Abstract: Provided are a tape erase element, tape erase device, and method for forming a tape erase element to erase content of a tape medium. The tape erase element comprises a housing forming a gap extending along a length of an outer surface of the housing. The gap extends from the outer surface of the housing to open into an inner space formed within the housing. A magnet is positioned within the inner space of the housing and having a surface extending across the gap. The magnet produces a magnetic flux that extends through a tape contact zone extending across a portion of the outer surface of the housing and the gap to erase content on the tape medium as the tape guide rollers guide the tape medium across the housing through the tape contact zone.

Abstract: The present invention provides nanostructure compositions and methods of producing nanostructure compositions. The nanostructure compositions comprise a population of nanostructures, a stabilization additive, and an organic resin. The present invention also provides nanostructure films comprising a nanostructure layer and methods of making nanostructure films.

Abstract: A cutting device includes cutting device includes a housing including an aperture, and a blade cartridge removably coupled to the housing through the aperture. The blade cartridge is configured to hold a plurality of blades. The cutting device further includes a cartridge ejector configured to eject the blade cartridge from the housing.

Abstract: Arrangements relate to a data storage system. The data storage system can include a data storage tape. The data storage tape can be arranged in a concertina format. In such a format, the data storage tape can include a plurality of tape segments. Each tape segment can be separated from a neighboring tape segment by a fold. In some arrangements, the data storage tape arranged in a concertina format can be received within a housing.

Abstract: A tape recording medium comprising a reel; recording tape that is wound around the reel and on which information is written or from which information is read while the recording tape is in contact with a head; cleaning tape that is wound around the reel and cleans the head while the cleaning tape is in contact with the head; and protective tape that has one end connected to an end portion of the recording tape and the other end connected to an end portion of the cleaning tape, and that has a length with which the protective tape is wound at least one round around the reel such that the recording tape and the cleaning tape do not contact each other.

Abstract: A pass-through accessor comprising a fixturing apparatus that can store a plurality of portable data storage cassettes. The pass-through accessor comprises a moveable gripper assembly comprising a plurality of gripping members. The gripper assembly releaseably attaches to a portable data storage cassette disposed in a storage slot, pulls that portable data storage cassette outwardly from the storage slot, and releaseably attaches that portable data storage cassette to one of a plurality of fixturing assemblies disposed on the fixturing apparatus.

Abstract: Example apparatus and methods concern a tape library that can initiate an action. One example method may include controlling a tape library to perform a media scanning operation associated with an extended data life management policy. The extended data life management operation may be associated with an application representation of tape drives, slots, and tapes on the tape library. The method may include determining a result of the media scanning operation and selectively controlling the tape library to either provide status or to issue a command based on the result. In one example, conventional status may be returned when a media scan operation result (e.g., tape scan) indicates the tape is fine while a command may be issued when the result indicates the tape may need to be fixed, copied, or replaced.

Abstract: An automated data storage library having a plurality of multi-cartridge deep slot cells, each configured to store a plurality of data storage cartridges arranged in sequential order of tiers from front to rear, and having accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells; operating the accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the multi-cartridge deep slot cells and with respect to other elements of the automated data storage library; filling at least the frontmost tier of vacant at least selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells in the selectively extracting, placing and transporting step in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, while leaving other tiers vacant. If the frontmost tier is full, a cartridge is placed into the one of the selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells having the factored greatest number of tiers available to place a cartridge.

Abstract: An alignment adjusting apparatus of a robot to execute conveying operations of putting and taking an object to be conveyed in and out of an accommodating shelf includes at least two reference flags to be installed in the accommodating shelf; a flag measuring unit to measure the reference flags on the robot positioned at the reference flags; and an alignment adjusting unit to adjust an alignment shift of the robot corresponding to an inclination of the robot, the inclination being obtained from a variation of a measured value of each of the reference flags by the flag measuring unit.

