Controlling playing operations of a plurality of magazine type disc players each having exclusive access to disc loaded therein

An apparatus for selectively playing a plurality of discs enclosed therein which has a plurality of magazine type disc players, each of which includes at least one magazine, each of said magazines containing a plurality of discs therein, said plurality of disc players receiving and playing designated music programs in accordance with music program selection operations, said plurality of magazine type disc players including first and second magazine type disc players for playing current and next designated music programs, comprising:

• discriminating means for determining which of said plurality of disc players includes a next magazine that has a disc including a next designated music program to be played;
• first means for instructing a second magazine type disc player to execute a search operation to find the next designated music program when said discriminating means determines that said next magazine in includes in said second magazine type disc player and for setting said second magazine type disc player into a playing operation start standby mode once said second magazine type disc player identifies that said next designated music program has been found;
• and
• second means for releasing the playing operation start standby mode of said second magazine type disc player and for starting the playing operation when a playing operation of said first magazine type disc player ends,
• wherein each of said magazine type disc players has exclusive access to a predetermined number of magazines.