Video signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus

The present invention relates to a video signal recording and reproducing apparatus that compresses video signals having different formats with a high efficiency, and records as well as reproduces the compressed video signals. A video-signal-recording apparatus compresses video signals having different formats, and records the signals. The apparatus comprises a recognition means for recognizing input video formats, compression means for changing compression rates depending on the format recognition signal, and record means for compounding the format recognition signal and an output from the compression means. The apparatus records the video signals having different formats on a recording medium sequentially without any seams.