Special reproducing system in an apparatus for reproducing video signals from a rotary recording medium

Claim 1

A reproducing system in an apparatus for reproducing a video signal from a rotary recording medium on which the video signal is recorded along a spiral track, each track turn of the spiral track containing a plurality of fields of the video signal, first and second reference signals being recorded on opposite sides of the track in such a manner that the sides on which the first and second reference signals are recorded are alternated for every track turn, a third reference signal being recorded at each position where said reference signals alternate in their position; said apparatus comprising reproducing element means for tracing over the spiral track on the rotary recording medium while picking up the video signal and the first, second and third reference signals, separating means for individually separating the first reference signal, the second reference signal and the third reference signal from the output signal of said reproducing element means, pulse generating means for generating a pulse signal in response to the separated third reference signal during normal reproduction, producing means responsive to every pulse signal and to the separated first and second reference signals for alternately producing a first signal corresponding to the level of the separated first reference signal minus the level of the separated second reference signal and a second corresponding to the level of the separated second reference signal minus the level of the separated first reference signal, and tracking control means for controlling the reproducing element means corresponding to the output signal of said producing means to trace along the spiral track; said system comprising: means in said pulse generating circuit for generating skip pulses with timing corresponding to the vertical blanking period positions of the recorded video signal during every rotational period of the rotary recording medium, the skip pulses having a number corresponding to an operational mode for carrying out a special reproduction which differs from the normal reproduction; skipping means in said tracking control means operated in response to each of the skip pulses to cause the reproducing element means to shift to an adjacent track turn of the spiral track within the vertical blanking period of the recorded video signal; and means in said pulse generating circuit for generating switching pulses with the timing of each of the skip pulses which occur except for the timing of the separated third reference signal, and for stopping the pulse signal in response to the skip pulses which occur in accordance with the timing of the separated third reference signal during the special reproduction; said producing means alternately producing the first signal and the second signal in response to every switching pulse.