Abstract: In a stereo sound digital recording system in which a plurality of tunes or programs are sequentially and digitally recorded on a magnetic tape, the left and right analog input signals are combined and converted to a digital signal. The analog input signals are also applied to a detector which detects the head of the program or tune and which causes to be generated a start identification sub-code signal which is automatically added to the digital signal, before the modulation thereof, and which is recorded on the tape for about nine seconds in the non-sound portion preceding the tune or program. A second sub-code signal, in the form of a program number signal, may also be added to the digital signal, simultaneously with the program start identification sub-code signal, to provide recorded numbers respectively identifying programs which are sequentially recorded on the tape.

Abstract: In a signal reproducing device such as an R-DAT video tape recorder, a digital signal recorded on the recording medium is reproduced by the magnetic head, stored in a memory, processed by a processing circuit, and converted into an analog signal by a D/A converter, and a detector detects whether or not the reproduction signal outputted by the head is present so that, according to the output of the detector, a muting circuit mutes the digital-to-analog converted signal and a driver suspends the operation of a level meter adapted to display the level of the digital signal, whereby the production of noise signals and the abnormal display of signal levels are prevented.

Abstract: A signal recording/reproducing apparatus having both bar-type and numeric signal-level displaying units which can be easily read. The apparatus includes a sample-and-hold circuit for sampling and holding an input signal at a first predetermined rate, a first display unit for displaying in bar form the sample values sampled by the sample-and-hold circuit, a data holding circuit for sampling and holding the sample values periodically at a second predetermined rate, and a second display unit for numerically displaying the sample values selected by the data holding circuit. The bar code display can change at a rapid rate to dynamically follow the input signal, while the numeric display changes at a slower rate so as to allow the user sufficient time to comprehend the numerically displayed value.