GB2225146A

GB2225146A - Still video device

Info

Publication number: GB2225146A
Application number: GB8922187A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nobuya Sakai
Original assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Co Ltd
Current assignee: Pentax Corp
Priority date: 1988-10-04
Filing date: 1989-10-03
Publication date: 1990-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-03
Also published as: DE3933187C2; DE3933187A1; JPH02192089A; GB2225146B; GB8922187D0; FR2637435B1; FR2637435A1

Description

2,125146 STILL VIDEO DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to still videodevices, for example, electronic still cameras, capable of- both or either recording or reproducing video and sound signals.

More particularly, the present invention pertains to a still video device which is capable of displaying information concerning a quantity of sound signal during recording or playback, for example, the sound signal recording or reproducing (playback) time. 2. Description of Related Art

In electronic still cameras which are designed to convert the image of an object into an electrical video signal and record it on a magnetic recording medium, for example, a magnetic disk, there have recently been developed improvements which are capable of recording a sounu4 signal which is input through a microphone together wi-,h a signal or independently of each other.

The conventional electronic st-311 cameras capable of recording and/or reproducing a sound signal suff"er, hcweve,r, from the following problems. During recording of the sound signal, the prior art cannot tell the user the time elapsed since the start of the recordinc; or the remainingrecordal._'e -me, that is, the remaining, recc)rdi-,;; capaci_',. T!,!- e f c. r e, the user must suffer inconvenience. At the time of reproducing the recorded sound signal, the user is not informed of the quantity of sound signal that has been recorded on one track (i.e., the sound record time) and cannot recognize which part of the recorded information is being reproduced. Thus, the prior art puts the user a great deal of inconvenience.

According to a certain standard, the sound signal is recorded on any of 50 tracks formatted on a magnetic disk on 10 a track-by-track basis.

2 0 SUNtMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-described problems of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a still video device, for example, a still video camera, which is capable of displaying information concerning a quantity of sound signal during recording and playback. for example, the sound signal record time and the playback time.

To this end, the present invention provides a stil.11 video device having a sound recording function by which a sound signal output from a sound input means can be recorded on a recording medium, wherein the improvement comprises: a record quantity calculating means for calculating the quantity of sound signal recorded when the sound signal that is output from the sound inpur means is recorded on the record- n 5 c ing medium; and a display means for displaying the record quantity calculated by the record quantity calculating means.

By virtue of the above-described arrangement, during sound recording the quantity of sound signal being recorded or the quantity of sound signal which can be recorded from now on is displayed by the display means. Therefore, the user can readily recognize the residual recording capacity.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a still video device having a sound reproducing function by which a sound signal that has been recorded on a recording medium can be reproduced is provided with a record quantity calculating means for calculating, when a predetermined unit of sound signal recorded on the recording medium is reproduced, the quantity of the predetermined unit of sound signal, and a display means for displaying the record quantity calculated by the record quantity calculating means.

The above-described arrangement enables the us,r %%hen reproducing the sound signal, to readily rccc;n-ze the quantity of sound signal having been recorded or which part of the recorded information is being reproduced.

If each of the above-described display means is constiltuted by a display section which comprises a plurality of 1, time bar code segments and the record time or the playbacl% is indicated by the number of tar code segmen-_s 1,4-. u-, or - - 'iout, the user can recognize tle reccrd time or t.-- time at a glance..

It should be noted that the present invention is also applicable to an electronic still camera which is capable of both recording and reproducing sound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig.1 is a block diagram of a control circuit for driving an LCD panel concerned with sound in an electronic still camera to which the present invention is applied:

Fig.2 shows the external appearance of an electronic still camera to which the present invention is applied; Fig.3 shows a sound track on a magnetic disk for the electronic still camera shown in Fig.1; Fig.4 shows the way in which q.-sound signal and control code are recorded on the magnetic disk shown Fig.3.

Figs.5, 6, 7 and 8 show the LCD panel concerned with sound in the electronic still camera, the LCD pane'. being in different display conditions, respectively,; and Fig.9 is a flowchart regarding a display operation that takes place when the embodiment of the presenr invention is operated in the sound playback mode.

a in DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

1 The present invention will be described in detal with reference to the accompanying drawJngs. Fiz.22 shows the external appearance of an electronic still camera to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in-the figure, the electronic still camera basically comprises a camera body 10 and a sound adapter 1. serving as a sound input means which is detachably attached to the camera body 10. The sound adapter 12 is unnecessary when only photographing of an object is conducted, but it is needed when recording or reproducing of sound is carried out; in such a case, the sound adapter 12 is attached to the camera body 10.

