Abstract: A digital data recording and reproducing apparatus includes a first recording medium having a first recording capacity, and a second recording medium having a second recording capacity greater than the first recording capacity. An input digital video signal is recorded on the first recording medium as an inward-flow signal. The inward-flow signal is transferred from the first recording medium to the second recording medium each time an amount of the inward-flow signal on the first recording medium reaches a first predetermined amount. The digital video signal is transferred from the second recording medium to the first recording medium as an outward-flow signal. The outward-flow signal is read out from the first recording medium as an output digital video signal. During a search, the outward-flow signal is read out from the first recording medium. During the search, monitoring is made regarding an amount of the outward-flow signal on the first recording medium which has not yet been read out.

Abstract: An analog control signal with an index signal recorded in a first magnetic tape is reproduced in synchronization with the reproduction of an AV digital signal recorded in the first magnetic tape. The index signal corresponds to a leading position of the AV digital signal. When the index signal is detected, an index code is prepared, and the index code and the AV digital signal are packed in an isochronous packet. The index code corresponds to the leading position of the AV digital signal. The isochronous packet is transmitted to a recording VCR through a packet transmission line, and the AV digital signal extracted from the packet is recorded in a second magnetic tape. Also, when the index code of the packet is detected, a duty ratio of a specific group of pulses of a control signal generated in the recording VCR is changed to reproduce the index signal.

Abstract: A control apparatus and a VTR are connected via an IEEE1394 interface bus. The control apparatus transmits a command to the VTR via the bus to designate a recording mode and a recording region of input information recorded on a magnetic tape loaded in the VTR. In response to this command, the VTR interprets the content of the received command and performs a recording operation in accordance with the interpreted content. Furthermore, the control apparatus transmits a recording time status command to an information transport apparatus to inquire a recording time of a specific information recorded on the magnetic tape. The information transport apparatus notifies the control apparatus of the recording time. The control apparatus calculates an expected information transport end time based on the information transport start time and the recording time of the specific information notified from the information transport apparatus.

Abstract: A data recording system for use in video tape recorders selects one of a plurality of data including position information of a magnetic tape on and from which a video signal is recorded and reproduced by the video tape recorder, and controls the duty cycle of control pulses in accordance with the selected data when recording the control pulses in a control track of the magnetic tape. The data recording system is arranged to add dummy bits to a data block including the control pulses and to change the number of the dummy bits at a predetermined period. The dummy bits are added at the tailing end of the data block following the time code, and the first bit of the dummy bits represents the number of the dummy bits and is disposed in a predetermined position related to the leading bit of the data block. This arrangement corrects the time deviation of the time codes without skipping the contents of the time code data.

Abstract: A control pulse recording circuit for a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprises a control head, a circuit for detecting leading edges of control pulses reproduced by the control head, a circuit for generating a recording voltage having a polarity which changes at a time in accordance with recording data to be recorded in a re-write operation, and a switching circuit for blocking supply of the recording voltage to the control head at a time which is after a predetermined time from a time when the re-writing operation is ended and is immediately before a next leading edge of the control pulses.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus has a function of recording data on a control track of a magnetic tape by varying a duty cycle of a control pulse signal which is recorded on the control track. The apparatus stops a data recording operation when it is detected that a tape speed mode is changed from a standard play mode to an extended play mode or vice versa, so as to minimize dropout of positive polarity pulses of a reproduced control pulse signal after the tape speed mode is changed and also minimize erroneous recording of data.