Recording and reproducing apparatus which prohibits copying of an externally supplied signal and allows unlimited copying of an internally generated signal

In an recording and reproducing apparatus which is arranged to receive a plurality of kinds of input signals and record one of the input signals as a digital signal and also to reproduce and output the recorded signal, the kinds of the respective input signals are detected and permission or inhibition of the subsequent copying of the input signals is determined on the basis of their respective detected kinds. If the input signals contains a signal whose subsequent copying is beforehand permitted, copying of the signal is permitted, while if the input signals contains a signal whose subsequent copying is beforehand inhibited, copying of the signal is inhibited.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus 
arranged to perform digital recording and reproduction of an audio signal, 
a video signal and the like. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
A recording and reproducing apparatus which is called "DAT (digital audio 
tape recorder)" has heretofore been known. In the recording and 
reproducing apparatus, an audio signal is digitally recorded and 
reproduced on and from a magnetic tape by using a rotary head. 
Recently, for the purpose of copyright protection, a system for managing an 
information copying operation, which is called "SCMS (serial copy 
management system)", has been introduced into such a DAT. 
This system is intended to impose a certain limitation on the operation of 
performing serial copying. In the SCMS, if a tape on which original 
information is recorded is referred to as "first-generation tape", copying 
of a digital audio signal from the first-generation tape to a 
"second-generation" tape is permitted, but copying of the digital audio 
signal to a "third-generation" tape, "fourth-generation" tape or later is 
inhibited. 
However, since the above-described SCMS unconditionally imposes the 
limitation on the number of times of copying operations, a DAT user 
encounters the following problem in the case of a tape for which it is not 
necessary to impose any particular limitation on the number of times of 
copying operations, such as an original tape on which the DAT user himself 
has made a recording by using a microphone. For example, even if the DAT 
user desires to produce a plurality of copies of the third generation or 
later from his original tape to distribute them to other persons, he will 
be inconveniently inhibited from producing such copies. 
Also, developments of digital VTRs arranged to perform digital recording of 
video signals have recently been in progress. If the SCMS is introduced 
into such a digital VTR, for example, the following problem will occur. 
In general, a process for producing an original work by using a video 
camera-integrated type VTR includes the steps of making tape recordings of 
a multiplicity of materials by using a video camera and a microphone, then 
assembling and editing the tape-recorded materials to prepare a tape of 
the second generation, then adding music, such as BGM (background music), 
to the tape, and finally performing predetermined processings such as 
mixing-down of the sound recordings, thereby finishing the original work 
in the form of a recording made on a tape of the third generation. 
Accordingly, although in the simplest process it is possible to finish the 
work on the second-generation tape, it is commonly necessary to make tape 
copies of up to at least the third generation. If the quality of the work 
is to be further improved, it is necessary to make a tape copy of the 
fourth generation or later. However, if the tape copy of the fourth 
generation or later is to be prepared, the SCMS will serve as a very 
inconvenient system. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to solve the 
above-described problems. 
To achieve the above object, in accordance with one aspect of the present 
invention, there is provided a recording apparatus which comprises 
information collecting means, external input means for inputting a signal 
which is externally supplied, recording means for recording, as a digital 
signal, either one of information collected by said information collecting 
means and the signal inputted from said external input means, and copy 
management means for enabling, if the signal inputted from said external 
input means is to be recorded, a copying inhibition signal to be recorded 
together with the signal inputted from said external input means. 
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present 
invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of 
preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with 
the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with 
reference to the accompanying drawings. 
First, a copy management system for a recording and reproducing apparatus 
according to the present invention will be described below. 
Table 1 shows a copy management code which is set for the purpose of copy 
management based on the above-described SCMS, as well as the definition of 
the copy management code. The copy management code is recorded on a tape 
together with other information. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
COPY 
MANAGEMENT CODE 
DEFINITION ACCORDING TO SCMS 
______________________________________ 
00 PERMIT COPYING 
10 INHIBIT COPYING 
11 PERMIT COPYING ONLY ONCE 
01 UNDEFINED 
______________________________________ 
The operation of a recording side of the recording and reproducing 
apparatus at the time of reception of a copy management code reproduced 
during reproduction from a tape will be described below with reference to 
Table 1. The copy management code "00" indicates that digital data can be 
copied in digital form. The copy management code "10" indicates that 
digital-to-digital copying is inhibited and also that copying of 
information is permitted only in the form of an analog signal, i.e., only 
so-called analog copying is permitted. The copy management code "11" 
indicates that copying of digital data is permitted only once. The copy 
management code "01" is left undefined. 