The rear-end side of the camera body 10 is provided with an LCD display panel 14 for displaying the record/playback mode, the record/playback track number, etc., and switches, namely, a pair of UP and DOWN switches 16A and 16B which are actuated to select a track which is to be tracked by a magnetic head 36 (see Fig.1) provided inside the camera body 10 or instruct the magnetic head 36 to shift one track outward or inward, and a mode select switch 16D actuated to change over the record mode and the playback mode from one to the other. The upper side of the camera body 10 is provided with a release switch 16C and a cover 18 which is opened when a magnetic disk 15 is loaded and unloaded.

Further, one lateral side of the camera body 10 is provided with a femaie connector 20, a pair of positioninz holes 22. 24 and a tapped hole 26. The femalle connector 20 r_ is connected with a male connector 21 provided on the sound adapter 12. Through the connection of the connectors 20 and 21, signals are transferred between the camera body 10 and the sound adapter 12 and power is supplied to the sound adapter 12 from a power supply (not shown) provided in he camera body 10.

The positioning holes 22 and 24 are engaged with respective projections (not shown) which are provided on the sound adapter 1-9 when the adapter 12 is connected to the camera body 10. The tapped hole 26 is engaged with a threaded member (not shown) which is formed integral with a lock control knob 28 provided on the sound adapter 12 when the adapter 12 is attached to the camera body 10. By rotating the lock control knob 28, the sound adapter 12 can be secured to or removed from the camera body 10. It should be noted that the camera body 10 is further provided with device, etc.

photographing lens, an image pickup constitute in combination an imaging means shown.

The sound adapter 12 is provided with a microphone 30, a sound recording start switch 32A actuated to output a sound -recording start instruction and a sound recording end 9B actuated to output an instruction, a recording switch 3 instruction by which the sound signal that has temporarily been stored in a sound memory 40 (see Fig.1) provided ill the sound adapter 12 by the actuation of the soun-141 recorGling a which although not z start switch 32A is recorded on the magnetic disk 15 in the camera body 10, a time mode selecting switch 32C serving as a time mode selecting means for selecting one from among a plurality of time modes each having a predetermined maximum time for which sound can be continuously recorded, and an LCD panel 34 serving as a display means for displaying the selected time mode, record time and playback time and the kind of signal recorded on the magnetic disk 15.

Fig.3 shows a sound track on the magnetic disk 15 that is loaded in the camera body 10. In response to the actuation of the recording switch 32B, a signal concerning sound which is to be recorded is recorded on the magnetic disk 15 on a trackby-track basis according to a preset format. When a sound signal is to be recorded, one track is divided into four sectors with a space provided between each pair of adjacent sectors and the signal is recorded in each of the sectors in Since 1/60 see.

temporally embodiment 10-second can be effected for the sequential order. the magnetic disk 15 makes one revolution per the sound signal is recorded in the form of compressed frequency-modulated signal. In this two different time modes are provided, that is, mode and 20-second mode, in which sound recording seconds and 20 seconds, respectively. signal for one frame is recorded on the --rd,ng tc a disk 15 on a track-by-track basis ac L - preset forma'. In the case of field reecrdIng, the video

The video magnetic 2 5 signal is recorded on one track; ifi the case of frame recording, it is recorded on two tracks.

When these signals are recorded, a control code is simultaneously recorded in correspondence with the kind of each signal recorded. For example, when a sound signal is recorded, a control code corresponding to this sound signal which is concerned with the time mode or the like is recorded simultaneously with the sound signal, whereas, when a video signal is recorded, a control code corresponding to this video signal which is concerned with the recording mode, that is, field recording or frame recording, is recorded simultaneously with the video signal.

Fig.1 is a block diagram schematically showing a circuit concerning the display control of the LCD panel 34 of the electronic still camera according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the sound adapter 12 is generally controlled by a system controller 50 mounted in the camera body 10.

The sound memory 40 stores a sound signal in the form 20 of a temporally compressed digital sound signal and outputs the stored digital sound signal in this state or in the form the sound unit 41; as being of a temporally expanded digital sound signal. To memory 40 are connected a record/playback circuit and a sound recording and reproducing circuit 42 Jrcuits.

signall processing c.

