Tape cassette having first and second write inhibit mechanisms for cassette type discrimination

摘要

This invention is directed to a tape cassette in which a tape body is wound across a pair of tape reels rotatably supported by the cassette body. At the cassette body, a location of a first write inhibit mechanism corresponds to the position of a write inhibit mechanism for another tape cassette. A second write inhibit mechanism is provided at the position that is not in correspondence with the position where write inhibit mechanism provided at the other tape cassette is provided. The first write inhibit mechanism is in a write inhibit state at all times. Thus, when there is loaded a tape cassette where recording of information signals is carried out by a different recording format into recording/reproducing apparatus corresponding to only a tape cassette of a specific recording format of tape cassettes different in the recording format, recording of information signals with respect to this tape cassette is inhibited to realize protection of already recorded data. Discrimination techniques are also disclosed.