Abstract: A signal generator generates a control signal for use in tracking control of a VTR. The control signal is a composite signal including a reference signal and timing information of a frame signal and a color frame signal, which is formed by changing the duty ratio of the reference signal, having N times (where N is a natural number larger than 2) the frequency of the frame signal and a first duty ratio, to a second duty ratio at a predetermined position and to a third duty ratio at another position during the period of the color frame signal. A signal separator separates the frame signal and the color frame signal from the reproduced control signal by detecting the first or second duty ratio from the control signal, which is generated from the control signal generator, recorded on and reproduced from a video tape.