GB2486816A

GB2486816A - Turntable with waveform display across platter

Info

Publication number: GB2486816A
Application number: GB201122069A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marc Daniel Joran Wijers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-12-23
Filing date: 2011-12-21
Publication date: 2012-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2031-12-21
Also published as: GB2486816B; GB201122069D0; GB201022034D0

Abstract

A turntable plays vinyl records and digital audio files with audiovisual information 3 displayed across the platter 2 of the turntable. The audio visual information may be an audio waveform in the style of a traditional vinyl record. Audio files can be controlled by a digital time-coded vinyl record 8 or can also be controlled via dials 7, buttons and/or switches on the turntable top and second display 6 to manage track selection, FX parameters, reverse play, cue points, loop points, switch between regular vinyl play back and digital vinyl playback, eliminating the need to use a computer mouse and/or keyboard. An LCD screen display 1 may be positioned underneath the turntable platter for displaying the audio waveform or the waveform may be projected on top of the turntable platter or vinyl record. The audio visual data may be displayed through a transparent vinyl record. The platter and a slip mat may also be transparent.

Description

Digital Record Turntable This invention relates to a device for a music turntable equipped with a computerised screen/display monitor located underneath the turntable platter. The device will be used for playing vinyl records and digital audio files.

When using a digital vinyl system, there are two main components: the software (computer run programme) and the hardware (sound card and the digital time-coded vinyl record). In order to use a system like this, you need a computer to run the software and a turntable or cd-turntable (cdjJ On vinyl records you can see inscribed patterns and grooves on the surface. This is the waveform of the audio, which shows you where the audio track gets quieter and louder, stops/starts and breaks in between tracks. Each pattern will be unique for every different audio track. When using a digital vinyl system with a time-coded vinyl record, you use one vinyl record to control many digital audio files via an external soundcard and computer. There is no need to use different vinyl records to play new songs (as you would do with traditional analogue vinyl records) because the time-coded vinyl record can play any piece of audio. The inscribed patterns you see on a time-coded vinyl constitute the waveform pattern of a special audio signal. This signal is recognised by a computer and determines the speed, direction and position of playback on the time-coded vinyl record. The inscribed pattern on the time-coded vinyl will have no relevance to the audio track it is controlling; there is no connection between the visual information of the track and the record itself (as you would on a traditional vinyl). This information is displayed digitally on a laptop or computer screen completely separate from the turntable.

This takes the main focus away from the turntable as you cannot look at a time-coded vinyl record for visual information (waveform of the audio), since your attention has to be split between the turntable and laptop or computer screen to see this information. To overcome this problem, the present invention proposes a turntable that visually displays audio waveforms across the platter of the turntable, making the visual information of an audio track visible across a time-coded vinyl record as if it were a real record. This enables you to visually tell from the record itself what is happening in the audio track thus eliminating the need to look at an external device, such as a laptop or computer for visual information. My turntable's primary function is to play regular vinyl records and digital audio files via vinyl records with audio-visual displays. The turntable is an analogue/digital hybrid, which is able to play digital audio files (eg mp3s, ways etc), CDs and traditional vinyl records, thus accommodating both old school vinyl djs and new digital djs. Any kind of dj can use my turntable, no matter what format their music is on. My turntable has a computer inside to run the digital vinyl software and requires no separate external equipment such as a laptop/computer or sound card. When using my turntable in any situation, the club, studio or bedroom performers can you do everything need on one device. The turntable contains multiple screens: a main screen/display monitor located underneath the turntable platter to display the waveform of a digital audio tracks as well as, an additional touch screen for displaying track details such as title, artist, genre can be accessed by touch.

Preferably, functions on the additional screen can also be controlled via dials, buttons and/or switches on the turntable top to manage track selection, FX parameters, reverse play, cue points, loop points, switch between regular vinyl play back and digital vinyl playback, eliminating the need to use a computer mouse and/or keyboard.

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a basic design layout of the turntable Figure 2 shows the visual display of audio waveform through a transparent turntable platter, slipmat and vinyl record.

Figure 3 shows the design structure for viewing the digital audio waveforms.

Figure 4 shows a similar design of the turntable, which uses a bigger surface area for visual display of audio waveforms.

Figure 1 is a basic layout of the turntable. You can see the on/off switch 1, different speed settings 2, pitch fader 3, the first screen/monitor display 4 and second screen/monitor display 5, turntable platter 6, tone ann 7, target light 8, phono (rca] cables 9 and power supply 10. The user can load digital songs and audio files onto the turntable via usb/firewire connectivity 11 from an external hard drive and play them back primarily using a digital time-coded vinyl record or internally using the buttons/dials 12. The waveform of the audio pattern will be digitally displayed for each different playback track selected on the first screen 4 and controlled by the buttons/dials 12 via the second screen 5.

Figure 2 shows that the turntable uses a screen/monitor display 1 underneath the platter of the turntable 2, to digitally display the waveform of an audio track 3, in the style of a vinyl record.

Within the turntable is a computer that runs the software to run the digital vinyl system. The main screen 1 for displaying the audio waveform is positioned where the needle 4 of the tone arm S sits on the turntable platter and moves across towards the centre of the record 8. So the visual display is always underneath the position of the needle playhead (Needle dropping and visual cues can be done at the same time like on regular vinyl]. The second screen 6 is used to select audio tacks for playback, which are controlled by buttons/dials 7.

Figure 3 shows the main LCD screen 1 positioned underneath the turntable platter 2, the slip mat 3, and time-coded vinyl record 4. In order for this to be visible on the time-coded vinyl record 4, the turntable platter 2, slipmat 3 and time-coded vinyl record 4 all have to be transparent. This is achieved using clear plastic: If either one of these parts were to be opaque, then the LCD screen 1 Figure 4 shows a very similar alternative design of the turntable, which displays the audio waveforms in the same method as figure 1, 2 and 3 (underneath the turntable platter]. It uses multiple screens, which allows for visual display across the entire turntable platter/record 1. The audio waveform is duplicated 360 degrees in rotation around the centre of the turntable platter 2 and the main waveform is highlighted underneath the playhead area of the needle 3 (as in figure 2]. As the needle follows the grooves of the record 4 towards the centre of the platter 2, the visual display will indicate which parts of the record have been played S and which parts have not yet been played 6.

Figure 5 shows a very similar alternative design of the turntable, which displays the audio-visual data in the same style as figure 1, 2, 3 and 4 but by projection 1 on top of the turntable platter 4 area/vinyl record position 2. The projection 1 from the projector 3 will allow for visual data display across the entire turntable platter 4/record 2. The audio-visual data is shown a 360-degree rotation around the centre of the turntable platter 9 and the main waveform 6 is highlighted underneath the playhead area of the needle 5 (as in figure 2]. The visual display will indicate which part of the record has been played 7 and which parts have not yet been played 8.

Claims

Claims 1. A turntable comprising at least one platter for receiving music media, which is arranged to play vinyl records and digital audio files and a display for displaying audio-visual information across the platter of the turntable.
2. A turntable according to claim 1, with a computerised screen/display located underneath theturntable platter.
3. A turntable according to claim 1, in which the audio-visual data is displayed through a transparent vinyl record.
4. A turntable according to any preceding claim, wherein the platter is substantially transparent.
5. A turntable according to any preceding claim, wherein the slipmat is substantially transparent.
6. A turntable according to claim 1, in which the audio-visual data is projected on top of turntable platter area.