Table 2 shows a category code indicative of the kinds of information signal 
sources. The category code consists of 8-bit data which is set so that it 
can be used in an input selector of AV (audio and video) equipment for the 
purpose of identifying each individual information source. 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
CATEGORY CODE SIGNAL SOURCE 
______________________________________ 
00000000 OTHER GENERAL SOURCES 
10000000 CD 
11000000 DAT 
11000001 DAT:P 
00110000 DIGITAL VTR 
00110001 DIGITAL VTR:P 
00111000 CAMERA-INTEGRATED TYPE VTR 
______________________________________ 
The SCMS is formed by the combination of the aforesaid two kinds of codes, 
the copy management code and the category code. Although the copy 
management code is a 2-bit code, there is also provided a system which 
uses a copy management code consisting of a 1-bit code as will be 
described later. In such a system, it is possible to determined whether 
analog copying is possible, whether digital copying is permitted only 
once, and so on, by detecting what type of information signal source is 
used. 
Table 3 shows a specific example of a copy management code which is 
assigned to each individual tape when a second-generation tape is to be 
produced from a first-generation tape in a digital VTR. 
TABLE 3 
______________________________________ 
MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT 
CODE TYPE CODE 
FIRST- OF SECOND- 
GENERATION COPYING GENERATION 
TAPE CATEGORY LIMITATION TAPE 
______________________________________ 
00 DIGITAL VTR PERMITTED 00 
10 DIGITAL VTR INHIBITED 10 
11 DIGITAL VTR:P 
INHIBITED 10 
______________________________________ 
According to Table 3, if the copy management code of a first-generation 
tape is "00" and the category "DIGITAL VTR" is selected, it is determined 
that copying is permitted, and the copy management code "00" is recorded 
on a second-generation tape. If the copy management code of the 
first-generation tape is "10" and the category "DIGITAL VTR" is similarly 
selected, it is determined that copying is inhibited, and the copy 
management code "10" is recorded on the second-generation tape. If the 
copy management code of the first-generation tape is "11", the category is 
set to "DIGITAL VTR:P" for convenience' sake and a copying inhibition code 
is outputted, although at this time only, the apparatus is controlled so 
that digital copying is executable. However, the copy management code "10" 
is recorded on the second-generation tape to inhibit digital copying of 
the third generation or later. 
Table 4 shows a copy management code which is assigned to each individual 
tape in the case of the category "VIDEO CAMERA-INTEGRATED TYPE VTR". 
TABLE 4 
______________________________________ 
MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT 
CODE TYPE CODE 
FIRST- OF SECOND- 
GENERATION COPYING GENERATION 
TAPE CATEGORY LIMITATION TAPE 
______________________________________ 
00 VIDEO PERMITTED 00 
CAMERA- 
INTEGRATED 
TYPE VTR 
10 VIDEO INHIBITED 10 
CAMERA- 
INTEGRATED 
TYPE VTR 
11 VIDEO INHIBITED 10 
CAMERA- 
INTEGRATED 
TYPE VTR:P 
______________________________________ 
In Table 4, there is shown the manner in which the copy management code 
"00" is assigned to a recording tape (first-generation tape) on which 
original information is recorded by the video camera-integrated type VTR 
and a second-generation tape takes over the copy management code "00" from 
the first-generation tape. The copy management code "00" is similarly 
taken over by copies of the third generation or later, so that these 
copies are released from the limitations of digital copy management. 
However, regarding an external digital input signal inputted from an 
external input terminal, a copying inhibition code or a code for 
permitting copying only once is set similarly to the codes for recording 
apparatus belonging to the other categories. In other words, in this case, 
the copy management code "10" indicative of inhibition of copying is 
recorded on the second-generation tape on which a copy has been made. 
Incidentally, there also exists an apparatus of the type in which the type 
of a copying limitation is determined on only-one-bit basis, for various 
historical reasons such as the development history of DAT products and the 
standardization history of the SCMS. To assure the compatibility of such 
an apparatus with newly developed products, the category code is used 
together with the copy management code. Also, if a copy management code is 
newly set for the video camera-integrated type VTR, a simpler arrangement 
can be realized. 
The video camera-integrated type VTR according to the first embodiment of 
the present invention will be described below. 
