Abstract: The detection and correction of errors in digital data transmitted by or stored in a media channel is provided by processing the data through a triple orthogonally interleaved error correction system. On the transmit/store side of the system, the data is encoded three times prior to placement in the media channel with two different interleaving steps performed between the encoding steps. The first interleave is an orthogonal row shuffling interleave that provides enhanced protection against burst errors. On the receive/play back side, the data is decoded and deinterleaved, with included errors detected and corrected to enable recovery of the original data. To enhance the error correction, a circuit is used for generating a symbol accurate error flag identifying symbols containing errors thereby allowing the error correcting decoders to focus on and correct the data.

Abstract: A timing error between consecutive tracks of reproduced data from a rotary scan recording/reproducing device is detected as a difference between a normal and actual occurrence of a synchronization signal. A correction signal is provided to reduce the timing error and it is stored, updated and utilized to offset a bit counter synchronous with the reproduced data in the absence of the synchronization signal. The effect of short term dynamic errors is reduced by accumulating occurrences of the timing error in the same direction and updating the stored correction signal only when a predetermined number of occurrences in one direction is obtained.