuit is disclosed for producing a commercial editing control signal at the beginning of one or more television commercial messages, which signal continues for the duration of such messages and terminates after the end of the last of such messages. The control circuit incorporates detection circuitry for automatically detecting each of a series of fade breaks in the video and audio components of the television signal, wherein such fade breaks normally mark the beginning and end of each of one or more commercial messages that have been inserted in the program content. The first of a series of detected fade breaks marks the beginning of a single commercial or the first commercial in a consecutive block of commercials, and succeeding fade breaks occur at time intervals that correspond to the durations of the commercial messages.