Terminal apparatus and recording method

Abstract

A terminal apparatus comprising an insertion hole into which to insert a copyright-compliant first memory card and a copyright-noncompliant second memory card. The first and the second memory cards are substantially the same in shape. If the copyright-noncompliant second memory card is inserted preparatory to recording copyright-protected contents, the copyright-protected contents are recorded temporarily to the second memory card. When the copyright-compliant first memory card is later inserted, the recorded copyright-protected contents are transferred from the second memory card to the inserted first memory card. If the copyright-compliant first memory card is inserted preparatory to recording copyright-unprotected contents, the copyright-unprotected contents are recorded temporarily to the first memory card so that when the copyright-noncompliant second memory card is later inserted, the recorded copyright-unprotected contents are transferred from the first memory card to the inserted second memory card. Thus the desired contents are recorded unfailingly regardless of an inadvertent insertion by users of a memory card which is apparently the same in shape but different in type of copyright compliance.