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the video 
camera-integrated type digital VTR according to the first embodiment of 
the present invention. 
In the shown video camera-integrated type digital VTR, audio information, 
such as a sound captured by a microphone 21, is outputted in the form of 
an analog signal, and is then inputted into a switch SW1 together with an 
analog audio signal inputted from an external audio input terminal 11. The 
analog audio signal selected by the switch SW1 is inputted into an 
analog-digital (A/D) converter 37, in which the analog audio signal is 
converted into digital data. 
In the meantime, a digital audio signal is inputted from an external audio 
input terminal 12, and is then inputted into a switch SW2 together with 
the digital data outputted from the A/D converter 37. A digital data 
string selected by the switch SW2 is supplied to a time base compressing 
circuit 25, in which the digital data string is subjected to time base 
compression. 
In the present embodiment, a video signal formed by a video camera 22 is 
assumed to be a digital signal. As a technique for outputting a digital 
video signal from the video camera 22, the technique of outputting digital 
data formed by quantization of, for example, 8 bits for each pixel has 
been implemented by recent advances in the digitization of signal 
processing for digital cameras. However, detailed description thereof is 
omitted herein for the sake of simplicity. 
An analog video signal and a digital video signal are respectively inputted 
from external video input terminals 13 and 14, and the analog video signal 
inputted from the external video input terminal 13 is converted into a 
digital video signal by an A/D converter 38. The digital video signal from 
the external video input terminal 14, the digital video signal from the 
A/D converter 38 and the digital video signal from the video camera 22 are 
supplied to a switch SW3. The switch SW3 selects and outputs one of the 
three digital video signals. 
The digital video signal outputted from the switch SW3 is supplied to an 
image compressing circuit 26, in which the digital video signal is 
subjected to compression of image information (data). In general, in 
consumer's digital VTRs, to record the image information (data) on a tape 
without unnecessary consumption thereof, it is desired to compress the 
image information (i.e., reduce the amount of data of the image 
information) at a high compression ratio. For example, coordinate 
transformation techniques such as DCT (discrete cosine transform) are 
employed to perform compression of approximately 1/4-1/10. As a result, a 
certain degree of deterioration of image quality is caused by such a 
compression processing as well as by performing an image information 
(data) expansion processing corresponding to the compression processing. 
To prevent a deterioration from occurring in image quality owing to 
repetitions of dubbing (tape copying, information copying or the like), 
the present embodiment is provided with a dubbing input terminal 141 so 
that dubbing can be performed in the form of a compressed digital video 
signal. A signal formed by time-base multiplexing a digital audio signal 
and digital video signal is inputted to the dubbing input terminal 141. 
The signal has a form extremely close to the form of a signal to be 
recorded. 
A copy management code generator 23 receives the digital audio signal (*A) 
inputted to the terminal 12, the digital video signal (*B) inputted to the 
terminal 14, and the aforesaid time-base multiplexed signal (*C) inputted 
to the terminal 141, and then extracts copy management codes added to the 
respective digital signals. The copy management code generator 23 
generates copy management information to be newly copied as will be 
described later, from the extracted copy management codes and information 
supplied from a system controller 28. 
Which of the digital signals is to be recorded as a recording signal and 
which of the modes of the VTR is to be selected are determined by an 
operating key 36 operated by an operator. The system controller 28 
determines the mode of the VTR in accordance with the state of operation 
of the operating key 36, and executes selection of digital audio and video 
signals to be recorded by means of selection signals #1 and #2. The signal 
#1 is a signal for controlling the switches SW1 and switch SW2, while the 
signal #2 is a signal for controlling the switch SW3. Each of the signals 
#1 and #2 consists of data of 2 bits or more. 
A display part 35 displays the mode of the VTR, an answer given by the 
system and so on, and is driven on the basis of data supplied from the 
system controller 28. The system controller 28 outputs control data to a 
servo circuit 311 in accordance with the selected mode and causes the 
servo circuit 311 to control a drum motor 312 for rotating a rotary drum 
equipped with rotary recording heads 306 and 310 as well as a capstan 
motor 313 for driving a magnetic tape 300. 
The digital audio signal from the time base compressing circuit 25, the 
compressed digital video signal from the image compressing circuit 26, and 
the copy management code from the copy management code generator 23 are 
inputted into a channel distributor 301. The channel distributor 301 forms 
an information block containing these signals and codes, and distributes 
the information block to individual recording channels. 
