GB2245407A

GB2245407A - Video tape recorder.

Info

Publication number: GB2245407A
Application number: GB9109423A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hideo Makino
Original assignee: Funai Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Funai Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 1990-05-02
Filing date: 1991-05-01
Publication date: 1992-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2011-05-01
Also published as: GB9109423D0; GB2245407B; DE4032957A1; JPH046898U

Description

' --, Es---Cl-c--:, -- r- -.r- 1 Video Tane Recorder.

This invention relates to a video tape recorder provided with a plurality of video tape decks.

Generally, in conventional video tape recorders a single video tape is loaded on a single video tape deck and subjected to recording pictures and sound on the air or playing them back. Therefore, when various broadcasts via different channels are recorded on or recorded various broadcasts are reproduced from different video tapes at a time, as many video tape recorders as video tapes have to be used.

However, according to this invention, the above-mentioned problem can be solved by a video tape recorder in which a circuit and a tuner are made use of in common by a plurality of incorporated video tape decks, which decks can be operated individually so that recording or playing back can be made with each video tape loaded into then. For this reason, the production cost of a video tape recorder of this invention can be made rather cheap for the increased functions thereof.

Accordingly, it is an aspect of this invention to provide a video tape recorder which comprises a plurality of video tape decks making use of a circuit and a tuner in common and designed so that recording on or playing back from more than one video tape can be made readily in a continuous manner.

It is another aspect of this invention to provide a video tape recorder which comprises a plurality of video tape decks making use of a circuit and a tuner in common and designed so that recording or playing back can be made alternately in an endless manner by changing a just recorded or played back video tape to another one.

It is still another aspect of this invention to provide a video tape recorder which comprises a plurality of video tape decks making use of a circuit and a tuner in common and designed so that a video tape deck on which a video tape is mounted can be automatically found and allowed to record according to the predetermined reservation program and. if there happens any inconvenience to a reserved video tape deck, 1 2 another video tape deck is capable of taking the place of the reserved deck, whereby failures in recording, for example, due to having inadvertently f orgotton to load an unrecorded video tape become avoidable.

It is still another aspect of this invention to provide a video tape recorder which comprises a plurality of video tape decks making use of a circuit and a tuner in common and designed so that a video tape deck to play back can be automatically singled out one after another by a single key operation, so that the output switching of a subsequent video tape deck is not needed and thereby their handling becomes simplified..

It is still another aspect of this invention to provide a video tape recorder which comprises a plurality of video tape decks making use of a circuit and a tuner in common and designed so that video tape decks to play back can be singled out one after another even in irregular order according to a predetermined program by making use of the video tape index search system (VISS) or the video tape address search system (VASS) and thereby a video tape can be readily edited whilst the decks are being played back.

It is still another aspect of this invention to provide a video tape recorder which comprises a plurality of video tape decks making use of a circuit and a tuner in common and designed so that the playing back and the re-winding operations of more than one video tape deck can be automatically switched- from one to another in such an interrelated manner so that, for example, information or advertisement with the--.. help of pictures can be conducted continuously and repeatedly by using a plurality of.video tapes.

It is still another aspect of this invention to provide a video tape recorder which comprises a plurality of video tape decks making use of a circuit and a tuner in common and designed so that the playing-back operation of a tape deck and the recording operation of another are conducted in such a synchronous manner that the playing-back output signals of one 3 may be transmitted to another as recording input signals, which makes the edition or the dubbing of a video tape very easy and eliminates external circuits for use in playing back and recording and the manual operations to synchronise the start and the end of recording or reproduction.

It should, however, be noted that an FM modulated signal is different from a video signal (sometimes referred to as a composite signal). Video signal includes a synchronisation pulse, which can be separated to provide synchronous information on the video signal.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, in more detail below with reference to drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of an essential part of a control circuit embodied by the present invention, Fig. 2 is an external perspective view of a video tape recorder according to the present invention, Fig. 3 is a plan view of a chassis for an upper video tape deck according to the present invention, Fig. 4 is a plan view of a chassis f or a lower video tape deck, according to the present invention, Figs. 5 to 12 are f low charts showing a variety of software than can be embodied by using a video tape recorder according to the present invention.

As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, provided to on the front face 7 of a video tape recorder of this invention are horizontally long upper and lower windows 2, 3 f or letting video tape cassettes 1, 1 in upper and lower video tape decks, operation consoles 4, 5 for the upper and lower video tape decks and a display 6 for indicating time, channel and so forth.

Upper and lower chassis 8, 9, made of plastic, are double-decked one on another; their upper and side faces are covered with metal plate 10. They are molded to a same form, except for their respective rear faces 11, 12.

