Abstract: In a magnetic video tape recording and reproducing apparatus (VTR) having rotary magnetic video heads rotating in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of tape travel, the width of the magnetic tape is reduced substantially to one inch from the conventional two inches, and eight video heads for recording a video signal on the magnetic tape and for reproducing the video signal from the magnetic tape are mounted on the circumferential surface of a rotary head drum having a diameter substantially equal to two inches and are arranged to be equidistant from one another in the direction of circumference of the rotary head drum. According to this invention, a compact VTR can be realized. In addition, the video signal may be transferred to and from the rotary head drum alternately through one of two circuit paths composed of a signal coupling means and an input/output circuit respectively, in order to realize a more compact, light weight and low power consumption VTR.

Abstract: A dynamic pressure type floating head system comprising a floating magnetic head, a magnetic recording medium which stores information to be recorded and a resilient member for supporting the magnetic head. The floating head comprises a first flat surface portion of a sliding surface and a second flat surface portion having embedded therein a plurality of projections on the same plane. The attractive force caused by the viscous flow generated between the first surfaces by the relative movement of the surface to be recorded is combined with the holding force caused by the slip flow generated between the second surfaces so that the floating gaps are narrowed.