In the present embodiment, the channel distributor 301 distributes the 
information block into two channels, a channel leading to a head of plus 
(+) azimuth and a channel leading to a head of minus (-) azimuth, and 
outputs to the respective channels time division multiplexed signals each 
including the digital video signal, the digital audio signal and the copy 
management code. 
The respective time division multiplexed signals outputted from the channel 
distributor 301 are supplied to error correction encoding circuits 302 and 
307, in which check codes are added to the time division multiplexed 
signals as error correcting codes, respectively. The outputs from the 
error correction encoding circuits 302 and 307 are subjected to digital 
modulation in digital modulators 303 and 308 in order to reduce the DC 
components and low-frequency signals of the respective outputs. After 
that, the digital modulators 303 and 308 supply the digitally modulated 
signals to recording amplifiers 304 and 309, respectively. The signals 
amplified by the recording amplifiers 304 and 309 are respectively 
supplied to the rotary recording heads 306 and 310 via a rotary 
transformer 305, and the rotary recording heads 306 and 310 form a 
multiplicity of parallel tracks on the magnetic tape 300 as shown in FIG. 
2. 
FIG. 2 shows a recording pattern which is formed on the magnetic tape 300 
in the digital VTR according to the present embodiment, and the shown 
recording pattern corresponds to one track. 
Each signal recording area will be described below in the order of 
recordings made by the rotary recording heads 306 and 310. First, a 
preamble part is formed as a preparatory part for data reading, followed 
by an ATF (automatic track finding) part. On the ATF part, a tracking 
control signal is recorded which is similar to that employed in a 
so-called area division tracking system used for DATs. 
The ATF part is followed by a subdata part SUB, and they are separated by a 
guard area G1. Since the guard area G1 and a guard area G2 are 
respectively provided before and after the subdata part SUB, it is 
possible to perform recording and reproduction of only the subdata part, 
and also to rewrite only the subdata part SUB. 
The subdata part SUB contains, for example, a time code indicative of the 
year/month/day, month/day or the like of photography conducted with the 
video camera 22, and index information for cueing. Also, character 
information, TVFAX information and other similar information to be 
displayed on a television receiver can be stored in the subdata part SUB. 
The subdata part SUB can be rewritten during postrecording because of the 
nature of such information. 
After the guard area G2, audio data is recorded, and after the guard area 
G3, video data is recorded. As shown, subdata areas are provided which are 
respectively inseparable from the audio data and the video data. The copy 
management code is recorded in each of the subdata areas. As can be seen 
from the illustration of FIG. 2, it is impossible to independently rewrite 
the copy management code after recording. 
Although the audio data and the video data are respectively recorded in 
independent areas separated by the guard area G3, the subdata, such as the 
copy management codes, are recorded in the leading parts of the audio and 
video data. The subdata consists of sync data, a block address, a block 
ID, the aforesaid copy management code, an encoding mode for identifying a 
sampling frequency, the number of bits for quantization and a data 
compressing method, an error correcting code, such as CRCC or the 
Reed-Solomon code, for detection and correction of a data error introduced 
during recording or reproduction of data, and so forth. 
After the video data part, an ATF part is provided with a guard area G4 
interposed therebetween. The aforesaid tracking control signal is recorded 
on the ATF part. This ATF part serves to provide a tracking reference at 
each end of the track. After the ATF part, a postamble part is provided, 
and a signal similar to that recorded on the preamble part is recorded on 
the postamble part. 
The operation of the system controller 28 during recording will be 
described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3. 
First, in Step S1, desired audio and video input sources are selected 
through the operating key 36. If internal inputs are specified as the 
input sources, that is, if the microphone 21 and the video camera 22 are 
specified as the input sources, the flow proceeds from Step S2 to Step S7. 
In Step S7, the flow waits for a recording instruction to be inputted. If 
external inputs are specified as the input sources, the flow proceeds to 
Step S3, in which it is determined whether the external input signal is an 
analog signal or a digital signal. If the external input signal is an 
analog signal, recording is permitted because of the presence of a signal 
deterioration due to dubbing, and the flow proceeds to Step S7. On the 
other hand, if the external input signal is a digital signal, the flow 
proceeds to Step S4, in which the copy management code extracted by the 
copy management code generator 23 is analyzed. 