Abstract: A library apparatus includes a housing, an insertion and ejection mechanism that is provided in an opening formed in the housing and that is configured to insert and eject a magazine, the magazine being arranged to accommodate a cartridge that includes a storage medium, a drive mechanism configured to access the storage medium and a transporting mechanism configured to transport the cartridge to a predetermined position. The insertion and ejection mechanism includes a magazine receiving section having an engagement section configured to be engaged with a portion of the magazine, a guide rail configured to slidably support the magazine receiving section, and a wall member configured to move together with the magazine receiving section along the guide rail and to close the opening upon an ejection of the magazine from the insertion and ejection mechanism.

Abstract: In an automated data storage library having a plurality of multi-cartridge deep slot cells, each configured to store a plurality of data storage cartridges arranged in sequential order of tiers from front to rear, and having accessor(s) configured to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells; operating the accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport data storage cartridges with respect to the multi-cartridge deep slot cells and with respect to other elements of the automated data storage library; filling at least the frontmost tier of vacant at least selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells in the selectively extracting, placing and transporting step in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, while leaving other tiers vacant. If the frontmost tier is full, a data storage cartridge is placed into the one of the selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells having the factored greatest number of tiers available to place a data storage cartridge.

Abstract: A barrier mechanism, which is often utilized in a disk changer device, is disclosed herein, in which the barrier mechanism includes two wheels and a barrier belt loop. The two wheels are respectively installed on a top terminal and a bottom terminal of an edge of the disk insertion opening of the magazine. A barrier belt loop which is used for selectively traverse one of the plurality of disk holding members, includes an inner section with a traversing recess carved therein. The inner section is adjacent to the disk insertion opening of the magazine of the disk changer device, and the mechanical coupling between the barrier belt loop and the processing mechanism enables the traversing recess constantly aligned with the optical pick-up unit. Accordingly, the traversing recess is horizontally aligned with the predetermined disk holding member, thereby the procedure enables the drafting unit to extract the predetermined disk holding member through the traversing recess into the optical pick-up unit.

Abstract: An apparatus to generate a spring force increasing in accordance with a quantity of tape media cartridges stored in a deep slot cell. The apparatus may include a deep slot cell, a biasing element including a torsion spring, and an advancement element. The deep slot cell may store one or more cartridges. The biasing element may generate a spring force toward the front of the deep slot cell such that the spring force generated increases in accordance with a number of cartridges stored in the cell. The advancement element may be positioned to apply the spring force to the cartridges, thereby advancing the cartridges toward the front of the deep slot cell.

Abstract: Described herein is a mobile data storage magazine for interacting with a docking station. The magazine can include a magazine frame containing a plurality of operatively interconnected disk drives, a first contact element associated with the magazine frame capable of conducting electrical power to at least one of the plurality of disk drives when engaged with a second contact element associated with the docking station wherein the first and second contact elements are adapted to cooperate in a non male/female relationship. The magazine can further comprise a first communication element capable of conducting data between at least one of the plurality of disk drives and the docking station when the first communication element is operatively linked to a second communication element associated with the docking station.

Abstract: A cartridge storage device includes a housing having a front and a back. A plurality of cells are mounted in the housing, each cell adapted for receiving a media cartridge. A drive mechanism drives the cells towards a front opening in the front of the housing for allowing insertion and retrieval of the cartridges from the cells by the picker. Optionally, the back of the housing can have a rear opening for allowing in situ user-insertion and retrieval of the cartridges from the cells as well as viewing of the cartridges.

Abstract: A library device, that is able to remote-actuate a recording/reproducing apparatus. The library device includes a recording/reproducing unit for recording or reproducing the information using a removable recording medium, a plurality of housing unit that is able to accommodate the recording medium therein, a transporting unit for transporting the recording medium between an optional housing unit in the housing unit and the recording/reproducing unit, and a control unit for controlling the transporting unit and/or the recording/reproducing unit. The control unit selects an operating mode of setting a control operation of permitting external terminal unit to perform the same control as that performed by the control unit or an operating mode of permitting the external terminal unit to perform control limited with respect to the control operation of the control unit, when the transporting unit and/or the recording/reproducing unit is controlled by the external terminal unit.

