Abstract: The present invention makes possible recording motion pictures accurately starting at a point where a start recording event is received. The recording includes those pictures prior to the start recording event using a picture compressing method that compresses pictures both before and after the starting event, typically using the MPEG2 compression system. To make the above recording method possible, the present invention provides a signal processor and a photographic device that can search a motion vector for changing the object searching range properly, set an compression amount allocation for each picture type, and allow optimized parameters to be set when a start recording event is generated. The pictures processed before the start recording event is generated are stored in a memory buffer and on a recording medium so as to be used for recording or reproduction data entered after the recording starting time.

Abstract: The present invention makes possible recording motion pictures accurately starting at a point where a start recording event is received. The recording includes those pictures prior to the start recording event using a picture compressing method that compresses pictures both before and after the starting event, typically using the MPEG2 compression system. To make the above recording method possible, the present invention provides a signal processor and a photographic device that can search a motion vector for changing the object searching range properly, set an compression amount allocation for each picture type, and allow optimized parameters to be set when a start recording event is generated. The pictures processed before the start recording event is generated are stored in a memory buffer and on a recording medium so as to be used for recording or reproduction data entered after the recording starting time.

Abstract: The present invention makes possible recording motion pictures accurately starting at a point where a start recording event is received. The recording includes those pictures prior to the start recording event using a picture compressing method that compresses pictures both before and after the starting event, typically using the MPEG2 compression system. To make the above recording method possible, the present invention provides a signal processor and a photographic device that can search a motion vector for changing the object searching range properly, set an compression amount allocation for each picture type, and allow optimized parameters to be set when a start recording event is generated. The pictures processed before the start recording event is generated are stored in a memory buffer and on a recording medium so as to be used for recording or reproduction data entered after the recording starting time.

Abstract: In the coding of a dynamic image signal that conforms to the MPEG-2 Standard, when one-picture two-path coding is performed, the capacity of a memory for storing one-picture image data is reduced while lowering a throughput to be executed repetitively. Further, a throughput for estimating a generated code amount is reduced. This dynamic image compression coding apparatus has a memory that splits quantization processing into division processing using a quantization matrix and division processing using a quantization scale and temporarily stores one-picture data after quantization using the quantization matrix. In the first coding performed for estimating a code amount generated every macro block, the quantization processing is performed using a bit shift instead of division. Further, round-off processing in the quantization processing is substituted for round-down processing.

Abstract: In on-demand distribution, suitable image information corresponding to a receiver terminal and a distribution line is distributed and, even when a user uses a plurality of receiver terminals, distribution can be interrupted and resumed. By selecting and/or processing resolution information, advertisement image information, text information, and reproduction time information of the received-image information based on information relating to a receiver terminal and information relating to a distribution line provided separately, an image distribution apparatus distributes suitable image information corresponding to the receiver terminal and distribution line. When the distribution was interrupted, the apparatus stores a break point at which the distribution was interrupted for each user.