Abstract: An information storage medium such as a CD-ROM has a storage area divided into a plurality of sections, for storing digital audio information and for storing picture information and character information, which are stored independently of each other. The digital audio information includes accompaniment information which represents musical accompaniments relative to songs, and the character information includes information which represents words of the songs to be reproduced in time with the musical accompaniments, in the form of characters, figures, colors, or a combination thereof. An information reproducing apparatus for playing back the information storage medium controls the speed at which the character information is to be output, the shape of characters and figures representing the character information, the colors thereof, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An information storage medium has a storage area for storing audio information, the storage area being divided into a plurality of sections. At least either one of the sections stores musical accompaniment information and lead voice information in which word-of-song information to be reproduced in relation to the musical accompaniment information is pronounced. The lead voice information is stored in a position which precedes, in time, a position where the word-of-song information is to be reproduced. An apparatus for reproducing information from the information storage medium includes an information reading unit, an information demodulating unit, and a control unit.

Abstract: An information storage medium such as a CD-ROM has a storage area which stores digital audio information including music digital audio information and a plurality of music piece information having mark information for retrieving the accompaniment information, and a digital contents information table including music title information which represents titles of the music piece information with image information or voice sound information. The storage area is divided into a plurality of sections. Some of the sections which precede the other sections in time store the digital contents information table. The other sections store the digital audio information. An apparatus for reproducing information from the information storage medium selectively reads the music piece information based on the mark information.

Abstract: A CD-ROMXA disk stores digital audio information including a plurality of music piece information, a digital contents information table including word-of-song information which represents the words of the music piece information and word-of-song address information for specifying the time-base position of the word-of-song information, and music address information for specifying the time-base position of the music information, the music address information corresponding to the word-of-song address information. The CD-ROMXA disk is typically loaded in a musical accompaniment playback apparatus, or "karaoke" playback apparatus. When the disk is played back, the recorded digital audio information is reproduced to play back a desired musical accompaniment. A word-of-song start address position in the word-of-song address information is specified for thereby starting reproducing the music piece information from a music start address position which corresponds to the word-of-song start address position.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus reproduces information from an information storage medium such as a CD-ROM which has a storage area divided into a plurality of sections, for storing digital audio information and digital image information which includes a plurality of image change control information and picture information. The information reproducing apparatus has a controller for selecting one of the image change control information to control the picture information during a transition period thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a visual data playback apparatus such as a video disc player whereby control is executed in response to input commands which are generated by scanning a printed code, e.g. bar code, on a document to produce code signals which are supplied to the control apparatus of the invention. Portions of the code are positioned close to respective sections of a printed document, so that a user can cause moving or still images relating to a document section to be produced on a monitor display, without the need for the user's eyes to move away from the document being read, e.g. to operate a separate control unit.