Patent ID: 8094995

Claim:
A playback apparatus that performs sequential playback by reading a plurality of video/audio data segments from a plurality of recording media each driven by a different one of drive devices, the playback apparatus comprising: a calculation unit operable to calculate a remaining time until completion of reading of one of the video/audio data segments that is being played back as a current playback target, before the completion of the reading; and a state control unit operable to put, into a power-saving state, any of the drive devices other than one that drives a recording medium that stores the current playback target, wherein if the remaining time is equal to a prescribed time, the state control unit puts, into a stand-by state from the power-saving state, one of the drive devices that drives a recording medium that stores another one of the video/audio data segments that is to be played back subsequently to the current playback target, and the video/audio data segments have been generated by dividing a single content.