Abstract: A system, method and program product for freeing tape drives so that long running jobs on a computer can be paused when other applications need the drives and restarted when the drives are available again. This is accomplished by pausing and resuming applications running on a computer including accessing a tape drive, on which is mounted a first tape, by a first application running on the computer, the accessing being through a pause/resume handler; pausing the first application responsive to an operator intervention to the pause/resume handler; storing parameters in the computer including location parameters indicating where the tape drive paused; mounting a second tape on the tape drive; and accessing the tape drive by a second application running on the computer. After the second application has completed access to the tape drive, the second tape is removed from the tape drive, and the first tape is remounted.

Abstract: A double-cassette-type magnetic recording-reproduction apparatus wherein a cam gear allows the second over-stroke lever to shift in advancing and retracting manners and, following these movements, a mode lever and the second head mount are allowed to move to the first through third positions. When the mode lever is located at the first position, the first over-stroke lever is shifted to an operable position and the second head mount is blocked by the second idler lever from its advancing movement. When the mode lever is located at the second position, the shift-blocking state of the second head mount is released, and the first over-stroke lever is not allowed to shift. When the mode lever is located at the third position, the first over-stroke lever and the second head mount are allowed to shift to the operable positions. This construction makes it possible to reduce the number of driving means and cut the cost of production.

Abstract: A storage mechanism utilizing a single data recorder from which multiple channels of compressed video data may be simultaneously accessed. The data access to and from the data recorder via a single data access path takes place at a higher data rate (f.sub.1, f.sub.2) than the data rate (f.sub.3, f.sub.4) at which that compressed data needs to be decoded to support a video signal. A video router is used to direct the reproduced data stored within two data channel buffers to respective JPEG decoders where they are decompressed into a signal suitable for driving two digital monitors. In operation, a segment of compressed video data for one channel is recovered from the data recorder and stored within one of the buffers from which it is continuously read at a lower data rate (f.sub.3, f.sub.4). The data recorder then cues to another part of the medium from which data for the second channel is reproduced and stored within another buffer. The process is then repeated.

Abstract: An HD image signal is recorded and reproduced by a tape head system of a conventional home VTR. An HD image signal (bb) which is of a different broadcasting system from a conventional broadcasting system and contains an information whose amount is larger than that contained in a video signal of the conventional broadcasting system is divided by four by first to eighth memories and resultant four signals are recorded on a magnetic tape through a first to fourth recording signal processing circuits and FM modulators, etc. In reproduction, the four signals are reproduced by FM demodulators and a first to fourth reproduced signal processing circuits, etc., and the HD image signal is produced by using the first to eighth memories.

Abstract: A block segmenting circuit block segments a digital video signal. A block encoding circuit encodes the block segmented data. A head H records the encoded data on a tape. A block segmenting circuit varies the start address of each block and detects an error between the original data and the decoded data at each start address. A cumulating circuit camulates the errors for a predetermined time period. A detecting circuit detects the minimum value of the cumulated values. Thus, a block start address with the lowest error is determined. With a block construction defined by the start address, a block segmenting circuit perform block segmentation.

