Patent ID: 8687939
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: G11B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A recording/reproducing system comprising a main apparatus that processes video data and audio data, and an external recording apparatus connectable to said main apparatus to record and reproduce said video data and said audio data processed by said main apparatus, wherein said external recording apparatus includes a recording/reproducing section configured to record and reproduce said processed video data and said audio data, said recording/reproducing section being selectively operable for turning on and off cache recording of the processed video and audio data, such that when cache recording is turned on, the processed video and audio data is temporarily stored awaiting an instruction to start recording, an input/output section configured to input to and output from said main apparatus the processed video data and audio data recorded or reproduced by said recording/reproducing section, a recording/reproducing-use operation unit configured to issue an instruction to record or reproduce said processed video data and said audio data, a display section configured to display an external recording apparatus menu screen particular to and associated with said external recording apparatus and normally displayed on said external recording apparatus but normally not displayed at said main apparatus when said external recording apparatus and said main apparatus are not connected to each other, a menu-use operation unit configured to issue an instruction to display said menu screen, and select a menu displayed on said menu screen, and a control section configured to control operations of said recording/reproducing section and said display section, wherein said main apparatus includes an input/output section configured to input from said external recording apparatus or output to said external recording apparatus said processed video data and said audio data from said external recording apparatus, a processing section configured to process said video data and said audio data inputted or outputted by the input/output section of said main apparatus, a main apparatus display section configured to display a main apparatus menu screen particular to said main apparatus and not displayed on the display section of said external recording apparatus, a menu-use operation unit configured to issue an instruction to display said main apparatus menu screen on said main apparatus display section, and select an item displayed on said menu screen, and a control section configured to control operations of said processing section and said main apparatus display section, wherein the control section of said external recording apparatus wherein the control section of said main apparatus, when said external recording apparatus is not connected to said main apparatus, wherein the control section of said external recording apparatus and the control section of said main apparatus, when said external recording apparatus is connected to said main apparatus, causes the external recording apparatus menu screen particular to and associated with said external recording apparatus and normally displayed on the menu screen of said external recording apparatus to be provided to said main apparatus, and causes said provided external recording apparatus menu screen associated with and normally displayed on said external recording apparatus to be added to the main apparatus menu screen and displayed as a combined external recording apparatus menu screen and main apparatus menu screen on the menu screen of said main apparatus, and accepts a selection of a menu item associated with said external recording apparatus and displayed on the combined menu by operation of the menu-use operation unit of said main apparatus, and causes said control section of said external recording apparatus to control operations in accordance with said accepted selection of the menu item displayed on said combined menu.