WO2006016524A1

WO2006016524A1 - External control recording/reproduction system

Info

Publication number: WO2006016524A1
Application number: PCT/JP2005/014363
Authority: WO
Inventors: Masaki Kurihara; Hiroki Teramoto; Tetsuaki Kawahara; Masaya Sano; Ryoichi Okabe
Original assignee: Pioneer Corporation
Priority date: 2004-08-11
Filing date: 2005-07-29
Publication date: 2006-02-16

Abstract

There is provided an external control recording/reproduction system capable of controlling a recording/reproduction device from an external device without causing an uncomfortable feeling. The recording/reproduction device includes recorder control means for creating menu video data indicating an operation menu video on the video data recorded in an accumulation device, converting the menu video data into a video signal, and outputting it to a video output terminal; and first communication means for transmitting the menu video data to the external device. The external device includes: second communication means for receiving the menu video data transmitted from the recording/reproduction device; and external control means for causing a display device to display the external operation menu video in accordance with the menu video data received by the second communication means.

Description

Description Externally controlled recording / playback system

Technical field

The present work relates to an externally controlled recording / reproducing system including a recording / reproducing apparatus for reproducing video data recorded in a built-in storage device, and an external device connected to the recording / reproducing apparatus for external control, and a control method thereof.

Background art

In a recording / playback device such as a DVD recorder, a broadcast program is recorded as data on a built-in hard disk drive device as a storage device, for example, for 24 hours, and the user later selects from the recorded program. Any program can be selected for viewing. The program data recorded in the built-in hard disk drive can be selectively copied (copied) or moved to a recording medium such as DVD according to the input operation by the user.

In such a recording / playback apparatus, various operations such as recording, scheduled recording, playback, and copying are generally performed using an attached remote controller. However, the operation of the remote control is quite complicated. In particular, it is difficult to edit the recorded program if you enter characters such as the title of the recorded program. In order to cope with this, among various recording / reproducing apparatuses, there is a recording / reproducing apparatus in which an external device such as a personal computer is connected and various operations can be controlled from the external device. However, when controlling the recording / playback device from an external device in this way, the external device displays the video necessary for the operation menu and other operations on the TV monitor for operation with the attached remote control. Since it is different from the menu image, it has the problem of feeling uncomfortable when operating with an external device.

Disclosure of the invention

The problems to be solved by the present invention include the above-mentioned problems as an example, and provide an externally controlled recording / reproducing system capable of controlling the recording / reproducing apparatus from an external device without a sense of incongruity and a control method therefor. Is the object of the present invention.

The externally controlled recording / reproducing system of the present invention includes a data storage device for recording video data, and reproduces the video data recorded in the storage device and outputs it as a video signal to a video output terminal. An external control recording / reproducing system comprising: a device; and an external device that includes a display device and communicates with the recording / reproducing device to control operation of the recording / reproducing device. A recorder control means for generating menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device, and outputting the menu video data as a video signal to the video output terminal; A first communication means for transmitting video data to the external device, wherein the external device transmits the menu video data transmitted from the recording / reproducing device. And a second control means for displaying on the display device an operation menu video corresponding to the menu video data received by the second communication means. Yes.

The recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is a recording / reproducing apparatus that incorporates a data storage device for recording video data, reproduces the video data recorded in the storage device, and outputs it as a video signal to a video output terminal. Generating menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device, and generating the menu video Recorder control means for converting data to a video output terminal and outputting to the video output terminal; and communication means for transmitting the menu video data to the outside. A data storage device for recording data is built in, and the recording is performed by communicating with a recording / playback device that plays back video data recorded in the storage device and outputs the data as a video signal to a video output terminal. An external device for controlling the operation of the playback device, communication means for receiving from the recording / playback device menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device; and receiving by the communication means And an external control means for displaying an operation menu image according to the menu image data displayed on a display device. The program of the present invention has a built-in data storage device for recording video data, and communicates with a recording / playback device that reproduces the video data recorded in the storage device and outputs the data as a video signal to a video output terminal. A computer-readable program for executing an external control method for controlling the operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus, wherein the menu video data indicating the operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device is A communication step of receiving from the recording / reproducing device; and a step of displaying on the display device an external operation menu image corresponding to the menu image data received in the communication step.

