A recorder provides to a recorder/player via a high-speed bus
content-related information such as a digital audio signal as information,
a content ID being identification information on the digital audio signal
and a standard playing time of the digital audio signal. The
recorder/player has a controller which stores the content ID into a
copy-history information management memory when the same content ID is not
existent in the memory. The content ID is held for a period measured by a
timer. For this period, the recording function of the recorder/player is
limited so that the same digital audio signal cannot be copied at a high
speed.
