1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and, more particularly, to pixel conversion processing of an image signal.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional image recording/reproduction apparatus comprises a recording unit for recording a video signal picked up by, e.g., a video camera on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape, and a reproduction unit for reproducing the video signal recorded by the recording unit. The video signal reproduced by the reproduction unit is converted in correspondence with a predetermined television system (e.g., NTSC system), and is output to an equipment such as a monitor.
As a method of printing a video signal, a video printer is used.
For example, when an analog image signal is printed by a video printer, the video printer converts vertically elongated pixels of the NTSC system into square pixels by re-sampling the input analog image signal, stores image data consisting of the converted pixels in its internal frame memory having a predetermined capacity, performs image processing for the image data stored in the frame memory, and forms an image represented by the analog video signal on a transfer medium. The internal frame memory of the video printer has a capacity for, e.g., 640.times.480 pixels.
When a digital video signal output from an image recording/reproduction apparatus which can record/reproduce a digital video signal is to be printed, a video printer having a digital I/F for receiving the digital video signal is used.
In this video printer, as in the video printer for receiving the analog video signal, vertically elongated pixels of the input digital video signal are converted into square pixels, the image data size is adjusted to the capacity of its internal frame memory, and the adjusted image data is stored in the frame memory.
In this manner, when a conventional image recording/reproduction apparatus outputs a video signal to a video printer, the video printer performs processing such as pixel conversion in correspondence with the characteristics of the video signal. For this reason, the image recording/reproduction apparatus does not execute any pixel conversion processing in correspondence with the characteristics of the video printer as the destination.
However, as described above, since the conventional image recording/reproduction apparatus does not execute any pixel conversion processing in correspondence with the characteristics of a destination equipment such as a video printer, when the conventional image recording/reproduction apparatus is set to be able to execute pixel conversion processing in correspondence with the characteristics of the destination equipment, a means for executing the pixel conversion processing must be added, resulting in an increase in cost.