The control method of the external control recording / reproducing system of the present invention includes a data storage device for recording video data, reproduces the video data recorded in the storage device, and outputs the video data as a video signal to a video output terminal. A recording / reproducing apparatus, an external device that includes a display device and performs communication with the recording / reproducing apparatus to control the operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus; The recording / playback apparatus generates menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device, and the menu video data is stored in the recording / playback apparatus. A recorder control step for outputting the video signal to the video output terminal; and a first communication step for transmitting the menu video data to the external device. In the external device, the video signal is transmitted from the recording / playback device. A second communication step for receiving the menu video data received, and an external control step for causing the display device to display an operation menu video corresponding to the menu video data received in the second communication step. It is characterized by including and.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a recording / reproducing system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the DV recorder in the system of FIG. Figure 3 shows the title menu of the recorded video displayed on the TV monitor.

Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the PC control operation.

Figure 5 shows the PC control screen displayed on the display of the personal computer.

Fig. 6 shows the title-view screen displayed on the display unit of the personal computer.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a recording / reproducing system to which the present invention is applied. This recording / playback system The system includes a DVD recorder 1 and a personal computer 2. The DVD recorder 1 and the personal computer 2 are connected to each other by a cable 3, and data communication with each other is possible through an interface according to the IEEE 1 394 standard. The video output and audio output terminals of the DVD recorder 1 are connected to the TV monitor 4.

As shown in Fig. 2, the DVD recorder 1 has a TV tuner 1 1, A / D converter 1 2, encoder 1 3, program information acquisition unit 14, control unit 1 5, display unit 16, operation unit 1 7, remote Controller (hereinafter referred to as “remote controller”) 18, Light receiver 19, HD D (Hard disk drive) device 20, DVD drive device 21, Memory 22, Interface unit 23, Decoder 24, DZA converter 25, Title menu generator It consists of 26.

The TV tuner 11 is connected to the antenna input terminal 31 and selectively receives a television broadcast wave through an antenna (not shown) connected thereto under the control of the control unit 15 and receives the received signal. Demodulate and output analog video and audio signals.

The output of TV tuner 1 1 is connected to AZD converter 1 2. The A / D converter 1 2 digitizes the analog video and audio signals output from the TV tuner 1 1. The A / D converter 12 is connected to the external video and audio input terminals 32 and 33, and digitizes the analog video and audio signals supplied thereto. The output of A / D converter 1 2 is connected to encoder 1 3. The encoder 13 converts the digitized video signal and audio signal supplied from the AZD converter 12 directly or via the interface unit 23 via the bus 28 into, for example, MP EG format compressed data. Number & information acquisition unit 14 is connected to TV tuner 1 1 The program information such as EPG (Electronic Program Guide) contained in the received signal of a specific channel, that is, the program information superimposed on the broadcast wave is extracted and the extracted program information is managed as data Output.

Encoder 1 3, Program information acquisition unit 14, Control unit 15, HDD device 20, DVD drive device 21, Memory 22, Interface unit 23, Decoder 24 and Title menu creation unit 26 are connected to a common bus 28 .

The encoder 13 can supply the compressed data to any one of the control unit 15, the HDD device 20, the DVD drive device 21, the memory 22, the interface unit 23, and the decoder 24 via the path 28.

The control unit 15 is composed of a microcomputer, for example, and controls the entire DVD recorder 1 according to a predetermined program. The control unit 15 and the TV tuner 1 1 are connected by a control line (not shown) so that the reception channel of the TV tuner 11 is controlled by the control unit 15.

The display unit 16, the operation unit 17 and the light receiving unit 19 are connected to the control unit 15. The display unit 16 displays the recording / reproduction status including the reception channel of the TV tuner 11 and the recording time and reproduction time of the HDD device 20 and the DVD drive device 21 in accordance with a display command from the control unit 15. The operation unit 6 accepts a user input operation and supplies a command corresponding to the input operation to the control unit 15.