The record/pla.vbac.,, circuit uni-. Ati is a r r a n ge d such 4 c that, when the sound recording start switch 39A is actuated to effect sound recording, the circuit unit 41 converts an analog sound signal that is output from the microphone 30 into a digital signal and outputs it to the sound memory 40, whereas, when the recorded sound signal is to be reproduced, the circuit unit 41 converts the digital sound signal that is output in the form of a time-base expanded signal from the sound memory 40 into an analog sound signal to drive a speaker 35.

The sound recording and reproducing circuit 42 is arranged such that, when the recording switch 32B is actuated to effect recording, the circuit 42 converts the digital signal concerning sound which has been temporarily stored in the sound memory 40 into an analog signal, frequency-modulates it and then records the frequency-modulated signal on the magnetic disk 15 through the magnetic head 36. When the 2 recorded sound signal is to be reproduced, the circuit 4. takes out through the magnetic head 36 the frequency-modulated signal concerning sound that has been recorded on the magnetic disk 15, demodulates and converts it into a digital signal and then outputs it to the sound memory 40.

It should be noted thar, when a sound signal is recorded on the magnetic disk 15 by the sound recording and reproducing circuit 422, a start flag and a contro! code are recorded before the sound signal and an end flaz is recorded 1 for each trae.K. as slncs-.- in after the sound signa A timing controller 43 is connected to both the sound memory 40 and the record/playback circuit unit 41 to synchronize the transfer of sound signal between the sound memory 40 and the record/playback circuit unit 41. By virtue of the timing controller 43, the digital sound signal stored in the sound memory 40 is output to the record/playback circuit unit 41 after being temporally expanded, while the digital sound signal that is output from the record/playback circuit unit 41 is stored in the sound memory 40 after being successively subjected to time-base compression. The timing controller 43 and the system controller 50 constitute in combination means for time-base compressing and expanding the sound signal.

Further connected to the sound Tiemory 40 is the system controller 50 that effects an overall control of the general operation of the electronic still camera. The system controller 50 is usually constituted by a microcomputer that includes a record quantity calculating section 44, a playback quantity calculating section 45 and a control code decoding section 47.

The record quantity calculating section 44 calculates a temporal quantity of sound signal that is output from thsound recording and reproducing circuit 42 to the soun( memory 40 on the basis of the storage capacity that -is il needed to store the sound signal, more specificall,,, from the amount of addresses required for storage o-,f the- S 0 U nd information.

The timing controller 43 is connected with the playback quantity calculati-ng section 45 which calculates the present playback time on the basis of the sound signal that is output from the sound memory 40 to the record/playback circuit unit 41.

The tracking of the magnetic head 36 over the magnetic disk 15 is controlled by a tracking controller 46 on the basis of an instruction that is output from the system controller 50.

The magnetic head 36 is connected with the control code decoding section 47 which serves as a control code decoding means. The control code decoding section 47 decodes a control code recorded on the magnetic disk 15 to discrimi nate the sound and video signals from each other.

A switching circuit 48 is interposed between the mag netic head 36 and the sound recording and reproducing cir cuit 42. The switching circuit 48 is adapted to switch the connection of the magnetic head 36 between the sound record ing and reproducing circuit 42 and a video recording and en, reproducing circuit 51. The switching operation at the time of playback is carried out on the basis of the control code decoded by the control code decoding section 47. More specifically, when the control code decoding section 47, judges the signal to be a sound signal, the switching c-4,cCUiLt 48 connects the magnetic head 36 tc the sound' recording 2 0 and reproducing circuit 42, whereas, when the signal is judged to be a video signal, the switching circuit 48 connects the magnetic head 36 to the video recording and reproducing circuit 51. At the time of recording, the switching operation is controlled in response to the actuation of the release switch 16C and recording switch 32B.

The record quantity calculating section 44, the playback quantity calculating section 45 and the control code decoding section 47 are connected to the LCD panel 34.

The system controller 50 is connected with the switches 16A to 16D on the camera body 10 and the switches 32A and 32-B on the sound adapter 12, which have been described above. In Fig.1, these switches are collectively shown as being a switch 49. The system controller 50 is activated in 15 response to an input from the switch 49 to conduct various kinds of control and calculation. The system controller 50 also controls the rotation of a spindle motor 52, that is, the rotation of the magnetic disk 15, through a driver 53.

