Abstract: A reproducing circuit for use in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus having a recording circuit operable to record a video luminance signal in either a conventional recording mode or in a High-Band mode has a first automatic gain control circuit for holding a level of a reproduced FM signal at an input thereof constant, a recording mode determination circuit having an input connected to the first automatic gain control circuit and responsive to an output of the first automatic gain control circuit for determining which the first or second recording mode is used to record the FM signal under reproduction, a first equalizer circuit for equalizing the reproduced FM signal suitably for the first recording mode, a second equalizer circuit for equalizing the reproduced FM signal suitably for the second recording mode, a switch circuit for selecting an output of either the first equalizer circuit or the second equalizer circuit according to an output of the recording mode determination circuit, a second a

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus of a cassette type has a first and a second recording mode converting a luminance signal of a video signal into an FM luminance signal having a first and a second carrier frequency and recording the FM luminance signal on a magnetic tape respectively. When the FM luminance signal is to be recorded according to the second recording mode, a magnetic tape having an excellent short wavelength recording characteristic is used for recording. A cassette containing this magnetic tape is provided with a configurational feature on its upper or lower half, and a detector for detecting this feature is disposed in the apparatus.