As their plan views show, the inside of the chassis 8, 9 is similarly divided by a T-shaped partitioner 13 4 respectively. A circuit printed board 14 which forms a high frequency input and output circuit provided with a tuner and others is put in a rear chamber 15 of the upper chassis 8, while a power source unit case 16 provided with a power source transformer and others is put in a rear chamber 17 of the lower chassis 9. Video tape decks 18, 19 f or recording or reproducing, each comprising a pair of reel axes 22, 22, a rotary head 23, a loading motor 24, a driving motor 25 and so on, are placed in lef t- side front chambers 20, 21 of the upper and the lower chassis respectively, wherein the loading motor 24 is used to mount a cassette tape on or dismount it f rom its recording and reproducing position and the driving motor 25 is used to drive the reel axes 22, 22 and capstanfs axis 26.

As their circuits are shown in Fig. 1, the video tape decks 18, 19 include a power source circuit 28 for receiving commercial power by way of a power source plug 27, a tuner 29 for receiving FM or TV broadcast by way of antenna and upper and lower video tape decks' circuits 30, 31 used for driving the motors of the upper and the lower video tape decks and outputting or inputting recording/reproducing signals. They also include an upper input switch 33 for selectively inputting the output signals from the tuner 29, the reproduction signals from the lower deck's circuit 31 and signals from a first external input terminal 32 to the upper deck's circuit 30. They also include a lower input switch 35 for selectively inputting the output signals from the tuner 29, the reproduction signals from the upper deck's circuit 30 and signals from a second external input terminal 34 to the lower deck's circuit 31. The output from the tuner 29 being in the form of a video signal. The recording or reproduction of the upper and the lower decks 18, 19 is conduct ed by means of the power source circuit 28 and the tuner 29, while the edition of a video tape is conducted by recording either of the reproduction signals from the upper 18 or the lower deck 19 on the tape in the other deck.

An output switch 36 is used to selectively output output signals from the upper deck's circuit 30 or output signals 1 j from the lower deck's circuit 31. Video signals from the output switch 36 are transmitted to a television 37 by way of A/V terminal 38 on one hand, while they are converted to RF signals by a high frequency wave converter 39 and then allowed to appear on the television 37 by way of RF terminal 40 on the other. By such circuitry, it is possible to reproduce signals from the upper/the lower deckOs circuit or from the first/the second external input terminal by means of the television 37; additionally, it is possible to record contents that are being reproduced by either of the upper/the lower deck's circuit on the other's tape for edition under monitoring with the television 37.

A video tape control circuit 41 connected to the upper and the lower tape tecks consoles 4, 5 and the display 6 is controlled by a microcomputer, so that the channel selection of the tuner 29, the switching of record, reproduction, quick traversing and rewinding of the upper/the lower deck 18, 19 by means of the upper/the lower deckfs circuit 30, 31 and the switching of the upper/the lower input switch 33, 35 and the output switch 36 can be automatically conducted. Practically, by manipulating the upper/the lower decks consoles 4, 5, the upper/the lower tape deck 18, 19 can be operated separately; also, the upper/the lower deck 18, 19 can be operated in association with each other in such a continuous way as to alternately conduct recording or reproducing upon switching each switch 33, 35, 36.

video signal requires different circuitry from FM modulated signal for drop out compensation (and similar functions). Therefore, different circuits 30, 31 would be required for FM modulated signals.

A reservation operation console 40, by which timer recording can be reserved, is connected to the video tape control circuit 41. Thus, when a cassette tape 1 is not in reserved deck, the other deck, unreserved by charged with cassette tape, is operated upon automatic selection so as to carry out recording in accordance with the reservation. Moreover, the output switch 36 can be switched in an automatic 6 manner by using the upper and the lower deck operation console 4, 5 so as to select and play back a desired video tape in either of the decks 18, 19.

Also, an address assignment console 42, which can find on a tape a position to play back from by the VISS or VASS, is connected to the video tape control circuit 41, by which console either of the decks 18, 19 is selected in an automatic manner so as to play back according to the previously settled program.

Also, a repeat switch 43 and a dubbing switch 44 are connected to the video tape control circuit 41. Manipulating the repeat switch 43 can automatically cause each of the decks 18, 19 to continuously repeat reproducing - rewinding operation and manipulating the dubbing switch 44 can automatically operate the two video decks 18, 19 in such a different manner that one is assigned to reproducing and the other to recording in cooperation with each other, by which the reproduction output from one can be transferred to the other as input for the purpose of editing or dubbing.