Display on the LCD panel 34 will next be explained with reference to Figs. 5 to 8. The LCD panel 34 has a character and figure display section which is constituted by a multiplicity of liquid-crystal segments. In these figures, the uppermost character display section "REX" indicates the record mode, and the character display section "PLAY" that is next to "REC" indicates the playback mode. In the figures, black patterns indicate the light-up state, that is, z the ON-state, of the liquid-crystal segments, while white patterns indicate the light-out state, that is, the OFFstate, of the liquid- crystal segments. Accordingly, Figs.5 to 7 indicate the playback mode, while Fig.8 indicates the record mode.

The character display section "AUDIO" encircled with the frame that is disposed under the character display section "REC" indicates the sound signal, while the character display section "VIDEO" encircled with the frame that is disposed under the character display section "PLAY" indicates the video signal.

The character display section "1020 SEC/TRACK" encircled with the frame that is disposed under the character display section "AUDIO VIDEO" indicates a period of time for which sound can be recorded on one track, that is, a time mode that is concerned with a period of time for which sound can be continuously recorded in a single sound recording operation. In this embodiment, two different modes are available, in which 10-second recording and 20-second re- cording can be effected, respectively. The numeral "10" indicates the 10- second mode. while the numeral "20" indicates the 20-second mode. Accordingly, Figs.5, 6 and indicate the 10-second mode, while Fig.T indicates the second mode.

The lowermost bar code display section comprises 10 bar code segments displays informat.c_n concern- 2 5 ing the sound signal record time,'that is, during sound recording, the bar code display section indicates the record quantity (elapsed time), whereas, during playback of sound, the total record quantity (sound record time) and the temporal position of the recorded information that is presently reproduced (i.e., elapsed time). More specifically, in the sound record mode, as time elapses after the start of sound recording, the bar code segments light up from the left-hand end to indicate the record quantity (record time), whereas.

in the playback mode, the number of bar code segments which corresponds to the record time light up and, as the playback of sound starts, a bar code segment at the position corresponding to the playback quantity (elapsed time) flashes on and off, thereby indicating the elapsed time.

The above-described character display sections "REC PLAY", "AUDIO VIDEW' and "1020 SEC/TRACK" on the LCD panel 34 are controlled on the basis of the code that is decoded by the control code decoding section 47. On the other hand.

the lighting of the bar code display section is controlled on the basis of the values that are calculated by the record quantity calculating section 44 and the playback quantity calculating section 45.

The sound signal reproducing operation of the electronic still camera having the foregoing arrangement will be explained below with reference to the flowchart show-1 in Fig.g. Th e control operation shown in the f l owchart is initiated upon condition that the mode select switch 16D is actuated to select the playback mode and the release switch 16C is pressed. It should be noted that the sound playback operation is executed by the system controller 50 mounted in the camera body 10 according to the operating program stored in the internal memory.

As the release switch 16C is pressed, the spindle motor 52 is started to rotate the magnetic disk 15 and the magnetic head 36 is shifted to track a predetermined track, thus starting reading of the sound signal recorded on this track (Step S61). The sound signal that is read by the magnetic head 36 is sent to the sound recording and reproducing in the sound adapter 12 through the switching circuit 48 and an adapter (not shown). The sound signal is demodulated and converted into a digital signal in the circuit 42 and then written in the sound memory 40 (Step S63).

circuit 42 Next, the sound signal written in the sound memory 40 is read out and the control code is decoded in the control code decoding section 47 (Step S65). More specifically, the control code is decoded to judge whether the time mode is the 10-second mode or the 20-second mode. On the basis of the decoded mode, the time mode display section "10" or on the LCD panel 341 is lit up (Step 567.,.

Further, the sza.--, flag and end flag are deteeted from the sound signal read' out from the sound me=rly 4C J. n the record quantity calculating section 44 (Step S69), and the final address of the sound signal included between the start and end flags is detected to calculate the record quantity (record time) of sound signal from the final address (Step S71). Then, a number of bar code segments on the LCD panel 34 which are to be lit up is calculated from the calculated record time, and the calculated number of bar code segments are lit up from the left-hand end (Step S73). Thus, it is possible for the user to know the total sound record time.

Next, reading of the sound signal from the sound memory is started for playback (Step S75). More specifically, in the playback reading process the sound signal is timebase expanded into the form of signal at the time of recording. Then, the sound signal is cortierted into an analog signal in the record/playback circuit unit 41 and reproduced in the form of sound from the speaker 35.

During the playback reading process, it is checked (Step S77) whether or not the address of the readout signal is coincident with the final address detected in Step S71.

