Processor for video signals obtained from an information carrier such as

Abstract

A color television signal processor for signals reproduced from magnetic tape converts the signals to digital form at a sampling rate substantially equal to three times the color carrier frequency, incorporates a timing system that locks the sampling rate into step with the picked up synchronizing signals in which a digital pulse generator of high stability is utilized having other possible applications, an additional demodulator separately switched is used to recover synchronizing signals for the first line of each segment, a ramp signal is provided during the blanking interval to assist in accurate timing of the sampling pulses, velocity errors are corrected for each line by a measurement of the period of a previous line and discontinuities (jumps in alternating directions) related to the switching between heads are also measured and compensated for. A more economical scheme for dealing with signal dropouts makes use of a digital low-pass filter for separating luminance and chrominance signals for dropout compensastion that can be left in circuit without deterioration of picture quality during periods in which no dropouts are detected.