Method and apparatus for recording and reproducing an information signal comprising a video signal and audio signal

Apparatus for reproducing an information signal comprising at least a digitized audio signal recorded in a plurality of successive tracks on a record medium, with the digitized audio signal being recorded in at least an overscan section of each track, said apparatus comprising:

• transducer means for scanning the tracks to reproduce the information signal recorded in the plurality of successive tracks;
• audio signal processing means for converting said digitized audio signal to an analog audio signal;
• video signal processing means for processing a video signal of said information signal to produce an output video signal;
• switch means for supplying said information signal reproduced during scanning of the overscan section of each track to said audio signal processing means and for supplying said information signal reproduced during scanning of a main section of each track to one of said audio signal processing means and said video signal processing means;
• and
• control means for controlling said switch means to supply said information signal reproduced during scanning of the main section of each track to said audio signal processing means during an audio use mode and to supply said information signal reproduced during scanning of the main section of each track to said video signal processing means during a video use mode.

Apparatus for recording on a record medium a first audio signal representing a first audio selection and at least one additional audio signal representing at least one additional audio selection;

• said apparatus comprising:
• audio signal processing means for converting said first audio signal into a first set of discrete, time-compressed digital signals and said additional audio signal into an additional set of discrete, time-compressed digital signals;
• transducer means responsive to said digital signals;
• transport means for establishing a relative scan of said transducer means with respect to said record medium in a multiplicity of successive parallel tracks;
• switch means selectively connecting said audio signal processing means to said transducer means;
• and
• control means for controlling said switch means to supply said digital signals to said transducer means in a manner such that said transducer means records respective signals of said first set of digital signals on said record medium while traversing respective segments of a first set of discrete segments of said tracks and records respective signals of said additional set of digital signals on said record medium while traversing respective segments of an additional set of discrete segments of said tracks;
• the segments of said first set of segments being arranged in a first row and being respectively located in successive ones of said tracks;
• and
• the segments of said additional set of segments being arranged in an additional row and being respectively located in successive ones of said tracks;
• whereby each of said tracks contains a segment of said first set of segments and a segment of said additional set of segments.

Apparatus for reproducing a first audio signal and at least one additional audio signal recorded in a multiplicity of parallel tracks on a record medium and respectively including a first set of discrete, time-compressed digital signals representing a first audio selection and at least one additional set of discrete, time-compressed digital signals representing at least one additional audio selection, respective signals of said first set of digital signals being recorded in respective segments of a first set of discrete segments of said tracks, respective signals of said additional set of digital signals being recorded in respective segments of an additional set of discrete segments of said tracks, the segments of said first set of segments being arranged in a first row and being respectively located in successive ones of said tracks, and the segments of said additional set of segments being arranged in an additional row and being respectively located in successive ones of said tracks, whereby each of said tracks contains a segment of said first set of segments and a segment of said second set of segments;

• said apparatus comprising:
• transducer means responsive to said recorded digital signals for generating a transducer output signal;
• transport means for establishing a relative movement of said transducer means with respect to said record medium, whereby said transducer means sequentially scans said tracks;
• audio signal processing means responsive to said transducer output signal for converting said digital signals to analog time-decompressed form;
• switch means selectively connecting said audio signal processing means to said transducer means;
• and
• control means for controlling said switch means selectively to supply to said audio signal processing means only the signals of said first set of digital signals for reproducing said first audio selection or only the signals of said additional set of digital signals for reproducing said additional audio selection.