If YES, the process proceeds to the END processing to end this program. If NO is the answer in Step S77, that is, if the address of the readout signal is not coincident with the final address, the process proceeds to Step S79 in which the address is counted. Then, the bar code segment at the position corresponding to the address is flashed on and OLf -he process to indicate the elapsed time (Step S81), and 11 11 2 5 returns to Step S77. This flashing indication enables the user to know the temporal position in the total record time of the recorded sdund that is being reproduced.

The following is a summary of the operation of the electronic still camera of the present invention arranged as detailed above. The total record time of the soun-d signal which has been recorded on one track of the magnetic disk 15, the elapsed time or the remaining recordable time during sound recording and the elapsed time during playback of sound are displayed as follows.

During playback of sound, the sound signal that is read out from the magnetic disk 15 by the magnetic head 36 is converted into a digital signal in the sound recording and reproducing circuit 42 and written in the sound memory 40. The record quantity calculating section 44 reads out the sound signal written in the sound memory 40 to calculate the quantity of sound signal on the basis of the amount of addresses needed to write the sound information in the sound memory 40. Assuming, for example, that, in the 10-second mode, the digital data quantity of sound information that corresponds to a playback time of 1 second is A kilobit, if the quantity of digital data stored in the sound memory 40 is found to be 8A kilobits from the address data, the record quantity calculating section 44 calculates that the total record time of sound information is 8 seconds on the basis of the amount, of addresses needed to store the SA-kilobit data. The record quantity calculating section 44 activates the LCD panel 34 on the basis of the result of the calculation to light up 8 bar code segments for indicating the sound record time. as shown in Fig.S. 5 Further, the playback quantity calculating section 45 calculates the present playback time, that is, the elapsed time in playback, on the basis of the address in the sound memory 40 from which the sound information is presently read out, in the same way as in the case of the record quantity calculating section 44, and instructs the LCD panel 34 to display the elapse of the playback time. The playback time is indicated by flashing on and off or lighting out the relevant one of the bar code segments on the LCD panel 34. Fig.6 shows the display in the case where the time mode is the 10-second mode, the total record time of sound signal is 5 seconds and the sound information somewhere between the 2nd- second point and the 3rd-second point in the total record time is being reproduced. Fig.7 shows the display in the case where the time mode is the 20-second mode, the total record time of sound signal is 14 seconds and the sound information somewhere between the 7th-second point and the 8th-second point in the total record time is being reproduced. In the 20-second mode, each bar code segment represents 2 seconds.

During sound recording, the record quantity calculating section 44 calculates the record time of the sound signal that is being output from the microphone 30 and stored in the sound memory 40 through the record/playback circuit unit 41 on the basis of the amount of addresses needed to store the sound signal in the sound memory 40, as described above.

On the basis of the result of the calculation, the record quantity calculating section 44 lights up or flashes on and off a given bar code segment on the LCD panel 34 to indicate the record time of the sound signal. For example, if a time of from 5 seconds to 6 seconds has elapsed since the start of sound recording in the 10second mode, 5 bar code segments are lit up and the 6th bar code segment is flashed on and off, as shown in Fig.8. It is also possible to light up all the bar code segments at the time of starting sound recording and successively turn off them as the time elapses to thereby indicate the remaining recordable time.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the record time of the sound signal recorded on the magnetic disk 15 at a given track. the elapsed time during recording and the elapsed time during playback are displayed on the LCD panel 34 and it is therefore possible to recognize intuitively and readily the remaining recording capacity during sound recording and the temporal position in the total record time of the recorded sound that is being reproduced.

Although in this embodiment various times are indicated by lighting up and out or flashing on and off bar code segments, it should be noted that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the foregoing way of indication. For example, numerals may also be employed to indicate the times.

Although in the foregoing embodiment the camera body 10 and the sound adapter 12 are formed as being two discrete members, these members may be formed in one unit.- In this case, the LCD panel 14 on the camera body 10 may be formed integral with the LCD panel 34 that is concerned with sound.

Although the present invention has been described on the basis of one embodiment in which the invention is applied to an electronic still camera having the sound recording and reproducing function, it should be noted here that the present invention is also applicable to an electronic still camera which is capable of either recording or repro- ducing only in terms of sound. The present invention is widely applicable not only to cameras but also to general still video devices.

