METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND REPRODUCING AN ANALOG SIGNAL

摘要

Apparatus for recording an analog signal employs n rotary heads (where n is a positive integer) which cooperate with a magnetic tape wound around a tape guide drum over an angular range of .alpha. .degree. (where .alpha..degree. is less than or equal to 360.degree.) and the rotary magnetic heads are rotated at a speed N (where N is greater than one) times a reference rotation speed. The input analog signal to be recorded is first converted to a pulse-code-modulated (PCM) data signal which is then time-base compressed by a ratio of (n x .alpha..degree.)/(N x 360.degree.) at successive predetermined periods. The PCM data that has been compressed in time base is recorded on the magnetic tape by the n rotary heads during predetermined intervals that occur within the time when the n rotary heads are in contact with the magnetic tape. The time-base compression of the data permits the addition of error correction codes and parity words to provide error detection and correction during reproduction of the recorded digital signals and by raising the rotary head speed the number of memory units required to perform the time-base compression is minimized.