The remote controller 18 has a plurality of buttons (not shown) to which command contents are assigned in advance. When any button is pressed by the user, the command signal of the command contents corresponding to the button is transmitted by infrared rays. Be emitted. The light receiver 19 receives an infrared command signal from the remote controller 18 and supplies the command to the controller 15. The HDD device 20 is a storage device using a rewritable fixed disk (not shown), and the compressed data supplied from the encoder 3 according to the write instruction of the control unit 15 is sent to the internal fixed disk. Write to the indicated address position. The unit from the start to the end of writing compressed data is the data unit delimiter, and that is the compressed data file (data fragment). Also, in accordance with the read instruction of the control unit 15, the compressed data at the storage location specified by the read instruction is read from the fixed disk and output to the bus 28.

The DVD drive device 21 is a removable storage device and is a device that can write compressed data from the encoder 13 or the HDD device 20 to the optical disk 29 in accordance with a write instruction from the control unit 15. As the optical disk 29, for example, DVD-R or DVD-RW is used. The DVD drive device 21 can also read the compressed data written on the optical disk 29 in response to a read instruction from the control unit 15.

The decoder 24 decompresses the compressed data supplied from the encoder 13, the HDD device 20 or the DVD drive device 21 via the bus 28 and restores the digital video signal and audio signal. The restored digital video signal and audio signal are supplied to the DZ A converter 25 or supplied to the control unit 15 via the path 28. The D ZA converter 25 converts the digital video signal and audio signal into an analog video signal and audio signal, and supplies them to the video and audio output terminals 34 and 35. A TV monitor 4 and a VCR (video cassette recorder) (not shown) are connected to the video and audio output terminals 34 and 35. The HDD device 20 and the DVD drive device 21 are used by switching. That is, which one of the HDD device 20 and the DVD drive device 21 has priority during the recording operation and the reproduction operation depends on a command from the operation unit 17 or the remote controller 19. Set.

The interface unit 23 is an input / output interface conforming to the IEE 1 394 standard, and is a circuit that enables data communication between the DVD recorder 1 and a device connected to a DV (digital video) terminal 36. In this recording / playback system, a personal computer 2 is connected to the DV terminal 36 as a device via a cable 3.

The title menu creation unit 26 creates title menu display data according to the content recorded on the fixed disk of the HDD device 20 or the optical disk 29 set in the DVD drive device 21 according to the command of the control unit 15. The title menu is a list of title units that can be played back in the video recorded on the fixed disk of the HDD device 20 or the optical disk 29 set in the DVD drive device 21, and the recorded video is a thumbnail-sized still image. Or included in a video. The title menu display data is supplied to the interface unit 23 via the D / A converter 25 or the bus 28 as a digital video signal. The DZA converter 25 inputs the output digital video signal of the title menu creation unit 26 instead of the digital video signal from the decoder 24 in response to a command from the control unit 15 via a control line (not shown). Make it analog. The title menu creation unit 26 may be formed in the control unit 15.

The personal computer 2 has a computer body 41, a display unit 42 and Since it is a well-known configuration comprising the operation unit 43, its detailed configuration is omitted. The computer main body 41 is provided with an input / output interface section (not shown) of the IEEE 1 394 standard, and the cable 3 is connected thereto. In the recording / reproducing system having such a configuration, in the recording operation, the video signal and audio signal of the broadcast wave received by the TV tuner 11 or the video signal and audio signal supplied to the external video and audio input terminals 3 2 and 3 3 are used. Is converted into digital video and audio signals by the AZD converter 1 2. The digital video signal and audio signal are compressed by the encoder 13 to become compressed data, and the compressed data is supplied to the HDD device 20 via the bus 28. The HDD device 20 writes the compressed data in the address position indicated by the write instruction in the main data recording area of the fixed disk in accordance with the write instruction of the control unit 15.

When writing into the main data recording area is completed, management data for the compressed data written is written into the management data recording area of the fixed disk.

Each time recording is performed in this manner, compressed data and its management data are recorded on the fixed disk of the HDD device 20. Compressed data is data that is written in units of files in the main data recording area of a fixed disk and compressed video and audio signals for the actual recorded time. The management data is written in the management data recording area, the compressed data identification information for each recording, the writing position in the main data recording area, the recording rate, title, recording date and time, recording time, receiving channel (including external input) and Consists of information such as genre. The recording rate is selected by the user during recording from the Fine, SP, LP, EP, SLP, and MN modes. This recording rate is selected by specifying the compression rate when compressed data is generated by encoders 1 and 3. Become. The title and genre may be the content or genre classification specified by the user through the input operation of the operation unit, but the contents included in the program information managed by the program information acquisition unit 14 may be used as they are. .