Abstract: Apparatus useful in electronics for the tape recording of a video signal, which is a baseband signal of a prescribed bandwidth extending up to a prescribed maximum frequency, processes the video signal to generate a folded-spectrum video signal. The video signal is digitized and supplied to a digital band-splitting filter with a cross-over frequency at one-half said prescribed maximum frequency, for separating the digitized video signal into samples of a lower-frequency-band component and into samples of a higher-frequency-band component. A balanced modulator is connected for modulating a folding carrier wave of the prescribed maximum frequency, which modulation is done in accordance with the higher-frequency-band component to generate a balanced modulation signal; and the balanced modulation signal is linearly combined with the lower-frequency-band component to generate the folded-spectrum video signal.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for a high definition video cassette recorder, comprises a tape discriminator for checking for the presence of a hole on a specified position of a tape to discriminate whether the tape is of the normal-VHS type or the super-VHS type, a clock signal generator for generating a clock signal of a desired period in response to an output signal from the tape discriminator, a frequency divider for frequency-dividing the clock signal from the clock signal generator by an integer N, a first switch for selecting either the clock signal from the clock signal generator or the frequency divided clock signal in response to the output signal from the tape discriminator, a video data separator for separating intra-frame data and inter-frame data from an input digital video signal in response to the clock signal selected by the first switch and outputting the separated intra-frame data, a second switch for selecting either the input digital video signal or the intra-frame data from the video data separat

Abstract: In a data recording and reproducing apparatus for writing the video signals read out from a magnetic tape (11) alternately into image memories, and reading out and reproducing the video signals from the image memory not used for writing video signals, the video signal read out from the image memory when the memory indication switch (SW1) is manipulated is directly held in the image memory, and when reproducing the video signal executed in succession, using the image memory in which video signals is not preserved, writing of video signal from the magnetic tape (11) into image memory and reading from the image memory are effected. In this reproducing action, when the reproduction indication switch (SW2) is manipulated, and previously preserved video signal is read out from the image memory and reproduced.

Abstract: A processing system and a recording/reproducing system for a digital signal including a digital video signal and a digital audio signal are disclosed. Upon transmission, the digital signal is transmitted after time-base compression and modulation. The transmitted signal is received and demodulated. In the case where the signal is to be transmitted to a plurality of recording/reproducing systems, address signals designating ones of the plural recording/reproducing systems and a control signal for controlling the start/stop of recording are transmitted. The recording by the recording/reproducing system is controlled so that it is made with the same format in either normal-speed or high-speed mode or in either normal or multiple recording mode.

Abstract: A variable length coding method designed to assign a different number of coding bits in accordance with the information content a sample holds when an analog signal such as a television signal or the like is converted to a digital signal. An assigning method of coding bits used to a luminance signal is different from that used to a chrominance signal. A variable length coding method is further capable of selecting an optimum assigning method in accordance with contents of an original signal from a plurality of determined assigning methods of coding bits. The data related to the plurality of assigning methods of coding bits is recorded on a medium after it is added to a coded digital signal.

Abstract: An apparatus selectively operable for reproducing digital information signals recorded in accordance with a first format in relatively long tracks extending obliquely across a first effective recording width of a first magnetic tape, or for reproducing analog information signals recorded on a second magnetic tape in accordance with a second format in relatively short tracks extending obliquely across a second effective recording width which is narrower than the first effective recording width has a rotary drum around which a magnetic tape selected from the first and second magnetic tapes is wrapped to the same extent, playback heads rotatable with the drum scan obliquely across the first effective recording width of the selected magnetic tape wrapped around the drum so that, if the selected magnetic tape has been recorded in accordance with the first format, the playback heads reproduce the digital information signals while scanning the relatively long tracks, whereas, if the selected magnetic tape has been r

Abstract: An apparatus for recording high resolution image data, which is inputted from the external at a predetermined timing, to a recording medium of random access type, is provided with: a memory for storing at least one high resolution image data by a unit of picture plane on the basis of a record control signal; a device coupled to the memory, for dividing and converting the high resolution image data stored in the memory into a plurality of standard image data corresponding to a standard television system one after another; a recording device coupled to the dividing and converting device, for recording the plurality of standard image data to the recording medium by a unit of field or frame; and a control device for generating the record control signal, which corresponds to the predetermined timing of the high resolution image data.

Abstract: A magazine storage system for storing and retrieving recording strips. The system includes a magazine, having shelves for storing the strips, and a loop-shaped drive. The strips are transported between the magazine and the drive by conduits having air jets emanating from holes therein. The system provides rapid access to large amounts of stored information.