If it is determined from the copy management code that copying is possible 
(Step S5), the flow proceeds to Step S7, in which the flow waits for a 
recording instruction to be inputted. On the other hand, if it is 
determined that copying is impossible, the flow proceeds from Step S5 to 
Step S6, in which the display part 35 is made to provide a display to the 
effect that copying is inhibited. Thus, the processing is brought to an 
end. 
If the recording instruction is executed in Step S8, the copy management 
code generator 23 is made to generate a new copy management code in Step 
S9. The generation of the copy management code will be described later. 
Then, actual recording is performed (Step S10), and when a recording stop 
instruction is executed (Step S11), the processing is brought to an end. 
Returning to FIG. 1, the operation of the system controller 28 during 
reproduction will be described below. 
The digital signals which have been recorded in the above-described manner 
are reproduced by the rotary heads 306 and 310 (which serve also as 
recording heads), and are then supplied to corresponding reproducing 
amplifiers 314 and 318 via the rotary transformer 305. The two-channel 
reproduced signals outputted from the respective reproducing amplifiers 
314 and 318 are inputted into digital demodulators 315 and 319, 
respectively. 
The time division multiplexed digital signals demodulated by the respective 
digital demodulators 315 and 319 are inputted into error correction 
decoding circuits 316 and 320. In the circuits 316 and 320, code errors 
introduced on a transmission path are corrected, and the signals outputted 
from the error correction decoding circuits 316 and 320 are supplied to a 
channel synthesizer 317. A time division multiplexed signal obtained by 
combining the signals by the channel synthesizer 317 is supplied to a 
dubbing output terminal 161, and is also inputted into an image expanding 
circuit 31 and a time base expanding circuit 32. 
The image expanding circuit 31 subjects compressed image information to an 
image information expanding processing corresponding to the processing 
performed by the image compressing circuit 26, and outputs the original 
digital video signal. This digital video signal is supplied to a 
digital-analog (A/D) converter 33, and the resultant analog signal is 
outputted from an analog video output terminal 15. If a digital output 
permission signal (#3) is outputted from the system controller 28 in 
response to an operation of the operating key 36, the digital video signal 
outputted from the image expanding circuit 31 is outputted without 
modification from a digital output terminal 16 via a switch SW4. 
A digital audio signal whose time base is expanded by a time base expander 
32 is supplied to a D/A converter 34, and an analog audio signal formed by 
the D/A converter 34 is outputted from a terminal 17. If a digital output 
permission signal (#4) is outputted from the system controller 28, the 
digital audio signal is outputted without modification from a digital 
output terminal 18 via a switch SW5. 
Table 5 serves to explain an example of the relationship between the 
information sources used in the embodiment of FIG. 1 and the copy 
management code, that is, the operation of the copy management code 
generator 23. 
TABLE 5 
______________________________________ 
INFORMATION SOURCE COPY MANAGEMENT CODE 
______________________________________ 
EXTERNAL INPUT INHIBIT (01) 
BUILT-IN SENSOR PERMIT (00) 
(INFORMATION COLLECTING 
MEANS) 
______________________________________ 
In Table 5, in the case of the external input, since it is possible that 
information which needs copyright protection may be inputted from any of 
the above-described external input terminals 11 to 14, the copy management 
code "INHIBIT" is set. In the case of the built-in sensor, that is, the 
information collecting means such as the microphone 21 and the video 
camera 22, since it is determined that information obtained from such 
information collecting means is recorded by a copyright holder himself, 
the copy management code "PERMIT" is set. 
Although in the above-described example the copy management code "INHIBIT" 
is set for any external input information, the copy management code 
"PERMIT" may be set only when the external input information is analog 
information. This setting can be easily realized by altering the 
operational algorithm of the copy management code generator 23. 
To allow a photographer to inhibit dubbing of information recorded by 
photography performed by the photographer himself by means of the video 
camera 22, an operating key may be separately provided. In this 
arrangement, the copy management code can be forcedly changed to "INHIBIT" 
by an operation of the operating key. 
The first embodiment has been described with reference to the example in 
which the copy management code is set in accordance with whether copying 
is possible or impossible. Another case in which the above-described 
analog copying is possible will be described below with reference to FIGS. 
4 and 5. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the same reference numerals are used to denote 
parts which function similarly to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. 
