Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus of the helical scan system employing a MR head as a reproducing magnetic head. The magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus includes a MR head 6 and a rotary drum carrying the MR head 6. In reproducing signals from the magnetic tape 7 in accordance with the helical scan system, a magnetic tape 7, having a large number of projections 7c on the tape surface and containing an electrically conductive material in its magnetic layer, is used as a recording medium.

Abstract: A magnetic tape transfer printing apparatus including a drum mounted for rotation. A master magnetic tape having information recorded thereon is held in contact with a slave magnetic tape on a portion of the circumferential surface of the drum. A magnetic transfer bias field is applied to transfer the information from the master magnetic tape onto the slave magnetic tape. The drum contains a high-permeability magnetic material at least in the circumferential surface. This is effective to decrease the lateral component of the bias magnetic field and increase the vertical component of the bias magnetic field, thereby minimizing the degree of demagnetization of the master magnetic tape during the transfer printing process.

Abstract: A high-speed contact printing system is provided with a read head which picks up control signals recorded on a slave tape and a recording head which, after a given delay following reproduction of the control signal by the read head, writes the refined control signal back onto the corresponding section of the slave tape. The recording head is so arranged relative to the read head as to face the proper recording track on which the control signal is to be recorded after the given delay. For application to both .beta. and VHS systems, the distance H between the read head and the recording head is determined according to the following formula:H=N.sub..beta. .times.T.sub..beta. =N.sub.VHS .times.T.sub.VHS ( 1)whereN.sub..beta. and N.sub.VHS are integers;T.sub..beta. is the recording pitch (mm) of the control signals in the .beta. system; andT.sub.VHS is the recording pitch (mm) of the control signals in the VHS system.

Abstract: In a tape signal copying apparatus in which signals recorded on a running mother tape are copied onto a running copy tape by urging the two running tapes against a tape guide member by air blown from an air blow-off slit and by applying a magnetic field or heat to the tapes, an air pool groove is formed in a wall of an air guide member at such a position as to face the tape guide member to further increase air pressure against the running tapes within an area where signals have already been copied. The higher air pressure elminates an offset in the mutual positional relationship between two tapes due to tape extension fluctuations, and therefore prevents a harmful influence such as demagnetization or thermal disturbance of other signals recorded on the mother tape upon signals already recorded on the copy tape, so that high level signals can be reliably copied between the two tapes.

Abstract: A master tape and a slave tape are driven so that successive portions of each are brought into substantial contact with successive portions of the other at a printing station. A printing magnetic field is applied to such successive portions while they are in substantial contact with each other at the printing station, so that data on the master tape is copied onto the slave tape and the slave tape becomes a copy of the master tape. A single master tape can thus be employed to produce a plurality of copies. A counter counts the number of copies thus produced, and an indicator provides an indication corresponding to the remaining life expectancy of the master tape.