Sony Corporation

Hiroshi Hiraki

Yoshiki Shirochi

Yoshihiro Ono

Satoshi Kimura

Toshio Koyama

Katsuhiko Ueno

Hirokazu Takaoka

The user observes a liquid crystal display panel screen positioned within a lens barrel through a lens. An infrared LED that emits pulses of light and a phototransistor are positioned in an eyecup against which the user's eye is pressed. An ambient light detecting circuit provides a control signal showing whether or not the user's eye is pressed against the eyecup and a control signal showing the amount of ambient light on the basis of the output signal of the phototransistor. A control circuit controls the luminance of a backlight unit according to the control signals. When the user's eye is not pressed against the eyecup, the display luminance is reduced to zero and the display is turned off. The display luminance is enhanced only when the amount of ambient light is large. Thus, needless power consumption can be avoided, and the screen can be satisfactorily observed even if a large quantity of light enters into the ocular part where the ambient light is bright.

Electronic viewfinder having means for turning off a display device

An apparatus for displaying a video signal has a plurality of display elements corresponding to one standard of the television signal disposed in an X-Y matrix shape. The apparatus includes a separator for separating a sync signal from an input video signal, a control signal generator for generating a control signal in response to the sync signal, a driver for driving the display elements in response to the video signal and control signal, and a converter for changing the number of scanning lines in response to a timing changing in each frame when a different standard of the television signal is supplied as the input video signal.

Apparatus for displaying a video signal

In a VTR for recording a plurality of TV programs at times previously set by a timer, a key for selecting any one of plural recording characteristics (e.g. tape running speed) is provided, and each of plural desired TV programs is recorded between determined recording start and end times on the basis of each of recording characteristics selected by the key. Therefore, for instance, a music program can be recorded at a slow tape speed in stable condition for allowing long-term preservation or a sports program can be recorded at a high tape speed in a single tape cassette while the user is out.

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Tokyo, Japan

Hiroshi Hiraki