Magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus including a track scanning device for causing a single magnetic head to scan at least two tracks during a period of time corresponding to one cycle of information to be continuously recorded on a magnetic tape

In a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus including a rotary drum and a plurality of magnetic heads disposed thereon for recording information onto, or reproducing information from, a magnetic tape, a method comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting a single one of the plurality of magnetic heads to record information onto the magnetic tape;
• (b) selecting another single one of the plurality of magnetic heads to reproduce information from the magnetic tape;
• (c) selecting one of a plurality of channels of information to be recorded by the magnetic heads selected in step (a);
• (d) recording the selected one channel during a period of time corresponding to one cycle of information;
• and
• (e) selecting a different one of the plurality of channels of information to be reproduced by the magnetic head selected in step (b);
• and
• (f) reproducing the selected different one channel during the period of time, the selected one of the plurality of channels of step (c) being only recorded for a plurality of consecutive periods of time and the selected different one of the plurality of channels of step (e) being only reproduced for a plurality of consecutive periods of time to thereby nearly simultaneously record and reproduce two different channels of information.

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, comprising:

• a rotary drum;
• a plurality of magnetic heads disposed on the rotary drum for recording information onto, or reproducing information from a magnetic tape;
• a first switch for selecting a single one of the plurality of magnetic heads to record information onto the magnetic tape and for selecting another single one of the plurality of magnetic heads to reproduce information from the magnetic tape;
• and
• a second switch for selecting one of a plurality of channels of information to be recorded by the selected single one magnetic head during a period of time corresponding to one cycle of information and for selecting a different one of the plurality of channels of information to be reproduced by the selected another single one of the plurality of magnetic heads during the period of time, the selected one of the plurality of channels being only recorded on a magnetic tape for a plurality of consecutive periods of time and the selected different one of the plurality of channels being only reproduced from a magnetic tape for plurality of consecutive periods of time to thereby provide for nearly simultaneous recording and reproducing of two different channels of information.