Abstract: In a DVD playback mode only, the first type interface is disabled and a DVD driver unit having a hardware DVD decoder connected to a DVD reader unit arranged to read video data from a DVD inserted therein is powered on. In the described embodiment, the DVD decoder unit is also connected to the display screen by way of a second type interface is powered on. The video data is read from the DVD by the DVD reader unit and sent by the DVD reader unit to the hardware DVD decoder unit which then decodes the video data before passing it directly to a timing controller unit coupled to the display screen by way of the second type interface. The timing controller unit converts the video data at a native resolution to a display screen resolution that is then displayed on the display screen.

Abstract: A video signal recording apparatus with a video and audio memorizing section for temporarily memorizing an inputted video audio signal, a time code generating section for generating a time-code of said video audio signal an auxiliary information memorizing section for temporarily memorizing auxiliary information appended to said video audio signal including said time code generating a regeneration value obtained from a time code to which one frame time is added to said recorded time code when a recording starts and correcting said regeneration value for an amount of delay corresponding to a storage volume temporarily memorized in said auxiliary information (time code, metadata, CUE audio signal, and the like) memorizing section and thus obtaining a corrected time code, and thereafter sequential time codes are generated from said corrected time code though said time code generating section.

Abstract: A combined digital versatile disc (DVD)/hard disk drive (HDD) system controls a HDD assembly and a DVD assembly comprises a DVD/HDD control module controls operation of the HDD assembly and the DVD assembly. Volatile memory communicates with the DVD/HDD control module and stores volatile data relating to the operation of the DVD assembly and the HDD assembly. Nonvolatile memory communicates with the DVD/HDD control module and stores nonvolatile data relating to the operation of the DVD assembly and the HDD assembly.

Abstract: A combined digital versatile disc (DVD)/hard disk drive (HDD) system controls a HDD assembly and a DVD assembly comprises a DVD/HDD control module controls operation of the HDD assembly and the DVD assembly. Volatile memory communicates with the DVD/HDD control module and stores volatile data relating to the operation of the DVD assembly and the HDD assembly. Nonvolatile memory communicates with the DVD/HDD control module and stores nonvolatile data relating to the operation of the DVD assembly and the HDD assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the playback of interactive television applications associated with a recorded program when a viewer is using trick play modes of operation is disclosed. When a viewer activates a fast forward operation. All events that the application would normally receive are supplied to the application at a faster rate than normal. When the viewer activates a rewind operation, the application is either paused until the playback of the rewound program returns to the location where the rewind operation began, or the application is loaded with a previous saved valid state for the location to which the program is rewound.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus for successively decoding and reproducing a plurality of picture data, comprising a reproduction memory and a decoder for successively decoding the plurality of picture data in an order in accordance with a designated reproduction direction, writing the decoding results in the reproduction memory, and reproducing and outputting the decoding results read from the reproduction memory, the decoder holding the storage of the decoding results in the reproduction memory even after the decoding results stored in the reproduction memory are no longer used when continuing reproduction in the designated reproduction direction and, when receiving as input a reversal command of the reproduction direction, performing the reproduction and output using the decoding results already stored in the reproduction memory before the input of the reversal command.

Abstract: To copy protect an optical disc, such as a DVD, program chains additional to the main program chain are provided. These program chains may lead to the genuine data but in an incomplete or incorrect order or to false data. Sufficient additional program chains are provided to make it difficult to identify the main program chain amongst all of the program chains provided on the disc. The structure of the further program chains ape that of the main program, again to hide the main program chain. The navigation path which leads to the main program chain, and hence to the content on the DVD, is dynamically generated and at least some of the information required to generate the navigational path arises by setting parameters associated with a player or with a user. Thus a search of all of the navigation information on the disc will fail to reveal the navigation path to the content.

Abstract: An automatic recording apparatus for content includes a preference operation history managing unit operable to generate history information of an operation relating to a preference for a content according to a plurality of operations relating to a preference for the content and explanation information relating to the content and by using a preference value parameter for each kind of these operations; a preference information managing unit operable to generate and renew preference information including a preference value with respect to a plurality of elements relating to a preference for the content according to the history information; and a content recommending unit operable to calculate a preference degree for the content according to the preference information and the explanation information with respect to the content and to make a content record reservation according to the preference degree; wherein the content is recorded according to the content record reservation.

Abstract: A method for selectively recording or replaying partial scenes of a broadcasting program includes the steps of: receiving a broadcasting program and a corresponding supplementary information; determining whether or not information on pre-selected scenes or user-selected scenes of the broadcasting program is contained in the supplementary information; and if so recording the pre-selected or user-selected scenes of the broadcasting program.

Abstract: A recording apparatus which effects recording after performing padding an area between an end position of AV data and the end position of a sector, with NULL packet data having no image information, no speech information, and no system information, which are specified by the MPEG standard so that a decoder does not perform decoding reproducing operation even if the area transferred to the decoder in the case where the end position of the effective AV data of an MPEG stream at a stop point of recording finish does not correspond to the end of the sector which is a unit of disk reading and-writing access, when the MPEG2 stream data is recorded on a disk-shaped recording medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to video player devices intended to play a video content DSC including audio tracks forming a disc audio languages list DAL and/or subtitles forming a disc subtitle languages list DSL, in a given number of languages. According to the invention, said device comprises a user interface UIA enabling the user to define a list of interesting languages UPL and a memory MEM to store the list of interesting languages UPL. Said device can then generate a dynamic menu ATL, STL intended to be displayed by filtering of the languages list DAL, DSL of the audio tracks present on the disc in accordance with the list of interesting languages UPL. Said dynamic menu ATL, STL is such that languages of the list of interesting languages UPL have priority in the dynamic menu ATL, STL. The invention enables the user to make an easier choice of a language for video content including audio tracks and/or subtitles in many different languages.

