Abstract: A portable video recorder transduces video signals onto an elongated medium. The transducer-to-medium velocity is controlled by a rotary member such as a capstan, turntable or headwheel. In portable applications, motion of the recorder causes accelerations or variations in velocity of the rotary member which affects the regular spacing on the medium of sync or timing signals transduced thereto. Regular spacing of sync signals is desirable for good reproduction on playback. Timing or sync signals generated by the rotary members are used to control the rate of the timing signals of the video to be recorded as they are applied to the transducer, thereby making the spacing regular.

Abstract: An adder circuit is described for producing signals representative of the sum of large numbers of block-synchronized digital signals each of which may have any value within the range of quantizing levels represented. The adder circuit includes one or more binary counters coupled to count bits of the input signal having a particular significance. Counting takes place during an active interval such as a television field interval, and the counters are reset after each counting interval. The counter outputs are latched either before or after processing by addition of other counter outputs. The latched signal represents the sum of the values of the words in one sync block.

Abstract: A television camera-recorder combination includes an imager which forms a signal representative of the image during an integration interval. The integration interval is followed by a pull-down interval during which the integrated signal is transferred out of the photoresponsive region. Streaking of an image displayed from the signal results from light falling on the photoresponsive region during the pull-down interval. A mechanical shutter periodically prevents light from falling upon the photoresponsive region of the imager. The shutter is synchronized with the pull-down interval. The synchronization and drive arrangement of the video recorder portion is mechanically coupled to the shutter to provide a common drive. In another embodiment, a color wheel associated with the viewfinder of the camera is mechanically coupled to the video recorder drive arrangement for common mechanical drive.

Abstract: An improved transmission arrangement for a color television signal includes a time-division multiplexing apparatus for alternately presenting for transmission through a single channel baseband signals defining the chrominance information of the television signal. In order to provide improved resolution, a store is coupled to the signal source for storing at a writing rate a first of the baseband components during the time at which it is generated. A read generator is coupled to the store for reading the stored baseband component at a higher data rate than that at which it was generated. The baseband component is transmitted through the single channel at the higher data rate.

Abstract: A noise reduction circuit which operates on the principle of coring includes a variable offset potential source in series with one diode which is connected antiparallel with a second diode. The output terminal of the parallel circuit is connected to an integrating capacitor so that the turn-on potential of the diode circuit floats with the output potential. The variable offset potential source is responsive to the output potential to apply varying forward or back bias to one of the diodes and thereby change the coring threshold of the diode dependent upon signal amplitude. The variable offset potential source consists of a resistor connected between two variable current sources configured to provide equal currents of opposite polarity thereto. A digital implementation is also included.

Abstract: A wide-angle television system, such as one having 2:1 or 5:3 aspect ratios, provides N portions that exceed the limits of a conventional 4:3 aspect ratio picture in regions that are normally hidden from view in a conventional receiver. Further, a receiver is provided wherein the picture is changed from the wide-angle display to the standard display by collapsing the horizontal scanning only. In another arrangement standard definition kinescopes having aspect ratios of 4:3 are masked in a special manner to provide a 5:3 aspect ratio display which may be collapsed to provide a 4:3 standard aspect ratio pictures.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting errors in color signal transitions includes a signal scaling device and a signal mixing device. A wide bandwidth luminance signal is applied to the signal scaling device which develops a limiting signal for a particular narrow bandwidth color difference or primary color signal. This limiting signal is mixed with its associated color difference or primary color signal by the signal mixing device. The output of the signal mixing device is a color difference or primary color signal that has amplitude values less than or equal to the amplitude values of the limit signal.

Abstract: A wide-angle television system, such as one having 2:1 or 5:3 aspect ratios, transmits end portions that exceed the limits of a conventional 4:3 aspect ratio picture in regions that are normally hidden from view in a conventional receiver. Thus the system is compatible with such a receiver. These regions can comprise the overscan region, blanking intervals, high frequency portions of a chroma signal, etc. Time compression of the end portions can also be used. At a wide-angle receiver, inverse processing is used to reassemble a wide-angle picture.

Abstract: A video signal is serially enclosed for transmission in PCM form during synchronizing level intervals and encoded in a run length limited NRZ form during non-synchronizing level intervals, each PCM word being selected from minimum and maximum disallowed states of the NRZ code. In a decoder, a first detector responds only to the presence of the PCM code for synchronizing a second detector with response to both the NRZ and PCM coded portions of the encoded video signal to provide a decoded video output signal whereby the PCM portion of the signal conveys both decoder timing information and information as to a specific level of the video signal.

Abstract: A digital signal coring circuit removes from a stream of incoming digital data words low-valued variations lying between upper and lower threshold reference values. Upper and lower threshold values are adjusted in response to the value of the outgoing cored digital data words so that such low-valued variations are removed over the entire range of values of the digital data words, and not merely around a baseline value.

