Abstract: A tracking error signal forming circuit is disclosed, which circuit comprises means for obtaining a reproduction time difference between specified signals, each of which is contained in the reproduced signal reproduced by each of at least two heads having different azimuthal angles and mounted on an electro-mechanical converting element; reference value forming means for forming a reference value for the tracking control, operating means for calculating the difference between the reproduction time difference and the reference value or the sum thereof; displacement means for displacing forcedly the electro-mechanical converting element in the positive or negative direction; and maximum value detecting means for detecting the maximum value of at least one of the reproduced signals; the reference value forming means including means for calculating the difference between the reproduction time difference and the fixed reference value or the sum thereof at the point of time at which the maximum value of the reprodu

Abstract: A circuit for reproducing informaiton signals and four different tracking control pilot signals recorded on respective tracks on a magnetic tape and producing from the pilot signals a tracking error signal indicative of a relative positional deviation between each of a plurality of magnetic heads and each track of the tape. The circuit includes a balanced modulation circuit for successively multiplying reproductions of the pilot signals and a reference signal to produce a multiplication output signal having components corresponding to the respective pilot signals. Respective tuning circuits derive first and second signals from the multiplication output signal, having different frequency components and corresponding to different ones of the pilot signals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cue signal recording method in which multi-audio tracks are formed by dividing a magnetic tape in a widthwise direction, and PCM data is recorded in a scanning track segment of an audio track of the multi-audio tracks by a helically scanning rotary head. A cue signal is then recorded in a remaining area of the scanning track segment except for the area recorded with the PCM data, such as in the after-recording-margin area or the track-guard area which is immediately after the PCM data area.

Abstract: In a helical-scan tape recorder, a digital signal having a series of M identification words of N bits each is generated. One of the N-bit words is a discrimination word identifying a particular combination of the other N-bit words. The M words are organized into J groups of I words each (where J.times.I=M) and recorded with an information signal at spaced intervals within each of a series of sectors defined along each track of a recording tape so that the word groups are interleaved with the information signal and each of the recorded sub-blocks can be traced substantially simultaneously by a transducer head during a search mode. At least one of the word groups includes data bits identifying distinct, but mutually closely related items of information and discrimination bits which identify the data bits. During search mode, distribution bits can be detected with the data bits of the same word group to allow the closely related items of information to be displayed.

Abstract: A two speed or multi-speed video tape recorder of the conventional helical scan type in which the audio signal is capable of being recorded as a time compressed signal at one end of each helical video scan, or alternatively, in conventional longitudinal fashion by means of a stationary magnetic head engaging one edge of the tape.At low tape transport speeds, improved bandwidth (and therefore sound fidelity) is obtained by use of the time compression technique; while at higher transport speeds, there are advantages in utilizing the stationary audio head.Circuitry is provided to automatically utilize the time compression technique at lower tape transport speeds and the stationary head longitudinal recording technique at higher tape transport speeds.

Abstract: A method for positioning a composite head comprising a control head and an audio head in a rotary head type magnetic video recording and reproducing apparatus at a precise spacing relative to a mounting position of the rotary head is disclosed. A video signal is recorded intermittently for each group of a predetermined number of video tracks on a reference tape and an audio signal is also recorded intermittently in association with the intermittently recorded video signal. The composite head is adjusted and positioned such that the intermittent relationship existing between a reproduced video signal and a reproduced audio signal is the same as the intermittent relationship existing between the video signal and audio signal during recording.