Enhancing operations of video tape cassette players

#In one aspect, this invention is related to means and method for facilitating management, storage, and retrieval of programs on a cassette of magnetic tape. In another aspect, this invention is related to maintaining current information about a tape in a magnetic tape cassette and more particularly to maintaining current information about such a tape using a magnetic tape reader/recorder, and magnetic tape cassettes therefor.

#Two general methods for long term mass storage of data are known; random access and sequential access. The random access method uses long playing (LP) record players, compact disc (CD) drives and video disc drives for consumer use, and hard disc drives, floppy disc drives and optical disc drives for use with computers. In all; information is accessed at random by moving a playing head directly over the desired playing area of the stored media.

#a. Problems With Serial Storage Devices

#The foregoing features of the invention will be better understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interlaced scanning pattern on a screen of a conventional television receiver.

#FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a data transmission system.

#Video Signal Format

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interlaced scanning pattern on a screen of a conventional television receiver.

#By way of background, video images in a cathode ray tube (CRT) type-video device, e.g. television, are generated by scanning a beam along a predefined pattern of lines across a screen. Each time all the lines are scanned, a frame is said to have been produced. In one implementation, such as used in the United States, a frame is scanned 30 times per second. Each television frame comprises 525 lines which are divided into two separate fields, referred to as field 1 (“odd field”) and field 2 (“even field”), of 262.5 lines each. Accordingly, these even and odd fields are transmitted alternately at 60 Hz. The lines of the even and odd fields are interleaved to produce the full 525 line frame once every {fraction (1/30)} of a second in a process known as interlacing. Another standard in the world uses 625 lines of information and interlace 312 and 313 lines at 50 fields per second. In the 525 line standard used in the United States, approximately 480 lines are displayed on the television screen.