Magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus

摘要

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing digital signals for long periods of time and high rate recording and reproduction, achieving a plurality of record/reproducing modes and further maintaining compatibility between apparatus with different head configurations wherein it comprises a digital recording means for recording digital signals on a helical track on magnetic tape utilizing a plurality of magnetic heads hailing a positive or a negative azimuth and arranged on a rotating drum, and a tracking control pulse record means to synchronize with the rotation period of a rotating drum and record a tracking control pulse CTL on the linear track on a magnetic tape, and a servo means to rotate the rotating drum at a specified speed and drive the magnetic tape at a rotation speed 1/K of the drive speed, and wherein the digital recording means records each K rotations of the rotating drum on two tracks, comprised of a first track having a positive azimuth angle and a second track having a negative azimuth angle, and the tracking control pulse record means records a CTL tracking control pulse signal at the point where a specified time has elapsed since recording in the valid region of the second track by the specified magnetic head having a negative azimuth angle as well as the point at each rotation of the rotating drum equivalent to that specified time. <IMAGE>