Recording/reproducing apparatus including control signal indicating high-efficiency coding

A recording/reproducing apparatus for recording a coded signal obtained by performing a high-efficiency coding process on an information signal on a recording medium and reproducing the original information signal by performing a decoding process corresponding to the high-efficiency coding process on the coded signal read from the recording medium, comprising:

• input lines respectively connected to receive the information signal, a control signal indicating whether or not the information signal has been subjected to the high-efficiency coding and decoding processes and a specific signal indicating a specific value used in the high-efficiency coding and decoding processes when the information signal has been subjected to the high-efficiency coding and decoding processes;
• coding means for performing a high-efficiency coding process on the input information signal using the specific value on the input information signal when the control signal indicates that the input information signal has not been subjected to the high-efficiency coding and decoding processes, producing a coefficient signal indicating the specific value and a control signal indicating the information signal has been subjected to the high-efficiency coding and decoding processes and performing a high-efficiency coding process on the input information signal on the basis of the specific value indicated by the input specific signal when the input control signal indicates that the input information signal has been subjected to the high-efficiency coding and decoding processes;
• recording means for recording the information signal subjected to the high-efficiency coding process by said coding means on the recording medium together with the control signal and the specific signal produced by said coding means or input to said input lines;
• reproducing means for reading the coded signal, the control signal and the specific signal from the recording medium;
• and
• decoding means for performing a decoding process on the coded signal read by said reproducing means on the basis of the specific value indicated by the read specific signal and outputting the information signal subjected to the decoding process together with the read control and specific signals.