Abstract: The present invention is directed to a disc reproducing apparatus in which a signal recorded on a disc is optically read out from the disc and reproduced as an audio signal. This disc reproducing apparatus includes a memory in which digital data is stored temporarily, a controller for controlling write and read of the memory such that the digital data is intermittently written in the memory at the first transfer rate and the digital data is continuously read out from the memory at a second transfer rate lower than the first transfer rate and a display device for displaying an amount of the digital data stored in the memory so that an increase or decrease of the amount of the digital data can be visually confirmed. Further, the present invention is directed to a disc recording apparatus in which an input digital audio signal is encoded and recorded on a disc. This disc recording apparatus includes a memory in which compressed data is temporarily stored.

Abstract: A disc loading device for loading discs of different diameters on a disc rotating driving device provided within a outer casing is disclosed. The discs are the recording media on which information signals are pre-recorded or are to be recorded. The disc loading device includes a supporting base provided with the disc rotating driving device for rotationally driving the discs, and a disc transporting tray for holding and transporting the discs. The disc transporting tray is arranged above the supporting base and is movable between a position in which it is drawn into an outer casing containing the supporting base and a position in which it is drawn out of the outer casing.

Abstract: A multiple disc changer apparatus has an elastic support mechanism for supporting the recording/reproducing unit on a main body of the apparatus and includes a locking mechanism for controlling the elastic support of the elastic support mechanism when a disc is loaded on the recording/reproducing unit by a chucking mechanism.

Abstract: A disc changer device includes a housing section, a transporting unit, a recording and/or reproducing unit and a movement unit. The housing section houses a number of discs, such as compact discs, with a pre-set distance between neighboring discs, in a state in which disc surfaces face one another. The transport unit holds one of the discs in the housing section from the direction of disc thickness for transport between it and the recording and/or reproducing unit. The recording and/or reproducing unit records and/or reproduces the disc transported from the housing section by the transporting unit. The movement unit moves at least one of the discs positioned in the housing section and held by the transporting unit in a direction away from the disc held by the transporting unit when holding the disc from the direction of disc thickness out of the housing section by the transporting unit and/or when returning the disc by the transporting unit into the housing section.

Abstract: A disc changer device includes a housing section, a transporting unit, a recording and/or reproducing unit and a movement unit. The housing section houses a number of discs, such as compact discs, with a pre-set distance between neighboring discs, in a state in which disc surfaces face one another. The transport unit holds one of the discs in the housing section from the direction of disc thickness for transport between it and the recording and/or reproducing unit. The recording and/or reproducing unit records and/or reproduces the disc transported from the housing section by the transporting unit. The movement unit moves at least the discs positioned in the housing section and held by the transporting unit in a direction away from the disc held by the transporting unit when holding the disc from the direction of disc thickness out of the housing section by the transporting unit and/or when returning the disc by the transporting unit into the housing section.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a rotatable housing unit containing a large number of discs arranged in the erect or upright position. The housing unit is arranged on a pivot and the discs are held in the upright or erected positions in the housing unit radially around the pivot. A rotational drive unit rotates the housing unit in response to a signal from an input unit and a detector detects the amount of housing unit rotation. A disc reproducing and/or recording unit is arranged in the plane perpendicular to a plane formed by connecting apices of the number of discs in the housing unit, so that a desired one of the discs arranged as a horizontal toroid can be taken out in a direction perpendicular to the flat surfaces of the disc, that is, perpendicular to the disc in-plane direction.

Abstract: A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a disk exchanging function includes a stocker portion, a rotary drive mechanism, a recording and/or reproducing mechanism and a conveying mechanism. The stocker portion stocks therein a plurality of disks lengthwise. The stocker portion includes a plurality of recess portions in which a plurality of disks are stocked. A plurality of recess portions are disposed radially. The recess portion has a substantially V-like cross section at its portion contacting with an outer peripheral edge portion of the disk. The rotary drive mechanism rotates the stocker portion. The recording and/or reproducing mechanism records and/or reproduces the disk. The conveying mechanism extracts a desired disk from the stocker portion rotated by the rotary drive mechanism, conveys the extracted desired disk to the recording and/or reproducing mechanism, extracts the disk from the recording and/or reproducing mechanism and conveys the disk to the stocker portion.

Abstract: A disk player capable of selectively reproducing a plurality of optical disks includes a rotary table, a reproducing mechanism, a supporting member and a drive mechanism. The rotary table includes a plurality of concave portions on which a plurality of disk-like recording mediums are set. The reproducing mechanism includes a disk rotation drive portion for rotating the disk and a head for reading out an information signal from the disk. The supporting member includes the reproducing mechanism. The supporting member is moved between an elevated position at which the disk is rotated by the disk rotation drive portion and in which an information is reproduced from the disk by the head and a lowered position at which the disk rotation drive portion is detached from the disk-like recording medium. The drive mechanism drives the rotary table and the supporting member.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for discs includes a housing unit housing a large number of discs, a recording and/or reproducing unit on which one of the discs held within a large number of disc holders provided in the housing unit is selectively loaded, and a transporting mechanism for transporting the disc held within a selected one of the holders of the housing unit to the recording and/or reproducing unit. The disc transporting mechanism detects whether or not the disc is held in the holder. A detection switch is activated when no disc is present in the holder. The housing unit includes a plurality of the holders positioned radially such that the disc surfaces are held upright. The selected disc held in the holder of the disc transporting mechanism is transported by the transporting mechanism in the upright position to the disc reproducing unit and loaded therein.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for discs including a housing unit housing a large number of discs, a recording and/or reproducing unit on which one of the discs held within a large number of disc holders provided in the housing unit is selectively loaded and a transporting mechanism for transporting the disc held within a pre-set one of the holders of the housing unit to the recording and/or reproducing unit. In the course of transporting the disc, the disc transporting mechanism detects whether or not the disc is held in the holder. The housing unit include a plurality of the holders for radially holding the discs with the disc surfaces being erected upright. The disc held in the holder is transported by the transporting mechanism in the upstanding position as far as the disc reproducing unit and there loaded.