Multichannel recording format for a sampled-analog color video signal

Abstract

A color video signal composed of successive groups of analog color samples, successive samples in at least some of said groups alternating between one color and another, wherein such groups represent successively scanned rows or lines of video frames or fields, is processed, prior to recording, by assigning respective samples to one of a plurality of channels of substantially equal bandwidth in a manner such that respective channels contain subgroups of samples representing only one color per subgroup, thereby minimizing the power at the sampling frequency in such channels. The information in the channels is recorded on a corresponding plurality of tracks on a recording medium by multi-channel essentially-fixed-head recording apparatus thereby realizing the manufacturing economy of essentially-fixed-head type apparatus. In one embodiment of the invention, samples of a first color occur more frequently in the color video signal than do samples of a second color, thereby maximizing the utilization of the information storage capacity of the recording medium. In a preferred implementation, the color video signal is generated by a solid state image sensing array having discrete image sensing elements selectively sensitized to green, red, or blue. Green-sensitive elements occur more frequently in the array than do red- or blue-sensitive elements in recognition of the fact that human visual acuity is higher for green, than for red or blue. The signal is separated sample-by-sample and the samples assigned to eight channels in a manner such that for each group of samples, the samples representing green (green samples) occupy four of the eight channels, and the samples representing red (red samples) and/or blue (blue samples) occupy the other four channels.