Abstract: A tape guide mechanism includes a shaft having one end fixed to a base, a guide part provided in a predetermined position on the shaft to guide a tape, and a vibrating element capable of vibrating the shaft either in a first vibration mode or in a second vibration mode. In the first vibration mode, the tape is caused to travel at a predetermined normal speed. In the second vibration mode, the tape is caused to travel at a higher speed than the predetermined normal speed.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information on or from a tape-shaped recording medium includes a head arranged to record and/or reproduce information on or from the recording medium, and a rotary drum which has the head mounted thereon and is arranged to have the tape-shaped recording medium wrapped around the outer peripheral surface thereof. A plurality of grooves are formed in the outer peripheral surface in such a way as to surround the outer peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface includes a first outer peripheral surface and a second outer peripheral surface which has a smaller diameter than the first outer peripheral surface. Each of the plurality of grooves are sandwiched in between the first and second outer peripheral surfaces.

Abstract: In a recording/reproducing apparatus having rotary heads, heads A, C, E and G having a first azimuth, and heads B, D, F and H having a second azimuth are alternately arranged, and heads A' and E' having a second azimuth are disposed adjacent to the heads A and E', respectively. The use of the heads A', C, E' and G permits recording and reproducing at 1/2 speed with the same track pitch. The positions of the heads A and E are deviated by predetermined amounts from the equal interval positions on the periphery of a rotating drum so that recording and reproducing can be performed with the same track pitch at least at 1/4 speed.

Abstract: A magnetic head actuator for displacing magnetic heads in a VTR or the like for the purpose of a tracking action includes a magnetic member arranged to form a magnetic path having an air gap, a coil bobbin disposed within the air gap, and an elastic support member arranged to carry the coil bobbin in such a manner that the coil bobbin is displaceable within the air gap. The elastic support member has a projection formed at a part where the elastic support member is secured to the coil bobbin. At least one magnetic head is secured to a fore end of the projection. A through hole is arranged in the middle part of the projection to allow a part of a yoke constituting the magnetic member to pierce through the through hole.

Abstract: In a rotary head type recording and/or reproducing apparatus having an n number (n: an integer at least 3) of rotary heads for recording or reproducing signals on or from a recording medium, when the recording medium is allowed to travel at a first speed, a signal is recorded or reproduced by using all the n number of rotary heads. When the recording medium is allowed to travel at a second speed which is lower than the first speed, a signal is recorded or reproduced by using only a predetermined m number (m: an integer at least 2 but not exceeding n) of adjacent heads. A distance on the recording medium between tracing positions of adjacent heads included in the predetermined m number of heads when the medium is traveling at the first speed differs from a distance on the recording medium between tracing positions of other adjacent heads included in the n number of rotary heads.

Abstract: A system comprises a video camera for producing one field portion of a video signal in a second predetermined period during a first predetermined period which is longer than the second predetermined period, a recorder for recording the one field portion of the video signal from the video camera in the second predetermined period during the first predetermined period and a display device arranged to make a vertical scanning from the upper to the lower side of an effective display surface in the second predetermined period during the first predetermined period for displaying an image related to the video signal produced from the video camera.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus is arranged to extract a specific signal respectively from signals reproduced by a plurality of heads provided for reproducing signals recorded in parallel in a plurality of channels on a recording medium, to detect a phase difference between the extracted specific signals, and to control the position of the plurality of heads relative to the recording medium in accordance with the phase difference detected.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises a signal compression unit responsive to a mode changeover signal for changing over the compression rate of input digital information between first and second compression rates, the second compression rate being higher than said first compression rate, a unit for generating a tracking-control pilot signal, a recording unit for recording the digital information compressed by said compressing unit and the pilot signal on a recording medium while forming a number of recording tracks, and a mode changeover unit for generating the mode changeover signal for changing over an operating mode of the apparatus between a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes including: a first mode in which the compressing unit compresses the digital information at the first compression rate and the recording unit sets the proportion of a recording area of the pilot signal to the entirety of the recording track to a first ration; and a second mode in which the compressing unit compresses

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a signal on and/or from a recording medium has a pair of guides disposed along the path of running of the recording medium such that one is located on the leading side while the other is located on the trailing side of a head assembly carrying a recording and/or reproducing head. The guides are simultaneously moved in the same direction so as to adjust the position of the recording medium on the head assembly in the direction of running of the recording medium so as to effect a tracking control thereby permitting the head to trace any winding of the recording track.