In order for the user to check the compressed data recorded on the fixed disk of the HDD device 20 for each title, the title menu button (not shown) on the remote controller 18 is operated. By operating the title menu button of the remote control 1 8, a command signal indicating a title menu display command from the remote control 1 8 is received by the light receiving unit 19, and a title menu display command is supplied to the control unit 15. In response to the title menu display command, the control unit 15 instructs the title menu creation unit 26 to create title menu display data. In response to this command, the title menu creation unit 26 reads out the management data of the fixed disk of the HDD unit 20 for 6 titles in the order of recording date and time, and the compressed data in the data recording area for each screen of 6 titles. Read out, decode it, and create title menu display data using the read management data and screen data. When the title menu display data is created, the title menu creation unit 2 6 sends a creation completion notification to the control unit 15, and in response, the control unit 15 sends the D / A converter 2 5 to the decoder 2 4. Command to input the output digital video signal of the title menu creation section 26 instead of the digital video signal. Therefore, the output digital video signal of the title menu creation unit 26 is converted into an analog video signal by the D / A converter 25, and the video signal is supplied to the television monitor 4 via the video output terminal 34. On the television monitor 4, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a title menu having recorded videos for six titles about the HDD device 20 is displayed. The recorded video for the 6 titles is, for example, From newest to oldest or titles in alphabetical order. Although the title of each recorded video is not displayed on the title menu, information included in management data such as the title of each recorded video and the recording date / time may be displayed.

The recorded content in which compressed data is recorded as a file in units of titles on the fixed disk of the HDD device 20 is displayed on the TV monitor 4 as a title menu. The operation is compressed data on the optical disk 29 set in the DVD drive device 21. The same applies to the case where the recorded content recorded as a file is displayed on the TV monitor 4 as a title menu. Which title menu is displayed depends on which of the HDD device 20 and DVD drive device 21 is given priority immediately before the title menu button on the remote control 1 8 is operated. In the personal computer 41 of the personal computer 2, application software (predetermined program) named PC controller is installed in a storage device (not shown) such as an HDD device. When activated (step SI), the DVD recorder 1 and personal computer 2 perform PC control operations while communicating. The PC control operation is an external control operation for controlling the DVD recorder 1 by a user operation on the personal computer 2. In communication, various notifications and data issued from the control unit 15 of the DVD recorder 1 or in response to the command are transmitted from the interface unit 23 to the input / output interface unit of the computer main unit 41 via the cable 3, and further to the computer main unit 41. To the internal processor (not shown). Various commands issued by the processor in the computer main body 41 are transmitted to the control unit 15 of the DVD recorder 1 through the reverse path. In the PC control operation, the processor in the computer main body 41 transmits a PC control on command to the DVD recorder 1 immediately after the application software is started, as shown in FIG. 4 (step S2). When the control unit 15 of the DV Recorder 1 receives the PC control unit command, it performs PC control state transition processing (step S3). In the PC control-on state transition process, the control unit 15 instructs the title menu creation unit 26 to create title menu display data for the HDD device 20. In response to this command, the title menu creation unit 26 creates the title menu display data as described above, and sends the creation completion notification to the control unit 15 when the creation is completed. In addition, the reception of commands sent from the personal computer 2 is enabled, and the reception of commands sent from the remote control 18 through the light receiving unit 19 is disabled.

When confirming the end of the PC controller turn-on state transition process, the control unit 15 transmits a PC control-on success notification to the personal computer 2 (step S 4). When receiving the PC control-on success notification, the processor in the computer main body 41 recognizes that the PC control is on and can receive data from the DVD recorder 1 (step S5).

The control unit 15 transmits the title menu display data created by the PC controller state change process to the personal computer 2 (step S6). In other words, the title menu display data from the title menu creation unit 26 is supplied to the interface unit 23 via the bus 28 and transmitted to the personal computer 2.