Abstract: A video FM transmission system includes a transmitter coupled to a receiver by means of an FM transmission path subject to triangular noise effects. The receiver includes a coring circuit for reducing the noise and the transmitter includes a coring compensation circuit having a transfer function different from and not complementary to the transfer function of the coring circuit. The transfer functions are selected so as to effect greater coring of the triangular noise characteristic of the FM transmission system and lesser coring of the desired small-signal high-frequency components of the video signal thereby providing a desired signal-to-noise ratio enhancement of the video. In preferred embodiments of the invention the transfer functions of both the coring circuit and the coring compensation circuit are provided by programmed read only memories having different and non-complementary programs.

Abstract: A matrix for digital video signals separates each coefficient into a binary part and a remainder. The binary part can be implemented very simply by a hardwired right shift. The remainder can be implemented using a ROM. Less ROM memory space is required than for implementing the entire coefficient in a ROM.

Abstract: A television camera or other source of color-representative signals such as R, G and B includes a matrix to which the R, G and B signals are applied to form luminance (Y) and color-difference (I,Q) signals. The source and matrix are coupled together by way of a signal path having a particular response or transfer function for the R, G and B signals over their normal range. Unavoidable noise occurring in the signals near black level may perturb the color-representative signals, and causes color errors. The errors are reduced by arranging the coupling to have a response to negative noise peaks into the blacker-than-black region. The response outside this normal range is complementary to the response within the normal range. In a particular embodiment the coupling includes a gamma corrector which has complementary response in the blacker-than-black region.

Abstract: Two or more CCD imagers, which have random defects are optically coupled to form a single image. The CCD's are in registry. Because of the random nature of the location of the defects, the defective photosensors of one imager are aligned with good photosensors of another. Memories keep track of which locations of which CCD are defective. The imagers are operated synchronously and the signals from good photosensor locations are summmed for improved signal-to-noise ratio. When a location is addressed at which one imager has a defective photosensor, the respective memory decouples it from the good photosensor of the other imager. The signal level is restored for that pixel by increasing the gain of a preamp by the correct amount. If the imagers are made from the same mask, they may have almost identically corresponding defective photosensors. Then one imager is mounted upside-down relative to the other and scanned backwards so the defects do not coincide.

Abstract: A television camera-recorder combination includes an imager which forms a signal representative of the image during an integration interval. The integration interval is followed by a pull-down interval during which the integrated signal is transferred out of the photoresponsive region. Streaking of an image displayed from the signal results from light falling on the photoresponsive region during the pull-down interval. A mechanical shutter periodically prevents light from falling upon the photoresponsive region of the imager. The shutter is synchronized with the pull-down interval. The synchronization and drive arrangement of the video recorder portion is mechanically coupled to the shutter to provide a common drive. In another embodiment, a color wheel associated with the viewfinder of the camera is mechanically coupled to the video recorder drive arrangement for common mechanical drive.

Abstract: A high speed multiplier, such as for video signals features cascaded ROMs. Each ROM is divided into pages, and each page contains different multiplying coefficients. Different significant bits of a control signal are applied to each ROM to select a page for processing the video signal.

Abstract: A high-definition television system for electronic cinematography includes vertical scanning for ease of line-rate transcoding or adaptation to standard-definition television systems. The number of vertical line-scans is selected for transcoding to a standard-definition system by deleting alternate vertical line-scan samples.

Abstract: A television arrangement generates signals from independent pairs of adjacent lines. The signals are separately summed and differenced to produce S and .DELTA. signals. The S signal is representative of the luminance of a scan between the original scans, and the .DELTA. represents vertical resolution. The signals are transmitted to a monitor for generating a high-vertical-resolution picture. Where the display is a color TV receiver, the .DELTA. signal may be buried within the chroma channel by frequency interleaving with the .DELTA. signal occuring only in locations representing high-frequency vertical information. The buried .DELTA. signal is invisible on a conventional receiver. Other independent data may be coupled through the chroma channel by frequency interleaving.

Abstract: A sampled color video signal is recorded in component form in a plurality of channels. The form of the signal is chosen so that if only one channel is available due to dropouts upon playback, then at least approximate separation into color components is possible, and if all channels are available, then full color separation is possible. The form is also chosen to provide a dynamic range that fits the transmission channel.

Abstract: An encoding apparatus samples the luminance component of a video signal at a rate sufficient to avoid aliasing. Wide band chroma components are sampled at one half this rate so that aliasing occurs. A decoder determines the direction of least resolution of each sample of the luminance signal and averages the chroma signals in this direction for each sample to eliminate aliases.