Digital recorder with seamless punch-out

摘要

A system and method for playing and recording digital media such as digital audio. The system allows for seamless punch-out (exiting record mode) during a recording session by continuing to transfer playback data for a sequence from the mass storage to a buffer simultaneous with transferring record data for the sequence into the buffer and the mass storage. This allows the user to seamlessly switch between record mode and playback mode, presenting only a negligible (if any) delay between the time the user requests punch-out and the time the user experiences the correct original playback data. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is implemented as a digital audio playing and recording system providing seamless punch-out for multiple channels of digital audio using RAM buffers and rotating magnetic disk devices for storing the digital audio.