Abstract: The present invention is a character-displayed index search system for use with a video recording and reproducing system. The character-displayed index search system includes: signal recording means having a shift register, a converter, an amplifier, and a control signal recording circuit; and signal reproducing means having a control signal reproducing circuit, an index/character converter, and a character generator. The character-displayed index search system informs a user of a position of a tape including a progress time of the tape and titles of recorded programs on the tape, by reproducing each recorded program from the tape for a few seconds wherever an index signal is detected in a fast forward mode, and by repeating the detection process until the user completes selection of all desired programs. The system allows sequential play back of one or more of the selected programs after a rapid search, by using the index search operation.