The processor in the computer main unit 41 receives the title menu display data. Then, a PC control screen (window) including a title menu image based on the title menu display data is created and displayed on the display unit 42 (step S 7). The PC control screen is an external operation menu image, as shown in Figure 5. In FIG. 5, symbol A is a title menu image based on title menu display data, and the structure of this image is the same as the title menu displayed on the TV monitor 4. Reference symbol B is a remote control image, and includes at least some buttons such as a playback button necessary for a playback operation among the buttons included in the remote control 18. These buttons are selected by moving the mouse pointer displayed on the screen of the display unit 42 by operating a mouse (not shown), and the selection button can be pressed. Symbol C is a title editing video, which can be used to edit the title by mouse operation and character input operation. In addition, the full screen display button D as the video in the PC control screen is an operation button for displaying the selected recorded video out of the 6 titles of the title menu video A in full screen. The title list button E is, for example, an operation button for shifting to a title list screen as shown in FIG. 6, and the end button F is an operation button for ending the PC control operation.

When the processor in the computer main unit 41 detects the operation of the button displayed on either the remote control image B or the title editing image C (step S8), the operation command corresponding to the operation is sent to the DVD recorder 1. Send (Step S9). When the control unit 15 receives the operation command, the control unit 15 executes an operation command process corresponding to the operation command (step S 10). For example, when the playback button in the remote control image B is operated by the user, in step S9, the playback command is displayed as an operation command. The command is sent to DVD recorder 1. When receiving the playback command, the control unit 15 executes the playback operation for the recorded video at the selected cursor position of the title menu video A.

The processor in the computer main unit 41 sends an information request command to the DVD recorder 1 in order to obtain the result of the operation command processing (step S 11). When receiving the information request command, the control unit 15 executes information acquisition processing corresponding to the information request command (step S 12). In the information acquisition process, the title menu display data changed by the operation command process is acquired. That is, the control unit 15 instructs the title menu creation unit 26 to create title menu display data for the HDD device 20. In response to this command, the title menu creation unit 26 creates title menu display data as described above, and sends the creation completion notification to the control unit 15 when creation is completed.

When confirming the end of the information acquisition process, the control unit 15 causes the title menu display data created by the information acquisition process to be transmitted to the personal computer 2 (step S 1 3). This is the same as step S6, but the data A in FIG. 5 may be transmitted in step S6, and the data B and C in FIG. 5 may be transmitted in step S13.

Upon receiving the title menu display data, the processor in the computer main unit 41 updates the PC control screen including the title menu display based on the title menu display data and displays it on the display unit 42 (step S 14).

The operations in steps S8 to S14 are repeated as appropriate according to the user's operation. The

When the processor in the computer main body 41 detects the operation of the above-mentioned end button F (step S15), it sends a PC controller control off command to the DVD recorder 1 (step S16), and the PC control application Terminate the software (Step S17).

When the control unit 15 of the DV recorder 1 receives the PC control off command, it performs the PC control console off state transition process (step S18). In the PC controller roof state transition process, the control unit 15 disables the reception of commands sent from the personal computer 2, enables the reception of commands sent from the remote control 18 via the light receiving unit 19, The operation of the DV D recorder 1 can be controlled by operating the remote controller 18.

In the above-described embodiment, the buttons shown in the title menu video A of the PC control screen are not directly operated, and instead the various buttons shown in the remote control video B are passed through the mouse. However, the buttons shown in the title menu image A may be operated directly by operating the selection power sol and the operation command may be issued.

In the above embodiment, the DVD recorder 1 as a recording / playback device and the personal computer 2 as an external device are connected by wire using an input / output interface of the IE EE 1 394 standard. It is not limited to. They may be connected by wire or wireless using an input / output interface of other standards such as USB or LAN.

Furthermore, a DVD recorder equipped with a hard disk drive device as a storage device As shown, the recording / reproducing apparatus is not limited to the DVD recorder, but may be provided with a storage device. The storage device may be a drive device or a semiconductor memory device in which an optical disk such as a DVD is set.

In the above-described embodiment, the operation menu video shows the title menu, but it may be a video for selecting functions such as recording reservation, program guide, dubbing (copying), playlist creation, disc management, and the like.

