Including break slots in broadcast video signals

A method

• of including a break slot in a broadcast video signal, the method comprising:
• viewing the signal in order to identify portions of the signal to be edited out;
• after said viewing of signal, feeding the signal through a first RAM recorder having a fixed delay;
• storing the signal from said first RAM recorder in a second RAM recorder having a variable delay such that the signal with said fixed delay is further delayed by a first desired amount;
• controllably reading the signal from said second RAM recorder having a variable delay by causing said second RAM recorder to skip reading said identified portions to be edited out, such that the delay produced by said second RAM recorder is reduced from said first desired amount by a second amount proportional to the sum of the durations of said identified portions;
• and
• after the delay produced by said second RAM recorder has been reduced by said second amount, inhibiting reading of the signal from said second RAM recorder until the signal delay produced by said second RAM recorder has increased again to no more than said first desired amount, such that a break slot is thereby produced having a duration no more than said second amount by which the delay produced by said second RAM recorder has been reduced.

A method of including a break slot in a broadcast video signal, the method comprising:

• viewing the signal to identify portions thereof to be edited out;
• feeding the signal through a RAM recorder having a fixed delay;
• after the signal has been fed through said fixed delay RAM recorder, storing the signal in a RAM recorder having a variable delay such that the signal is delayed in said RAM recorder by an accumulated value;
• controllably reading the signal from the variable delay RAM recorder in such a manner as to skip reading the identified portions, such that the delay produced by said variable delay RAM recorder is reduced from said accumulated value by an amount proportional to the sum of the durations of said identified portions;
• and
• after the delay produced by said variable delay RAM recorder has been reduced by a desired amount, inhibiting reading of the signal from said variable delay RAM recorder until the delay produced by said variable delay RAM recorder has increased again to no more than said accumulated value, thereby to produce a break slot having a duration no more than the reduction of the delay produced by said variable delay RAM recorder.

A method of including a break slot in a broadcast video signal, the method comprising:

• storing the signal in a RAM recorder having a variable delay at a predetermined rate such that the signal is delayed by a first desired amount;
• controllably reading the signal from the variable delay RAM recorder in such a manner as to cause the signal to be read from said RAM recorder at a reading rate greater than the predetermined rate at which the signal is stored in said RAM recorder, such that the delay produced by said RAM recorder is recorder, such that the delay produced by said RAM recorder is reduced from said first desired amount as time elapses in proportion to the difference between the reading rate and said predetermined rate;
• and
• after the delay produced by said variable delay RAM recorder has been reduced by a second desired amount, inhibiting reading of the signal from said RAM recorder until the signal delay produced by said variable delay RAM recorder has increased again to no more than said first desired amount, such that a break slot is thereby produced having a duration no more than said reduction of the delay produced by said variable delay RAM recorder.