Sound recording and reproducing apparatus for detecting and compensating

Abstract

A sound recording and reproducing apparatus includes a semiconductor memory, an acoustic signal writing unit for writing a digital acoustic signal to the semiconductor memory, and a read out unit for reading out digital acoustic signals addressed in the semiconductor memory during sound reproduction (replay). An address memory stores these addresses as the acoustic signals are read out. A silence detector detects recorded silent or nearly silent portions during sound reproduction. The address(es) of these silent portions is (are) sequentially stored. In response to a recall or replay instruction, a controller reads out from the semiconductor memory digital acoustic signals at memory addresses that follow those sequentially stored in the address memory. As a result, recorded sound information (as opposed to recorded silence) may be quickly accessed and replayed upon recall at the beginning of recorded acoustic signals. A user therefore need not listen unnecessarily to recorded periods of silence of the acoustic signals being recalled.