Patent ID: 7356241

Claim:
An A/V server comprising: a recording means and a plurality of reproducing means for recording and reproducing data inclusive of video data and audio data on a non-linear-accessible recording medium; at least one input processing means having a first processing means for receiving a number of commands, for processing and outputting data inputted from outside and for processing and outputting to outside the data outputted from said recording or reproducing means; at least one output processing means having a second processing means for processing and outputting the data outputted by said recording or reproducing means; and time-divisional controlling means for controlling said input processing means and the output processing means to time-divisionally access said recording or reproducing means respectively to input and output data; the apparatus further comprising: switching means having a third processing means for being fed with said data outputted from said input processing means and the output processing means for selectively outputting the input data to said input processing means and the output processing means; editing mode selecting means for selecting a linear or non-linear editing mode; wherein said recording and reproducing means operate in a bound state such the recording means and one of the plurality of reproducing means are selected as a set and work in concert with one another during editing; control means for controlling at least one of said input processing means, output processing means and the switching means to perform the processing specified by a control command commanding an editing mode; and selecting means for receiving said number of commands from said at least one input processing means and for interpreting said number of commands, wherein said third processing means controls said first processing means and said second processing means, wherein said selecting means controls said at least one input processing means, said at least one output processing means, and said recording or reproducing means based on said number of commands interpreted by said selecting means, wherein a recording port and a reproducing port are selected as a set such that the recorded audio and video signals are monitored simultaneously.