Abstract: A specific section provided in a track is set in a DC free state, and during reproducing, accurate tracking is conducted on the basis of the crosstalk from the pilot tone superposed in the adjacent tracks in this DC free section. Alternatively, a pilot tone is generated only in a specific section provided in the track, and when reproducing, accurate tracking is effected on the basis of the crosstalk of the pilot tone in the tracks adjacent to this section. As a result, the redundancy required for tracking is notably reduced.

Abstract: In a method of recording digital signals, in which all audio signals of N channels (N=integer) are recorded on M tracks (M=integer>N) where video signals of I fields (I=integer) are recorded, the improvement including: the M tracks being divided into N track groups each having S tracks (S=integer=M/N) arranged successively such that the audio signals of a j-th channel (j=integer) in the N channels are recorded on the tracks of an i-th track group (i=integer) in the N track groups.

Abstract: In a digital video signal recording/reproducing apparatus for recording digital VCR video and audio signals by using a rotary cylinder, for a video signal with a frame frequency fN of 30 Hz or 29.97 Hz, the rotating frequency of the cylinder is set to 2.5 times fN. On the other hand, for a signal with a frame frequency fP of 25 Hz, the rotating frequency of the cylinder is set to 3.0 times fP. As a result, as long as the cylinder diameters are identical, the relative speed of the tape and the head is the same for video signals of either frame frequency fN or fP.

Abstract: For recording video signals of different TV systems in the same track format, effective pixels corresponding to the data of one frame of each TV system video signal are divided into segments of a multiple of 27 and a one frame data component of each segment is compressed to an equal size. Accordingly, the video signal is recorded in the format of 27 segments per track.

Abstract: In recording and reproducing the digital video signals by bit rate reduction, if they are copied while being subjected to bit rate reduction, no accumulation of distortions in orthogonal transformation or bit rate reduction occurs, and moreover, copying can be done at a low data rate. On the other hand, in case of dividing the data into blocks in each page and transmitting or recording and reproducing the data by block, by concealing the error by the data having the strongest correlation out of the data located in the pages before and after the block in which error has been detected, no degradation in image quality is induced even when the scene changes between pages. Further, at the same time, by detecting the previous concealment information, if there exists a block which was previously concealed in the block in which error has at present been detected, then the data can be fully reproduced by utilizing it, and degradation in image quality can be reduced to a minimum.