Abstract: An information playback apparatus is provided, which can provide a sound which sounds natural by controlling an abrupt change in a tempo in the case of random access playback. When a cue point is registered, audio data which makes seamless playback possible is stored into a cue point memory, and further, the beat density of a playback sound being played when the cue point is registered is measured and stored. When the cue point is specified to start random access playback later, a ratio of the beat density (?×DBPM) of a playback sound being played when the cue point is specified and the beat density (DBPMreg) stored in advance is found. Then, the random access playback is started after the beat density of a playback sound to be played after random access playback is started is corrected to be equal to the beat density when a start of the random access playback is specified.

Abstract: An information playback apparatus which can perform random access playback, reverse playback, shuttle playback, etc. quickly and seamlessly. A signal processing unit stores audio data read out from a disc into a buffer memory, and performs information processing for audio playback based on the audio data in the buffer memory. Audio data of certain time durations respectively corresponding to a past and a future with respect to the audio data currently being subjected to audio playback is replenished and stored into the buffer memory. When a jog dial is manipulated, reverse playback, shuttle playback, etc. are performed quickly and seamlessly based on the audio data in the buffer memory.

Abstract: An information playback apparatus is provided, which provides a more convenient operation when a piece of music or the like is switched to another to be played continuously and to play a sound which sounds natural during the switching manipulation. When a loop-in button key is manipulated to be ON, the number of beats (beat density) BPMreal per unit time of music or the like being played is measured, and a time (60/BPMreal)×Kbpm in proportion to a ratio of the beat density BPMreal to a certain beat density Kbpm pre-set by the user or the like is computed. Then, audio data, such as music, corresponding to a range from a point at which the loop-in button key is manipulated to be ON to a point at which the computed time has passed, is stored into a loop data memory. Consequently, repetitive playback is performed based on audio data stored in the loop data memory at a tempo (the number of beats per unit time) adjusted to the certain beat density Kbpm until a loop-off button key is manipulated to be ON.

Abstract: An information playback apparatus is provided, which can provide a sound which sounds natural by controlling an abrupt change in a tempo in the case of random access playback. When a cue point is registered, audio data which makes seamless playback possible is stored into a cue point memory, and further, the beat density of a playback sound being played when the cue point is registered is measured and stored. When the cue point is specified to start random access playback later, a ratio of the beat density (&agr;×DBPM) of a playback sound being played when the cue point is specified and the beat density (DBPMreg) stored in advance is found. Then, the random access playback is started after the beat density of a playback sound to be played after random access playback is started is corrected to be equal to the beat density when a start of the random access playback is specified.

Abstract: An information playback apparatus which can perform random access playback, reverse playback, shuttle playback, etc. quickly and seamlessly. A signal processing unit stores audio data read out from a disc into a buffer memory, and performs information processing for audio playback based on the audio data in the buffer memory. Audio data of certain time durations respectively corresponding to a past and a future with respect to the audio data currently being subjected to audio playback is replenished and stored into the buffer memory. When a jog dial is manipulated, reverse playback, shuttle playback, etc. are performed quickly and seamlessly based on the audio data in the buffer memory.

Abstract: Prior to the control of disk transportation, from each of plural incorporated disk drives, a changer controller acquires an identifier peculiar to the disk drive via a local bus line, and recognizes correspondence relationships between element addresses and the disk drives. In response to arrival of a first request command, the recognized correspondence relationships are sent to a computer system serving as the request source. Furthermore, in response to arrival of a second command, also each of the disk drives sends the identifier to the computer system serving as the request source via the SCSI controller.