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a video 
camera-integrated type VTR according to a second embodiment of the present 
invention in which both digital and analog signals can be recorded and 
reproduced. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 4, output signals from the 
channel distributor 301 are converted into analog signals by D/A 
converters 321 and 323, respectively, and the analog signals are subjected 
to the processings required for normal analog recording by signal 
processing circuits 322 and 324, respectively. The processed analog 
signals are outputted to a switching circuit 325. The switching circuit 
325 responds to a signal (#5) supplied from the system controller 28 to 
perform switching between the aforesaid analog signals and the digital 
signals supplied from the digital modulators 303 and 308, thereby 
selectively outputting the analog and digital signals. 
During reproduction, signals from the reproducing amplifiers 314 and 318 
are inputted into a switching circuit 326. The switching circuit 326 
performs switching in response to the signal (#5) supplied from the system 
controller 28, thereby selectively outputting the input signals to the 
digital demodulators 315 and 319 and to signal processing circuits 327 and 
329. The signal processing circuits 327 and 329 apply predetermined 
processings to the respective reproduced analog signals, and the processed 
analog signals are converted into digital signals by corresponding A/D 
converters 328 and 330. The A/D converters 328 and 330 output the digital 
signals to the channel synthesizer 317. 
The operation of the system controller 28 when the copy management code of 
an internal or external input signal indicates that copying is inhibited 
or that analog copying is possible will be described below with reference 
to the flowchart of FIG. 5. 
If it is determined in Step S5 that copying (digital copying) of a digital 
signal is impossible, the flow proceeds to Step S12, in which a display 
indicating that analog copying is possible is provided. At this time, if 
execution of analog recording is specified through the operating key 36 
(Step S13), the digital signal is converted into an analog signal (Step 
S14), and the analog signal is selected by the switching circuit 325 (Step 
S15) and is then subjected to recording (Step S10). On the other hand, if 
no analog copying is specified in Step S13, the flow is brought to an end. 
In the above-described second embodiment, processings performed after it 
has been determined in Step S5 that digital copying is possible are 
identical to those described in connection with the first embodiment. 
After that, the digital signal is selected by the switching circuit 325 
and is then subjected to recording. 
As described above, according to the second embodiment, even if digital 
copying is impossible, analog copying is possible. Furthermore, if digital 
recording is to be performed, it is also possible to generate and record 
the copy management code as described previously. 
FIG. 6 shows a connection example in which a signal transmitting apparatus 
and a signal receiving apparatus are connected to each other so that a 
copying operation can be performed. 
Referring to FIG. 6, digital AV data, which is formed by multiplexing video 
information, audio information and various other control or identification 
signals, is transmitted over a communication path 42 from a signal 
transmitting apparatus 41 such as one VTR in which a first-generation tape 
40 is reproduced as a master tape, to a signal receiving apparatus 43 such 
as another VTR. The signal receiving apparatus 43 records the digital AV 
data on a second-generation tape 44. At this time, according to the rules 
specified in Tables 3, 4 and 5, the copy management code is recorded on 
the second-generation tape 44. 
By way of example, the above referred to has referred to the video 
camera-integrated type VTR in which a digital VTR is integrally 
incorporated into a video camera. However, the present invention may be 
applied to a video camera-integrated type VTR in which a video camera is 
assembled integrally with a VTR which is provided with a PCM audio feature 
so that a video signal is recorded in analog form and only an audio signal 
is recorded in digital form, for example, some types of 8 mm video VTRs 
conforming to the existing VTR standards or some types of VTRs conforming 
to VHS, a high-image-quality television system or the like. In such an 
arrangement, the above-described copy management code is recorded as the 
subcode of PCM audio data. 
According to the above-described embodiments of the present invention, only 
when an input from external input means is to be recorded on a recording 
medium, recording of a copying inhibition signal on the recording medium 
is enabled, whereas only when information from information collecting 
means is to be recorded on the recording medium, recording of a copying 
permission signal on the recording medium is enabled. Accordingly, if a 
user himself desires to make his original work containing music and/or an 
image, he can freely perform digital dubbing (copying), so that it is 
possible to make a high-quality work without deteriorating signal quality. 
Since the number of times of copying operations is not limited, the user 
can repeat a complicated editing operation over and over again until he 
attains a satisfactory result. Accordingly, it is possible to create a 
high-quality work. 
Furthermore, the present invention can be applied not only to a digital VTR 
but also to the PCM audio feature of a high-image-quality analog VTR. 
Accordingly, the present invention can achieve the great advantages of 
expanding the range of applications of digital recorders while protecting 
the rights of copyright holders similarly to the conventional SCMS.