Video information playback apparatus

#The present invention relates to video information playback apparatuses such as a business-grade videotape playback apparatus used in broadcasting stations or production companies.

#Recently, broadcasting stations and production companies have been busy producing video-contents because the number of channels increases due to the availability of digital broadcastings using broadcasting satellites (BS), communication satellites (CS) and ground-wave. It is thus an urgent task to increase an efficiency in editing videos for a quick production of video-content, and an efficiency of video apparatuses has drawn attention from the industry. A conventional video information playback apparatus for editing videos is described hereinafter with reference to a videotape playback apparatus.

#A conventional vide-tape playback apparatus includes a well-known jog and shuttle functions that playback a videotape. Those functions can be performed using one rotary knob in two operation modes. One of the operation modes is “jog function” that transports the tape frame-by-frame in response to rotating the rotary knob. To be more specific, this jog function links the rotary knob to a rotary encoder, and the encoder generates a unit pulse following a rotational angle of the knob. This unit pulse moves the videotape by one frame, so that frame-by-frame playback is carried out. For instance, when the knob is rotated clockwise, forward playback is carried out, and when the knob is rotated counter-clockwise, reversal playback is carried out. As a rotational angle increases or the number of rotations of the rotary knob increases, more frames are transported.

#FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a video information playback apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the video information playback apparatus in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

#The present invention addresses the problem discussed above, and aims to provide a video playback apparatus that can notify users of which mode a rotary knob working for. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention is demonstrated hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the video information playback apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a user operates rotary knob 10 to carry out jog-playback or shuttle-playback. Translucent ring 20 is disposed around an outer rim of the rotary knob, and ring 20 transmits light emitted from illuminating section 30 behind ring 20 such that as if ring 20 emitted the light by itself Display section 70 indicates statuses of various devices equipped in the video information playback apparatus. For instance, it displays an operating mode of the apparatus such as “stop” and “play”, a counter and a time-code of playback, and a sound level at playback. Operation switches 80 include push buttons for “stop”, “play” and the like. A recorded medium is inserted into media-entrance 90 for playback.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the video information playback apparatus in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, rotary element 40 is formed of switch 41 that can be pressed along the shaft, rotary encoder 42 and rebounding element 43 of return-to-neutral point type. Switch 41 detects a push of rotary knob along the shaft, and sends a given signal to controller 50 based on the detection result. Signals supplied from rotary encoder 42 and rebounding element 43 are also sent to controller 50, which latches a signal supplied from switch 41, thereby changing an operation mode from the jog mode to the shuttle mode or vice versa. Controller 50 controls illuminating section 30 such that illuminating section emits light, or changes a color of the light depending on the operation mode. Illuminating section 30 is formed of light-emitting elements, such as LED, lamp, or E1, placed along the entire rim of ring 20 or parts of ring 20, and illuminates translucent ring 20 with its light emission.