Abstract: Copyright of contents to be transmitted may be protected for an analog signal produced by converting a digital signal representative of the contents. A signal transmission apparatus determines whether the contents are protected by copyright by detecting copyright protection information of a digital image signal of the contents at a protection information detecting unit, and scrambles an analog image signal converted from the digital image signal to output when the copyright is protected, or prohibits outputting of the analog image signal. When a receiving apparatus receives a transmitted signal, the apparatus generates a digital image signal and the analog image signal based on the transmitted signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus comprising a receiver and capable of judging what kind of content is being input. In step S1, the receiver receives a content that is broadcast in real time. When outputting the received content to a different apparatus connected to the receiver illustratively via a digital bus, the receiver supplements the output content with a broadcast bit set to indicate the real-time nature of the broadcast content. On detecting the broadcast bit set in the input content, the different apparatus judges that the content in question is being broadcast in real time. If no broadcast bit is found set in the input content, the different apparatus judges the content to have been reproduced from storage. This invention applies illustratively to receivers for receiving TV broadcasts.

Abstract: Copyright of contents to be transmitted may be protected for an analog signal produced by converting a digital signal representative of the contents. A signal transmission apparatus determines whether the contents are protected by copyright by detecting copyright protection information of a digital image signal of the contents at a protection information detecting unit, and scrambles an analog image signal converted from the digital image signal to output when the copyright is protected, or prohibits outputting of the analog image signal. When a receiving apparatus receives a transmitted signal, the apparatus generates a digital image signal and the analog image signal based on the transmitted signal.