2 5

Claims

1. A still video device capable of recording on a recording medium a sound signal output from a sound input means, comprising:

a record quantity calculating means for calculating the quantity of sound signal recorded when the sound signal that is output from said sound input means is recorded on said recording medium; and a display means for displaying the record quantity calculated in said record quantity calculating means.

2. A still video device according to Claim 1. wherein said display means has a display section constituted by a plurality of bar code segments to indicate the record quantity calculated in said record quantity calculating means by the number of bar code segments lit up or out.

3. A still video device according to Claim wherein said display means indicates the time elapsed from the start of recording by the position of one of said bar code seg ments which is flashed on and off.

4. A still video device according to Claim 1, wherein said display means has a display section consrituted by a plurality of bar code segments so that during sound signal recording the remaining recording capacity determined from the record quantity calculated by said record quantity calculating means is indicated by the number of bar code seg-ments lit up or cut.

S. A still video device according to Claim 1, wherein said imaging means, recording medium and record quantity calculating means are provided on a camera body, while said sound input means and display means are provided on a sound adapter which is formed so as to be detachable from said camera body.

6. A still video device according to Claim 1, further comprising a memory means for temporarily storing the sound signal that is input from said sound input means after converting it into a digital sound signal and a compressing means for reading out the digital sound signal from said memory means while subjecting it to time-base compression and outputting the compressed digital sound signal so as to be recorded on said recording medium', wherein said record quantity calculating means calculates the time elapsed from the start of recording or the record quantity on the basis of the address of the digital sound signal stored in said memory means.

A still video device according to Claim 1, further comprising a plurality of time modes each having a predeter mined maximum time for which the sound signal can be contin uously recorded, a time mode selecting means for selecting one from among said time modes, and a recording means for recording a control code concerning a selected time mode together with the sound signal when recorded.

8. A still video device capable of reproducing a sound signal recorded on a recording medium, comprising:

a record quantity calculating means for calculating, when a predetermined unit of sound signal recorded on said recording medium is reproduced, the quantity of said predetermined unit of sound signal; and a display means for displaying the record -quantity calculated in said record quantity calculating means.

9. A still video device according to Claim 8, further comprising a signal judging means for judging whether the signal reproduced from said recording medium is a video signal or a sound signal, wherein said display means has a display element which indicates the signal judged by said signal judging means.

10. A still video device according to Claim 8, further comprising a playback quantity calculating means for calculating the elapsed time from the start of playback of the sound signal, wherein said display means displays the time calculated by said playback quantity calculating means after the start of playback.

11. A still video device according to Claim 8, wherein said display means has a display section constituted by a plurality of bar code segments to indicate the record quantity calculated in said record quantity calculating means by the number of bar code segments lit up or out when the sound signal is reproduced.

12. A still video device according to Claim 9, wherein ) 5 said display means has a display section constituted by a plurality of bar code segments to indicate the time elapsed from the start of playback by the position of one of said bar code segments which is flashed on and off. 5

13. A still video device according to Claim 8, wherein said recording medium and record quantity calculating means are provided on a camera body, while said display means is provided on a sound adapter which is formed so as to be detachable from said camera body.

14. A still video device according to Claim 8, further comprising a memory means for temporarily storing the sound signal that is read out from said recording medium for playback after converting it into a digital signal and an expanding means for reading out the digital sound signal from said memory means while subjecting it to time-base expansion, wherein said record quantity calculating means calculates the record time from the address of the digital sound signal stored in said memory means.

15. A still video device according to Claim 10, further comprising a memory means for temporarily storing the sound signal that is read out from said recording medium for playback after converting it into a digital signal and an expanding means for reading out the digital sound signal from said memory means while subjecting it to timebase expansion, wherein said record quantity calculating means calculates the time elapsed from the start o-IF' playback on !Q the basis of the address of the digital sound signal read out from said memory means.

16. A still video device according to Claim 16, further comprising a plurality of time modes each having a predetermined maximum time for which the sound signal can be continuously recorded, and a control code judging means flir judging, when a sound signal is reproduced from a recording medium recorded in a still video device designed to record a sound signal together with a control code concerning the time mode, the time mode in which the sound signal has been recorded on the basis of said control code.

2 0 2 5 Published 1990 a, The Patentoffice-StateHouse.66 71 High Holbcrn. London WCIR4TF Purther copies Tnay be obtained from The Patent Office Sales Branch St. Ma-; Cray Orpmg= Ken- ER5 3RI: Prinle by Multipley techniques It,4- S! Ma-Y CraY KEnt. Cc- 1'8-