Video replay automation with manual control track editing

A video recording and playback device has a control track recorder for recording a control track signal including timing edges recorded on a tape or other storage medium together with the video program. A decoder is coupled to the control track signal and to the tape drive for switching among a forward play mode, a forward skip mode and a rewind mode, as a function of play, skip and rewind codes inserted into the control track as phase variations of edges other than those used for timing, or preferably as pulses with sloping edges distinct from the timing edges. In addition to selectively skipping sections of the video program preceded by a skip code and followed by a play code, such as commercial breaks, the device permits user editing of play and skip codes and selective multiple replays of sections of the video program preceded by a play code and followed by a rewind code. Replay can be continuous or for a predetermined number of replays, encoded in the control track signal with the play, skip or rewind codes. The play, skip and rewind codes and/or the number of play repetitions are user editable from an on screen menu for changing the content to be presented during a later playback.