Abstract: A track following positioning system including filtered average servo demodulators for maintaining the position of a magnetic tape head in alignment with tracks of data stored in magnetic medium. A servo head tracks a centerline in a servo written region of the magnetic medium and generates servo head signals corresponding to the displacement of the servo head from the centerline. A filtered average servo demodulator detects the servo head signals and generates servo error signals for realigning the tape head with respect to the magnetic medium in response thereto. To generate servo error signals, the filtered average servo demodulator peak detects and averages the rectified and filtered output signals and then subtracts a proportion of the peak detected signals from the average detected signals.

Abstract: A tape system for implementing tape cassettes of variable size which includes both large-sized and small-sized tape cartridges each housing a memory element having a set of terminals for electric connection with corresponding terminals of a tape player, the level at which the terminals of the memory element in the large-sized tape cartridge are positioned and the level at which the terminals of the memory element in the small-sized tape cartridge are positioned are the same level, spaced from a longitudinal mid center line of the length of magnetic tape, intermediate of the width thereof or a reference plane in which a reel support lies.

Abstract: A digital video/audio recording and reproducing apparatus comprising a video signal high-efficiency encoder having a variable reduction rate, an audio signal high-efficiency encoder having a variable reduction rate, and a controller for controlling the reduction rates in both of the high-efficiency encoders. The reduction rates in both of the high-efficiency encoders are controlled in such a manner that the sum of the information amount of the video signal and that of the audio signal, after high-efficiency encoding, is maintained constant. When recording multi-channel audio signals, the reduction rates in both of the high-efficiency encoders are controlled according to the number of audio signal channels to be recorded. The high frequency components of the high-efficiency encoded video and audio signals are recorded at the end portions of recording tracks on a magnetic tape, while the low frequency components thereof are recorded in the central portion of the recording tracks.

Abstract: A digital video recording system for digitizing analog video signals and recording the digital signals on video tape and for reading digital video signals from video tape and producing an analog video signal. The recording system comprises an A/D converter, a data compressor for compressing digital video signals at a data rate of 1/N (N an integer greater than 1), an encoding and modulating mechanism that provides digital data segments, and a control mechanism for controlling the system such that recording data for one field, which is normally recorded in M tracks (M: an integer greater than N) in ordinary recording mode, is recorded in about M/N tracks in a long recording mode.

Abstract: A magnetic recording method and apparatus which performs a quadrature phase shift keying operation on a digital information signal, superimposes a high frequency bias signal on the performed signal, records the resulting signal into a deep portion of a magnetic layer of a magnetic tape with a first rotational head, and records a video signal in a surface portion of the magnetic layer above a track formed by the former recording, with a second rotational head which is different in azimuth angle from the first rotational head, the frequency of the high frequency bias signal being set to a value which is about four times as high as the carrier frequency of the quadrature phase shift keyed digital information signal, thereby eliminating a 5th-order distortion component due to cross modulation of the high frequency bias signal and the carrier frequency.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes among other functions a recording arrangement which has first and second recording modes, such as field- and frame-recording modes, and is capable of varying the number of picture planes to be recorded per unit time is arranged to control the recording speed setting range to be different between recording speeds for the first recording mode and recording speeds for the second recording modes; and, in the event of setting of a recording speed which can be set for the first recording mode but cannot be set for the second mode, the recording speed is automatically changed to a recording speed which can be set for the second recording mode.

Abstract: A digital video recording system for digitizing analog video signals and recording the digital signals on video tape and for reading digital video signals from video tape and producing an analog video signal. The recording system comprises an A/D converter, a data compressor for compressing digital video signals at a data rate of 1/N (N: an integer greater than 1), a selector mechanism for selecting between the compressed digital video signal and a non-compressed digital video signal, and a control mechanism for controlling the system such that recording data for one field, which is normally recorded in M tracks (M: an integer greater than N) in ordinary recording mode, is recorded in about M/N tracks in a long recording mode.