Abstract: A multi-channel recording apparatus in which n rotary heads (n is 3 or higher integer) are arranged on the outer peripheral edge of a drum is evenly spaced relation, and a tape-shaped recording medium is trained round the drum over an angular range of at least 360.degree..times.(1-1/n), while recording (n-1) channels of a signal on the recording medium by using the (n-1) of the n heads which are simultaneously tracing on the medium.

Abstract: Moving elements in a recording and/or reproduction apparatus change the travel path of a strip-like recording medium mounted in a container. A detector detects a specified part of parts of the medium having a character different from other parts of the medium and at least part of a light emitting and/or light receiving arrangement of the detector moves into and out of the space required for altering the path of the medium.

Abstract: A multi-channel recording apparatus in which n rotary heads (n is 3 or higher integer) are arranged on the outer peripheral edge of a drum in evenly spaced relation, and a tape-shaped recording medium is trained round the drum over an angular range of at least 360.degree..times.(1-1/n), while recording (n-1) channels of a signal on the recording medium by using the (n-1) of the n heads which are simultaneously tracing on the medium.

Abstract: In an apparatus for converting an optical image formed on an image sensing plane into an electrical signal and for producing a video signal by adding horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals to the electrical signal, a high speed image sensing device arranged to convert the optical image on the image sensing plane into the electrical signal by using a vertical scanning signal of a frequency which is an n number (n: an integer which is at least 2) times as high as the frequency of the vertical synchronizing signal.

Abstract: A rotary head type recording apparatus includes a rotary head member having four rotary heads and a rotary erasing head, a rotary transformer member having an erasing coil which is connected to the rotary erasing head and four recording coils which are respectively connected to the four rotary heads, wherein the erasing coil and the four recording coils lie in a common surface of the rotary transformer member and the erasing coil is arranged so that two of the four recording coils are on each side of the erasing coil. A recording device supplies recording signals to the four recording coils to record the recording signals on a recording medium by use of the four recording coils and an erasing device supplies an erasing signal to the erasing coil to erase signals recorded on the recording medium by use of the erasing head.

Abstract: A recording apparatus of the kind forming recording tracks by recording both first and second information signals on a recording medium, including (a) an erasing device for erasing signals recorded on the recording medium; (b) a first erasing signal generating circuit which generates a first erasing signal for erasing only the first information signal; (c) a second erasing signal generating circuit which generates a second erasing signal for erasing both the first and second information signals; and (d) a switching circuit which supplies the erasing device with either the first erasing signal or the second erasing signal by switching them over one to the other.

Abstract: In the disclosed video signal recording and reproducing apparatus, a cylinder member arranged to have a tape-shaped recording medium wound thereon, includes five rotating heads. The first head has a specific head width and azimuth angle. The second rotating head is approximately equal in head width to the first rotating head but differs from the first rotating head in azimuth angle. The third rotating head has a narrower head width than the first rotating head but is equal to the first head in azimuth angle. The fourth rotating head is approximately equal in head width to the third rotating head and equal in azimuth angle to the second rotating head and the fifth rotating head is equal in azimuth angle to the third rotating head.

Abstract: An adapter permits mounting of a large cassette on a information recording and/or reproducing apparatus adapted for recording or reproducing records on a strip like recording medium contained in a small cassette mounted on the apparatus, so that both small and large cassettes can be used on the apparatus with the adapter mounted thereon.