Reproducing apparatus, reproducing method, transmitting apparatus and transmitting method

A method of controlling a reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing digital information at a predetermined bit rate corresponding to a predetermined dubbing speed, comprising the steps of:

• calculating available dubbing speeds based on a transmission capacity of the reproducing apparatus;
• selecting a dubbing speed N times the predetermined dubbing speed among the available dubbing speeds calculated in the calculating step, wherein N is 2, 4 or 8;
• reproducing digital information including a plurality of fixed-length packets from a first recording medium at a bit rate N times the predetermined bit rate corresponding to the dubbing speed N times the predetermined dubbing speed selected in the selecting step;
• determining the number of the fixed-length packets included in one transmission packet in accordance with the dubbing speed N times the predetermined dubbing speed selected in the selecting step;
• generating transmission packets from the digital information reproduced from the first recording medium, wherein each of the transmission packets includes the determined number of fixed-length packets;
• and
• transmitting the transmission packets to an external recording device so that the external recording device can record the digital information to a second recording medium at a bit rate N times the predetermined bit rate corresponding to the dubbing speed N times the predetermined dubbing speed selected in the selecting step.

A dubbing system comprising:

• a reproducing device capable of reproducing digital information at a predetermined bit rate corresponding to a predetermined dubbing speed;
• and
• a recording device,
• wherein the reproducing device including:
• a calculating unit which calculates available dubbing speeds based on a transmission capacity of the reproducing device;
• a selecting unit which selects a dubbing speed N times the predetermined dubbing speed among the available dubbing speeds calculated by the calculating unit, wherein N is 2, 4 or 8;
• a reproducing unit which reproduces digital information including a plurality of fixed-length packets from a first recording medium at a bit rate N times the predetermined bit rate corresponding to the dubbing speed N times the predetermined dubbing speed selected by the selecting unit;
• and
• a transmission unit which (a) determines the number of the fixed-length packets included in one transmission packet in accordance with the dubbing speed N times the predetermined dubbing speed selected by the selecting unit, (b) generates transmission packets from the digital information reproduced from the first recording medium, wherein each of the transmission packets includes the determined number of fixed-length packets, and (c) transmits the transmission packets, and
• wherein the recording device including:
• a receiving unit which receives the transmission packets transmitted from the transmission unit;
• and
• a recording unit which records the digital information to a second recording medium at a bit rate N times the predetermined bit rate corresponding to the dubbing speed N times the predetermined dubbing speed selected by selecting unit.