Recording and/or reproducing apparatus using rotary heads according to travelling speeds of a recording medium

A recording apparatus for recording signals by forming many parallel tracks on a tape-shaped recording medium comprising:

• a) transporting means for transporting the tape-shaped recording medium;
• b) an n number of rotary heads arranged to trace the tape-shaped recording medium, transported by said transporting means, the n number of rotary heads including a predetermined m number of rotary heads, m being an integer which is at least 2, n being an integer which is larger than m;
• and
• c) mode selection means for selecting a mode between a plurality of modes which includes, a first mode in which said transporting means transports the tape-shaped recording medium at a first speed in a direction which makes an acute angle with a direction in which the n number of rotary heads rotate, and all the n number of rotary heads are recording signals by forming n number of adjacent tracks on the tape-shaped recording medium, and a second mode in which said transporting means transports the tape-shaped recording medium at a second speed which is lower than m/n of said first speed in a direction which makes an acute angle with the direction in which the n number of rotary heads rotate and only the predetermined m number of rotary heads are recording signals by forming m number of adjacent tracks on the tape-shaped recording medium.

A reproducing apparatus for reproducing signals from many parallel tracks formed on a tape-shaped reproducing medium comprising:

• a) transporting means for transporting the tape-shaped recording medium;
• b) an n number of rotary heads arranged to trace the tape-shaped recording medium, transported by said transporting means, the n number of rotary heads including a predetermined m number of rotary heads, a distance between positions of adjacent heads included in the predetermined m number of rotary heads in a direction of an axis of rotation of the n number of heads being larger than a distance between positions of other adjacent heads included in the n number of rotary heads, said distance between positions of other adjacent heads being not zero, m being an integer which is at least 2, n being an integer which is larger than m;
• and
• c) mode selection means for selecting a mode between a plurality of modes which includes, a first mode in which said transporting means transports the tape-shaped recording medium at a first speed in a direction which makes an acute angle with a direction in which the n number of rotary heads rotate and all the n number of rotary heads are reproducing signals by tracing n number of adjacent tracks formed on the tape-shaped recording medium, and a second mode in which said transporting means transports the tape-shaped recording medium at a second speed which is lower than said first speed in a direction which makes an acute angle with the direction in which the n number of rotary heads rotate and only the predetermined m number of rotary heads are reproducing signals by tracing m number of adjacent tracks on the tape-shaped recording medium.

A reproducing apparatus for reproducing signals from many parallel tracks formed on a tape-shaped recording medium comprising:

• a) transporting means for transporting the tape-shaped recording medium;
• b) an n number of rotary heads arranged to trace the tape-shaped recording medium, transported by said transporting means, the n number of rotary heads including a predetermined m number of rotary heads, m being an integer which is at least 2, n being an integer which is larger than m;
• and
• c) mode selection means for selecting a mode between a plurality of modes which includes, a first mode in which said transporting means transports the tape-shaped recording medium at a first speed in a direction which makes an acute angle with a direction in which the n number of rotary heads rotate, and all the n number of rotary heads are reproducing signals by tracing n number of adjacent tracks formed on the tape-shaped recording medium, and a second mode in which said transporting means transports the tape-shaped recording medium at a second speed which is lower than m/n of said first speed in a direction which makes an acute angle with the direction in which the n number of rotary heads rotate and only the predetermined m number of rotary heads are reproducing signals by tracking m number of adjacent tracks on the tape-shaped recording medium.