Abstract: The present invention provides a card recording apparatus capable of printing in high speed as well as reducing overall dimensions of the apparatus. After a card is transported to an information recording section 200 in a lateral (short length) direction of the card, an information signal is recorded on the card thereby. Then, the card is transported to a second heating section 300. An ink image formed on an intermediate recording medium 7 by a first heating section 500 is re-transferred to the card by the second heating section 300. A warp developed on the card by the second heating section 300 is corrected by a card warp correcting section 400.

Abstract: A digital audio signal obtained from an analog audio signal indicating a music, pieces of audio reproduction control information respectively indicating the adjustment of a sound quality of the music are added to the digital audio signal, and the digital audio signal is recorded with the pieces of audio reproduction control information as packed data. When a user selects a piece of particular audio reproduction control information from the pieces of audio reproduction control information after the packed data is read out, levels of pieces of audio data of the digital audio signal are adjusted according to the particular audio reproduction control information, so that the user can entertain the music at a desired sound quality.

Abstract: A substrate (20) is treated prior to use to induce a near-perpendicular orientation of a liquid crystal director (26) relative to the substrate. A layer of silica (98) is deposited upon the substrate (20) by in-line magnetron sputtering as the substrate ( 20) is moved past the sputtering target (78), and the silica-coated substrate (20) is thereafter treated with a long-chain alcohol. The alcohol-treated substrate (20) is covered with a layer of liquid crystal (22), the director (26) of the liquid crystal (22) assuming a field-off state tilted about 1-3 degrees from the perpendicular toward an azimuthal direction (30) parallel to the direction of movement of the substrate (20) during deposition.