Abstract: A video signal is recorded in successive tracks on a recording medium together with a pilot signal, the latter having a frequency that changes cyclically with a different one of at least four frequencies in successive tracks. A field detector detects sequential fields in the frames of the video signal, and rotation of the usual rotary transducers is servo-controlled in response to the detected sequence of fields and a pulse that is generated as the transducers rotate to represent the rotational phase of those transducers. A pilot signal generator generates the pilot signal with an initial frequency determined by an initial field in the detected field sequence, and with this frequency changing as a function of the detected sequential fields.

Abstract: A recording head arrangement is disclosed which may be employed in a video signal recording and/or reproducing device in which a video tape is helically wound on a drum carrying recording heads for recording and/or reproducing a video signal. The video signal is divided for representing upper and lower half images on a screen. The recording head arrangement includes first and second heads mounted on the drum adjacent each other. The first and second heads have the same azimuth angle which is inclined in a first direction with respect to a direction perpendicular to the head advancing direction. Third and fourth heads are mounted on the drum 180 degrees spaced from the first and second heads, respectively. The third and fourth heads have the same azimuth angle which is inclined in a second direction, opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A recording apparatus comprises: a supplying device to supply a voice signal; a circuit to store the voice signal supplied by the supplying device into a memory having a plurality of memory blocks such as tracks; and a control circuit to control the storing circuit. The control circuit can switch between a first mode in which, after the voice signal was stored into a predetermined block in the memory, the control circuit is set into a standby mode and a second mode in which the storing of the voice signal is continued until an arbitrary block in the memory. The apparatus further has a time base compression circuit to time base compress the voice signal. With the apparatus, in the after-recording mode to record the voice signal after the video signal which has already been recorded on a recording medium, a desired voice signal can be recorded by a simple operation. Even if an image signal for after recording was changed during the after recording of a voice, the apparatus can easily cope with such a change.

Abstract: Video tape recorder speed control apparatus for controlling a video tape recorder (1) to cause it to reproduce a recorded video signal at a predetermined speed, such as a fraction 1/n of the normal speed, the apparatus comprising the video tape recorder (1), first and second counters (25,26), the first and second counters (25, 26) being incremented by a signal locked in frequency to the field repetition frequency of the video signal at the normal playback speed thereof, the first counter (25) resetting periodically at intervals determined by the predetermined speed, the second counter (26) being reset with a signal locked in frequency to the field repetition frequency of the video signal being reproduced by the video tape recorder (1), a comparator (27) for periodically comparing the counts of the first and second counters (25, 26) thereby to derive a phase error signal, and a control signal generator (28, 29, 30) to derive in dependence on the phase error signal a signal to control the reproduction speed of

Abstract: A system comprises a video camera for producing one field portion of a video signal in a second predetermined period during a first predetermined period which is longer than the second predetermined period, a recorder for recording the one field portion of the video signal from the video camera in the second predetermined period during the first predetermined period and a display device arranged to make a vertical scanning from the upper to the lower side of an effective display surface in the second predetermined period during the first predetermined period for displaying an image related to the video signal produced from the video camera.

Abstract: A video signal recording and reproducing apparatus in which video signals based on a plurality of television systems in which the numbers of scanning lines and the frame frequencies are different are recorded by the same VTR. The numbers of effective pixels in one horizontal scanning period and the numbers of effective scanning lines per frame which are based on the respective television systems are made coincident. Only the effective scanning lines are recorded. The rotational speed of the cylinder is also changed in proportion to the frame frequency and tape patterns are made coincident for the respective television systems.

