Apparatus for use in a VCR or laserdisc player for providing a signal indicative of the reproduction of wide-screen picture
AssigneeThomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.
InventorWilliam A. Lagoni
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A VCR or laserdisc player includes circuitry for detecting a code provided by VCR tapes, tape cassettes, or laser videodiscs, which indicates that the material recorded on the videotape or videodisc has been recorded in a compressed fashion to enable proper playback on a 16.times.9 television receiver. In response to detection of this code, the VCR or laserdisc player applies a DC signal to the chrominance output terminal of its S-Video connector. Circuitry in the television receiver detects the DC signal on the chrominance terminal of its S-Video input connector, and controls a wide-screen processor to expand the image by displaying it over the entire width of the 16.times.9 display screen.
Claims9
In a videocassette recorder for playing a videotape prerecorded in accordance with a standard television system in a first format in which the video images have been horizontally compressed, and in a second format in which the video images have not been horizontally compressed, apparatus comprising:
- an output S-video connector at which is developed separate luminance and chrominance information for application to an external display device;
- said output S-video connector including a first terminal at which said chrominance signal is developed, and a second terminal at which said luminance signal is developed;
- means for reading a prerecorded code from said videotape, said prerecorded code indicating that said prerecorded videotape contains said video images which have been horizontally compressed;
- and
- means for coupling said first terminal of said output S-video connector to a source of DC potential in response to the detection of said prerecorded code in order to apply a DC signal along with said chrominance signal to said first terminal of said S-video connector to provide an indication to said external display device that said videotape currently being played contains said horizontally compressed images.
In a videocassette recorder for playing a videotape prerecorded in accordance with a standard television system in a first format in which the video images have been horizontally compressed, and in a second format in which the video images have not been horizontally compressed, apparatus comprising:
- an output S-video connector at which is developed separate luminance and chrominance information for application to an external display device;
- said output S-video connector including a first terminal at which said chrominance signal is developed, and a second terminal at which said luminance signal is developed;
- means for detecting a physical characteristic of a cassette enclosing said videotape said physical characteristic indicating that said prerecorded videotape contains said video images which have been horizontally compressed;
- and
- means for coupling said first terminal of said output S-video connector to a source of DC potential in response to the detection of said physical characteristic in order to apply a DC signal along with said chrominance signal to said first terminal of said S-video connector to provide an indication to said external display device that said videotape currently being played contains said horizontally compressed images.
In a laserdisc player for playing a laserdisc prerecorded in accordance with a standard television system in a first format in which the video images have been horizontally compressed, and in a second format in which the video images have not been horizontally compressed, apparatus comprising:
- an output S-video connector at which is developed separate luminance and chrominance information for application to an external display device;
- said output S-video connector including a first terminal at which said chrominance signal is developed, and a second terminal at which said luminance signal is developed;
- means for reading a code from said laserdisc, said code indicating that said prerecorded laserdisc contains said video images which have been horizontally compressed;
- and
- means for coupling said first terminal of said output S-video connector to a source of DC potential in response to the detection of said indication in order to apply a DC signal along with said chrominance signal to said first terminal of said S-video connector to provide an indication to said external display device that said laserdisc currently being played contains said horizontally compressed images.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.