JP2503813B

PURPOSE:To facilitate the retrieval of an unrecorded picture recording area by providing a specific signal recording area in a picture recording medium with a digital specific signal recorded thereon corresponding to each picture recording area. CONSTITUTION:One picture element corresponds to one bit in a shift register SR1 and each bit in shift registers SR2, SR3, SR4 at a corresponding position in total 4 bits. The information quantity expressed by the 4 bits is 16 ways, the 11 ways are used for density display and the remaining 5 ways are used for controlling the memory cell. The information from an image pickup section is inputted to the shift registers via input terminals MC1g, MC1h, MC1i, MC1j. When a picture signal by one frame is all inputted, the input signal is recorded to a bit at the right end of the shift register. The presence of the use of the memory cell is recognized by retrieving the input signal recorded on the bit at the right end with a detection circuit DC.