Patent ID: 7450830

Claim:
An optical disc playback apparatus comprising: an optical pickup for reading out compressed data including images and sounds recorded in an optical disc; a memory means for storing a table of identification information for identifying the type of the compressed data read out by said optical pickup; a demultiplexer for separating the compressed data read out by said optical pickup into corresponding types of data on the basis of the identification information recorded in said memory means; video playback means for playing back the image data on the basis of the compressed image data separated by said demultiplexer; audio playback means for playing back the sound data on the basis of the compressed sound data separated by said demultiplexer; and a control section for controlling said optical pickup, said memory means, said video playback means and said audio playback means; wherein the identification information stored in said table includes sound identification information for identifying the type of sound data, wherein said audio playback means has various audio decoders for playing back the compressed data for various types of sound read out by said optical pickup, wherein said optical disc playback apparatus includes a function for selecting an appropriate audio decoder from said various audio decoders in accordance with the type of compressed data read out by said optical pickup, which type is identified by comparing the sound identification information included in the compressed sound data read out by said optical pickup with the sound identification information stored in said table, and wherein said control section is equipped with DTS compatibility judging means for judging whether or not the setting function of the apparatus is set in the DTS sound compatible state after starting the playback of the optical disc, Dolby sound selection means for carrying out a control in such a manner that the Dolby sound is compulsively selected when said result of judgment indicates the DTS sound incompatible state, and warning signal generation means for generating a warning signal when said result of judgment indicates the DTS sound incompatible state and further wherein the warning signal generation means correlates with an optical disc menu panel.