Abstract: A video disc record of the constant angular velocity type (CAV) includes a spiral groove of constant pitch formed in a band on a surface thereof. The groove has a substantially constant nominal vertical dimension and vertical displacements which taper monotonically from an outer radius of the band to an inner radius. One component of the vertical displacement of the groove conveys an FM carrier wave of constant amplitude and relatively high frequency representative of picture information. A second component of the vertical displacement conveys one or more lower frequency FM carrier waves representative of sound information. The amplitude of the second component varies monotonically as a function of the groove radius within the record band to provide a disc having an improved audio FM carrier-to-noise ratio with no substantial perceptible increase in undesirable sound beat effects in images displayed when the disc is played.

Abstract: Selected fields of a redundant field slow motion video tape reproduced video signal are stored in a memory at a given clock rate and recovered from the memory at a clock rate inversely proportional to the number of times each field is repeated so as to produce a non-redundant video output signal of reduced bandwidth yet processing the full informational content of the original video signal. The original signal normally exhibits an ordered color field sequence but is subject to anomalous variations from time to time which causes anomalous variation of the chrominance-burst phase relationship of the video output signal. A detector, responsive to a change of a parameter of the video input signal, detects the anomalous variations of the chrominance-burst phase relationship and produces a control signal that is applied to a circuit which effectively reverses the phase relationship of the chrominance and color burst components of the video output signal of the memory when the control signal is present.

Abstract: A composite video signal is separated into luminance and chrominance components which are processed in separate channels having transfer functions which differ in terms of frequency response and large signal amplitude response. The luminance channel subjects the luminance signal to high frequency preemphasis and to hard limiting or clipping at predetermined fixed levels. The chrominance channel exhibits a substantially uniform amplitude response and a variable compression characteristic dependent upon the chrominance signal level, a sum of chrominance and processed luminance signals or a composite output signal formed by a sum of processed chrominance and processed luminance signals. The composite signal is suitable for application to a picture carrier frequency modulator whereby an FM signal is produced suitable for video disc or tape recording and in which a tendency for luminance-chrominance crosstalk or interference is minimized.

Abstract: The output frequency of a variable frequency oscillator is compared with that of a reference frequency source by means of a phase detector and the resultant error signal is integrated and applied as a negative feedback signal to the input of the oscillator whereby drift of the oscillator output frequency is minimized. Deviation, modulation index, dynamic stability and linearity are enhanced by means of a pulse generator that is synchronized with a modulating input signal supplied to the oscillator for supplying a keying signal to the phase detector during a portion of each cycle of the modulating input signal.