Abstract: A video player, specially adapted to accommodate "mixed field and frame" recordings, incorporates a frame store for playing back still pictures recorded on a magnetic disk as either single field or dual field (full frame) video signals. A repetitive, interlaced output signal is taken from the frame store either directly or through an interpolation circuit. While interpolation benefits single field playback, it is particularly useful for incrementally achieving full frame playback: An interpolated frame is provided for displaying a single field recording and for displaying a still picture before--and until--the second frame of a full frame recording is fully available from the frame store. Once both fields of the picture are stored in the frame store, then and only then is the disk drive motor turned off, albeit that an interpolated frame is displayed before this occurs.

Abstract: A video player includes a playback head that repeatedly passes in contact with a circular track on a flexible magnetic disk in order to reproduce a still picture on a video display. By cycling the player into a special quiescent state after a certain interval elapses without user instructions, excessive disk wear is avoided. While in the quiescent state, the disk drive motor is stopped--immobilizing the disk-to-head interface--and the video display is blanked. If user instructions are received while in this state, the disk drive motor is reenergized and the video display is resumed, showing the still picture displayed prior to interruption. If no user instructions are received during a further interval, the player is shut off.

Abstract: During a first phase of operation for a disc player incorporating the invention, a derived playback signal which is "above" a signal level of a threshold effects head motion in a given direction. During a second phase of disc player operation, the derived playback signal is again compared with the threshold, only this time a signal that is "below" the threshold effects head motion in the "same" given direction. During a third phase of operation, the derived signal, when at or above the threshold, initiates an incremental drive for the head. Such a drive steps the head in the given direction so long as the lowest playback signal level, during each given disc rotation, continues to increase. Thus, during this third phase of disc player operation, the head settles to a track location which is "invariantly" maximized. This means, therefore, that track eccentricity has absolutely no influence during playback of the track.