Method of avoiding accidental overwriting on magnetic tape

摘要

A method of writing on successive track locations on a magnetic multitrack recording tape so as to avoid accidental overwriting. Preparatory to writing on each track location, the peak amplitude value is derived from the output from a read head scanning prescribed initial part of that track location. The peak value is then compared with a reference value in order to determine whether the tape bears any prewritten information on the track location. Writing on each track location is permitted if the tape has proved to bear no prewritten information thereon, and inhibited if otherwise.