Sony Corporation

Takeshi Omoto

Toshiyuki Katsumoto

Noboru Motoyoshi

The present invention provides a video-signal playback apparatus that allows the user to carry out cue and review operations by pressing only one operation button (a skip button) and to set the length of a review time at a value desired by the user. While watching a program in a normal playback state, the user can press the skip button once in order to put the VCR in a skip-cue state. As a point of interest has been reached, the skip button is pressed for the second time to make the VCR transit from the skip-cue state to a skip-review state. After the review operation has been carried out for a predetermined period of time, the VCR gets in a normal playback state automatically. If the skip button is pressed for the second time continuously instead of momentarily, the review operation is continued as long as the skip button is being pressed. As the skip button is released, the review operation is discontinued, putting back the VCR in a normal playback state. By the way, the predetermined period of time can be changed by the user as the user likes.

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Chiba, Japan

Takeshi Omoto