Method of and apparatus for preselecting operation of television or radio receiving and recording apparatus

DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to one aspect the present invention resides in a method of controlling the operation of a recorder of electrical video and/or audio signals produced in a television and/or radio recorder, said method comprising: a.
providing a data carrier having i.
at least one information track marked with data identifying a sequence of programmes to be transmitted over a channel pertaining to that track, ii.
at least one command track associated with the information track for receiving a users marking appropriately positioned to select one or more of the programmes or part thereof, b.
marking said command track or tracks as required, c.
scanning the command track or tracks in a direction corresponding to the sequence of programme data and by means sensing the marking or markings and in synchronism with the elapse of time over the interval when the sequence of programmes is transmitted to generate control signals for establishing operation of the television and/or radio receiver and associated recorder.
Preferably, the data carrier has a plurality of said information tracks, the data carrier has a plurality of command tracks each associated with a respective one of the information tracks, and channel selection is effected by marking the command tracks selectively.
Preferably also, the data carrier is provided with at least one time track having a sequence of index means along said time track representing the elapse of time and positionally correlated with said programme data in accordance with the transmission times of said programmes, said index means are used to establish conformity between the speed of scanning in said direction with the elapse of time during the day.
Alternatively the method of the invention may be carried out using a data carrier which includes at least one time track and at least one command track.
The command track may be marked by the user referring to a separately printed sheet bearing programme details and transmission times, or the carrier may have means defining one or more information tracks as aforesaid but which are detachably united with the remainder of the carrier, and are detailed before scanning is effected