Apparatus and method for automatically selecting and recording highlight portions of a broadcast signal

An apparatus for automatically selecting and recording highlight portions of a broadcast signal with audio and video signal portions, said highlight portions representing the most significant portions of a broadcast program, the apparatus comprising:

• an analog/digital converter for converting a broadcast signal having audio and video signal portions into digital data;
• a highlight portion detection unit coupled to an output of the analog/digital converter for detecting a highlight portion in the digital data converted by the analog/digital converter and outputting a control signal when a highlight portion is detected;
• a memory coupled to the output of the analog/digital converter and to the highlight portion detection unit, for storing an amount of the digital data converted by the analog/digital converter, and for outputting, in response to the control signal outputted by the highlight portion detection unit, the stored digital data;
• a digital/analog converter coupled to an output of the memory, the digital/analog converter for converting the digital data outputted from the memory into an analog signal;
• and
• a recording means coupled to an output of the digital/analog converter, the recording means for recording the analog signal converted by the digital/analog converter.