Patent ID: 6272285
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: G11B,H04N

Abstract:
A helical scanning video tape recorder for recording video signals and audio video signals on a magnetic tape contained in a tape cassette using a rotary head and reproducing video signals and audio signals recorded on the magnetic tape using the rotary head said video tape recorder comprising:a pair of first magnetic heads mounted on the rotary drum diametrically opposite to each other;a pair of second magnetic heads mounted on the rotary drum diametrically opposite to each other;first signal recording processing means for converting a composite video signal into an FM luminance signal and a down-converted chrominance signal and for supplying the FM luminance signal and the down-converted chrominance signal to said pair of first magnetic heads;first signal reproducing processing means for processing signals read by said pair of first magnetic heads to produce a composite video signal;second signal recording processing means for modulating the frequency of an audio signal and for supplying the FM audio signal to said pair of second magnetic heads;second signal reproducing processing means for demodulating FM audio signals read by said pair of second magnetic heads;third signal recording processing means for converting a digital signal into a signal having a frequency in a frequency band higher than the frequency band of said audio signal and for supplying a converted signal to said pair of second magnetic heads;third signal reproducing processing means for demodulating a modulated digital signal read by said pair of second magnetic heads;detecting means for determining whether or not a signal read by said pair of second magnetic heads is a digital signal;control means for selecting an operating mode on the basis of the type of signal detected by said detecting means, wherein said control means controls the respective output signals of said second signal reproducing processing means and said third signal reproducing processing means on the basis of type of the signal detected by said detecting means;a receiving unit that receives data-compressed digital information and converts the data-compressed digital information into desired data-compressed signals;a decoding circuit that converts a digital signal into a video signal and an audio signal by data expansion;a first switch connected to the input side of said decoding circuit to transfer selectively either a digital signal provided by said third signal reproducing processing means or a digital signal provided by said receiving unit;a second switch to transfer selectively either a video signal provided by said decoding circuit or a video signal provided by said first signal reproducing processing means; anda third switch to transfer selectively either an audio signal provided by said second signal reproducing processing means or an audio signal provided by said decoding circuit,wherein said control means controls said first, said second and said third switches on the basis of a result of detection by said detecting means.