Abstract: A video noise reduction system is incorporated with a video recorder for the elimination of high frequency noise from only the gray level portions of a video signal being retrieved from magnetic tape. The frequency modulated video signal retrieved from the tape is directed through a demodulator into a voltage dependent low pass filter having a cutoff frequency which is normally sufficiently high to pass the unmodulated video signal from the demodulator without attenuation. The frequency modulated video signal is also fed into a band elimination filter having an attenuation band corresponding to the gray level of brightness. The output from the band elimination filter is detected, and a variable voltage is impressed to the low pass filter for lowering its cutoff frequency whenever the frequency modulated video signal has gray frequencies. Alternate embodiments are disclosed in which the cutoff frequency is lowered to different preselected values for different levels of brightness.

Abstract: Image data is stored in a plurality of image memories each capable of storing at least one picture of image information, and the plurality of image memories are successively read and their stored images displayed. Ordinarily, the received image data is stored in whichever of the image memories has been designated by a memory number information contained in control data provided along with the received image data. However, when the memory number designated by the control data and the memory number information of an image memory whose stored data is currently being read out and displayed coincide, the writing of the image data in the image memory information whose number has been designated is prohibited. Instead, the image data is written in an image memory whose memory number differs from that of an image memory from which the data is currently being read.

Abstract: An image signal recording system for recording an image signal corresponding to an original picture comprised of m picture elements (m being an integer, m.gtoreq.4) on a recording medium, in which the original picture is divided into m/n picture element blocks, each comprised of n picture elements (n being a measure, 2.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.

Abstract: A record and playback system comprises a signal source such as a video camera, a recording apparatus such as a VTR, and a control circuit device connected between the signal source and the recording apparatus. The control circuit device sends one or a few frames selected from a plurality of still picture frames to the successive frames of a composite picture signal given from the signal source to the recording apparatus, as well as sends a signal showing the total time length of a number of still picture frames. As a result, it is possible to record much and various picture information on a small volume of a record medium.

Abstract: An improved video recorder/transceiver with expanded functionality ("VCR-ET") including a capability for storing video and video programs in digital format, editing such programs, transferring such programs onto a hard copy magnetic media, and transmitting such programs to a remote location using a second VCR-ET. The increased functionality is realized through the use of analog to digital conversion, signal compression and intermediate storage in an integrated circuit, random access memory. The recorder/transmitter has capabilities to transmit and receive program information in either a compressed or decompressed format over fiber optic lines, conventional phone lines or microwaves.

Abstract: A capstan servo device comprising a frequency generator for detecting the rotation rate of a capstan motor and generating two-phase FG signals mutually having a 90.degree. phase difference; a selector for selecting one of input four-phase signals produced from the two-phase FG signals and mutually having a 90.degree. phase difference; and a sync signal generator including an N-bit counter (where N.gtoreq.2) to receive a reference frequency signal inputted thereto and generating a sync signal by phase-comparing the two high-order bits of the frequency-divided output of the counter with the two-phase FG signals. In this device, the rotation speed of the capstan motor is controlled in accordance with an error voltage signal selected by the selector in response to the sync signal.

Abstract: A fast frame recorder records images of an event at a fast frame rate and plays back the images at a slower frame rate to facilitate analysis of the event. Disclosed is a solid state fast frame recorder having a solid state imager, which is selectively operable at different frame rates and having a solid state memory for storing a plurality of image frames. A programmable control system controls the memory to store temporally nonconsecutive images from the imager according to a preselected program. Both temporally nonconsecutive single image frames and bursts of temporally consecutive image frames may be stored. The number of image frames in a stored burst and the frame rate of the stored burst may be selectively varied.

Abstract: A video tape recorder having provisions for erasing a desired fraction of each frame of a composite picture signal on a magnetic tape and for recording substitute picture information on the erased fractions, thereby making it possible to split the screen into two windows for the simultaneous display of different images. Included is a window size input device to be operated upon by the user for specifying a desired fraction of each frame of the composite picture signal recorded on the tape. A frame fraction signal generator circuit responds to the output from the window size input device, as well as to horizontal and vertical sync pulses derived from the composite picture signal being reconstructed from the tape, for generating a frame fraction signal indicative in real time of the specified fraction of each frame of the composite picture signal to be erased from the tape.