According to this invention the video tape recorder is constructed as mentioned above. As shown in Fig. 5, the upper and the lower video decks 18, 19 can separately conduct reproducing or recording. Also, as shown in Fig. 6, they can readily conduct recording on or playing back from more than one video tape in a continuous manner. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, they can alternately conduct playing back or recording in a continuous manner if only a just recorded or played back video tape is changed to another. Also, as shown in Fig. 8, the upper deck 18 can be given priority of recording over the lower deck 19 automatically can take over the upper deck IS when a video tape is inadvertently unloaded into the upper deck.

Also, as shown in Fig. 9, the reproducing output of the upper and the lower decks 18, 19 is automatically switched from one to another by a single key operation, so that the switching of a subsequent video tape deck is not needed and thereby their handling becomes simplified. Also, as shown in 0 1 ' 7 Fig. 10, the playing back program of the upper and the lower decks can be initially set by making use of the video tape index (or address) search system so that playing back can be conducted by each deck in accordance with the predetermined irregular order. Therefore, for example, the edition or the dubbing of a video tape can be made readily while they are being played back.

Also, as shown in Fig. 11, it is possible that one deck is made rewind a tape and stay standby for reproduction, while the other is being made play back. And such antagonistic operation can be repeated by the upper and the lower decks. Therefore, information or advertisement with the help of pictures can be conducted endlessly and repeatedly by using a plurality of video tapes.

Also, as shown in Fig. 12, it is possible to keep one deck playing back and the other recording the played back output of it at the same time, by which the edition of a video tape can be made very easily and external circuits for use in playing back and recording and the manual operations to synchronise the start and the end of recording and playing back can be eliminated.

The above-mentioned video tape decks 18, 19 can be constructed so as to f it to either of VHS, beta or 8 m video tape altogether or so as to fit to different typ es, of-video tapes respectively. Also, the video signals of the television 37 can be inputted to one of the external input terminals 32, 34 so that one of the video tape decks 18, 19 can record them; at the same time, the video signals of the tuner 29 can be inputted to the other of the external input terminals 32, 34 so that the other of the video tape decks 18, 19 can record 1 8 them. Like this, the upper and the lower video tape decks can conduct recording broadcasts of different content simultaneously. Also, the A/V terminal 38 can be provided to the upper and the lower deck's circuit 30, 31 respectively so that the upper and the lower video decks 18, 19 can play back simultaneously.

The source deck can supply signals to the target deck, the signals being in the form of video signals.

Each video tape decks of the video tape recorder can be switchable between two modes. Standard play (SP) node, in which a recording is made on a tape with a guard band and long play (LP) moae where a recording is made without a guard band.

9

Claims

1. A video tape recorder which comprises a plurality of video tape decks making use of a circuit and a tuner in common and being adapted to be able to work separately and independently.

2. A video tape recorder according to claim 1, wherein recording on, or reproducing, from more than one video tape is adapted to be made in a continuous manner.

3. A video tape recorder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein recording or reproducing is adapted to be made in a continuous manner by each of said video tape decks by changing a just recorded or reproduced video tape to another.

4. A video tape recorder according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein a video tape deck on which a video tape is mounted can be automatically found and allowed to make recording according to a predetermined reservation program.

5. A video tape recorder according to claim 4 wherein another video tape deck can take the place of a reserved video tape deck if the reserved video tape deck is unavailable.

6. A video tape recorder according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein a video tape deck is adapted to play back automatically after another video tape deck by a single operation.

7. A video tape recorder according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the video tape decks play back in irregular order according to a predetermined program by making use of the video tape index search system or the video tape address search system and one of the video tape decks can be selected to play back in the irregular order.

8. A video tape recorder according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the playing-back or the re-winding operation of more than one video tape deck can be automatically switched from one to another in an interrelated manner so as to repeat their playing-back one after another continuously.

9. A video tape recorder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the playing-back of a video tape deck and the recording of another video tape deck can be made in such a synchronous and automatic manner so that the playing-back output signals of the video tape deck are transmittable to the other video tape deck as recording input signals.

10. A video tape recorder according to any one of claims 3 to 7 wherein the source deck transfers signals to the target deck in the form of video signal.

11. A video tape according to any one of the preceeding claims, wherein at least two of the plurality of video tape decks are interconnected such that video signals can be transfered the said at least two video tape decks.

12. A video tape recorder with a plurality of video tape decks substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.

Published 1991 atfbe Patent Office. Concept House. Cardiff Road. Newport. Gwent NP9 I RH. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch, Unit 6. Nine Mile Point. Cwmfelirdach. Cross Keys. Newport. NP I 7H7_ Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, yent.