Abstract: This invention provides an information processing method and apparatus, which can set all extent sizes of data divisionally recorded on a disk to be equal to or larger than the minimum recording unit, and can guarantee continuous reproduction of the divisionally recorded data. Of data divisionally recorded on a recording medium (5), data which corresponds to an end portion of that data and cannot be recorded as a recording area equal to or larger than a minimum recording unit specified in the recording medium (5) due to the presence of a recording area (6) of another data, that has already been recorded on the recording medium (5), is re-recorded on a recording area equal to or larger than the minimum recording unit. At this time, new data is generated by combining data less than the minimum recording unit, and data recorded in another recording area, and the new data is re-recorded on a new recording area.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting copy protection included in an input video signal is described. Two types of copy protection are particularly addressed, including techniques that imbed copy protection pulses and copy protection phase flips in the video signal. A method for preserving copy protection is also presented, where the input video signal is first examined to determine if copy protection has been included in the input video signal. The input video signal then converted to component video data, which removes any copy protection present. An output video signal is then generated from the component video data, and when it was determined that the input video signal includes copy protection, the copy protection is recreated in the output video signal.

Abstract: A hard disk recorder 1 is capable of performing fast-forward reproductions at 120× speed, 60× speed and 30× speed, and reproduces video images and audio sounds in a series of periodic reproduction zones in a video and audio file, each reproduction zone being for a predetermined reference time interval (e.g. 1 second), while skipping video images and audio sounds in other than the reproduction zones according to a ratio of the fast-forward speed to the predetermined reference time interval (skipping for 119 seconds at the 120× speed, 59 seconds at the 60× speed, and 29 seconds at the 30× speed, respectively). Each of the series of reproduction zones for the 120× speed, the series of reproduction zones for the 60× speed, and the series of reproduction zones for the 30× speed, each reproduction zone of which is for the reference time interval, is so set as to be free from overlap with the other series of reproduction zones.

Abstract: An encoded bit stream having a frame rate of 24 Hz or 23.976 Hz and a progressive format for both NTSC and PAL is recorded on a recording medium. An encoded stream reproduced from the recording medium is supplied to a decoder 20. In the decoder 20, the encoded stream is decoded and 24 p or 23.976 p video is obtained. A video converting portion 25 converts the reproduced video into a display video in accordance with the display format of a monitor 26. For the NTSC range, 29.97 i or 59.94 p display format can be used. For the PAL range, 25 i or 50 p display format can be used.

Abstract: A digital video recorder connected to a DV camcorder sends, to the camcorder upon detecting camcorder mode change from a reproduction mode to a rewind mode, a stop command to forward a DV tape toward its end until a newest time code coincides with a time code at a reproduction end position. Thereafter, upon completion of the tape forwarding, and upon camcorder mode change from a reproduction mode to a stop mode, the recorder sends a reproduction command to, and receives a response from, the camcorder, and determines, based on the response, result of the reproduction by the reproduction command. If the recorder determines the result as successful, it determines reproduction of the tape to be interrupted, while if it determines the result as failing, it determines dubbing of DV stream from the tape to be completed. This prevents omission of dubbing of DV stream from the tape without fail.

Abstract: A playback unit (3) reproduces contents which are recorded on a video cassette tape (2), and a recording unit (6) records the contents on another video cassette tape (7) and, simultaneously, an erasing unit (5) erases the contents from the video cassette tape (2). Thereby, the copy-inhibited contents recorded on the video cassette tape (2) can be transferred to the other video cassette tape (7) without copying the contents.

Abstract: A recording medium having a data structure for managing additional content data of main data recorded thereon in accordance with the present invention comprises a data area storing at least one clip file including main data and/or additional content data of the main data; and a navigation area storing a clip information file including information to indicate whether the clip file includes additional content data.

Abstract: An audio/video data recording/reproducing device is provided that allows all video and audio signals, which can be displayed by a display of the audio/video data recording/reproducing device proper, to be output to an exterior through a digital interface. Such audio/video signals are in the forms of, for example, files as recorded including a moving picture file, a still picture file, and a file resulting from synthesization of a moving picture file with a still picture file. When the digital interface of the recording/reproducing device is connected to a digital TV, a synthesized signal from a synthesizing part 117, after being encoded into an MPEG-TS in an encoder 103, is output from a 1394 interface part 121. When the digital interface is connected to another editor or recording device, a recording signal from a reproducing part 116 is output as it is from the 1394 interface part 121.

Abstract: The present invention provides a movie channel to a user on a mobile device. Movie based content associated with a movie channel is automatically delivered and stored on a mobile electronic device for access by a user. Using the device, users can quickly and efficiently access movie information without having to type in information, or specifically request the movie information to be downloaded to the device. The movie channel includes several different modes for categorically displaying different types of movie information. Some example modes include: a movies mode; a theaters mode; and a current top movies mode. The movies mode is organized to display information relating to particular movies on the electronic device. The theaters mode is arranged to display information relating to particular theaters on the electronic device. The current top movies mode displays information relating to the current “hot” movies.