Video signal encoder

A video signal encoder for encoding an interlaced video signal having a field frequency of 60 Hz obtained by overlapping a portion of a plurality sets of first and second fields, each of said plurality sets being produced from one frame of a non-interlaced video signal having a frame frequency of 24 Hz, said video signal encoder comprising:

• field identification signal generating means for externally receiving said interlaced video signal to thereby generate a field identification signal indicative of switching of the respective fields of said interlaced video signal;
• secondary top field signal generating means for externally receiving a top field signal which becomes active with respect to a top field among a plurality of fields of said interlaced video signal corresponding to a respective frame of said non-interlaced video signal, and for generating a secondary field signal produced by changing said top field signal in an even-numbered field into a non-active state based upon said field identification signal when said top field signal continuously becomes active over a plurality of fields corresponding to the respective frame of said non-interlaced video signal;
• and
• encoding means for encoding said interlaced video signal based on said secondary top field signal and said field identification signal by skipping said portion of the overlapped fields.