As described above, according to the present invention, the recording / reproducing device generates the menu video data indicating the operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device, and outputs the video using the menu video data as the video signal. Recorder control means for outputting to the terminal, first communication means for transmitting the menu video data to the external device, and the external device includes second communication means for receiving the menu video data transmitted from the recording / reproducing device; And an external control means for displaying on the display device an external operation menu image corresponding to the menu video data received by the second communication means, and is connected to the video output terminal of the recording / reproducing apparatus. The external operation menu image including the operation menu image displayed on the TV monitor is displayed on the display device of the external device. Therefore, the user can operate the external device while watching such an external operation menu image, and thus can control the recording / reproducing apparatus from the external device without a sense of incongruity.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. a recording / reproducing device that incorporates a data storage device for recording video data, reproduces the video data recorded in the storage device, and outputs the data as a video signal to a video output terminal;

An external control recording / playback system comprising: a display device; and an external device that controls the operation of the recording / playback device by communicating with the recording / playback device, wherein the recording / playback device includes the storage device Recorder control means for generating menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the device, and outputting the menu video data as a video signal to the video output terminal;

First communication means for transmitting the menu video data to the external device, wherein the external device receives the menu video data transmitted from the recording / playback device;

An external control means for displaying on the display device an external operation menu image corresponding to the menu video data received by the second communication means.

2. The external control recording / reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the recording / reproducing apparatus has a remote controller for wirelessly controlling a main body operation, and the operation menu image is an operation image of the remote controller.

3. The external control recording / reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the recording / reproducing apparatus is a disk recorder including a hard disk device as the storage device, and the external device is a personal computer.

4. The operation menu video is the video data recorded in the storage device. 2. The external control recording / reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the external operation menu video includes the title menu video including a recorded video for each title.

5. The external control means starts an external control operation in accordance with the predetermined program when a predetermined program is started in response to an operation, and sends an external control command to the recording / playback via the second communication means. To the device,

When the menu video data is received via the second communication means, an external operation menu video corresponding to the menu video data is displayed on the display device, and an operation command is received according to an operation based on the external operation menu video. The operation command is transmitted to the recording / reproducing device via the second communication means, and when an operation for ending the external control operation is performed, the external control off command is transmitted via the second communication means. To the recording / reproducing apparatus, and then terminate the external control operation.

When the recorder control unit receives the external control on command via the first communication unit, the recorder control unit enters an external control on state, generates the menu video data, and transmits it to the external device via the first communication unit. When the operation command is received via the first communication means, an operation command process is executed according to the operation command,

2. The external control recording / reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein when the external control off command is received through the first communication means, the external control off state is entered.

6. A built-in data storage device for recording video data is stored in the storage device. A recording / playback device for playing back recorded video data and outputting it as a video signal to a video output terminal,

Recorder control means for generating menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device, and outputting the menu video data as a video signal to the video output terminal;

A recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: communication means for transmitting the menu video data to the outside.

7. Built-in data storage device for recording video data, communicates with the recording / playback device that plays back the video data recorded in the storage device and outputs it as a video signal to the video output terminal. An external device for controlling the operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus,

Communication means for receiving, from the recording / playback device, menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device;

External control means, comprising: external control means for causing a display device to display an external operation menu video corresponding to the menu video data received by the communication means.

8. Built-in data storage device for recording video data, communicates with the recording / playback device that plays back the video data recorded in the storage device and outputs it as video signal to the video output terminal. A computer-readable program for executing an external control method for controlling the operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus,

A communication step of receiving, from the recording / reproducing device, menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device; And displaying an external operation menu image corresponding to the menu image data received in the communication step on a display device.

9. a recording / reproducing apparatus that incorporates a data storage device for recording video data, reproduces the video data recorded in the storage device, and outputs the video data to a video output terminal;

An external device that includes a display device and communicates with the recording / reproducing device to control the operation of the recording / reproducing device, and an external control recording / reproducing system control method comprising:

In the recording / reproducing apparatus, a recorder control step of generating menu video data indicating an operation menu video for the video data recorded in the storage device and outputting the menu video data to the video output terminal as a video signal When,

A first communication step for transmitting the menu video data to the external device, and

In the external device, a second communication step of receiving the menu video data transmitted from the recording / playback device;

An external control step of causing the display device to display an external operation menu video corresponding to the menu video data received in the second communication step. Method.