Method and apparatus for preventing cross-talk during reproduction of data recorded on a high density recording medium

A device for reading a recording medium having parallel information tracks and correcting signals on the information tracks, said device comprising:

• a cross-talk estimation circuit for receiving signals from at least three consecutively parallel information tracks of said recording medium, said at least three consecutively parallel information tracks comprising a first information track and second and third information tracks which are directly adjacent to said first information track on either side thereof, and for determining a first cross-talk coefficient representing a degree of cross-talk between said first and second information tracks by multiplying the value of a signal on said first information track by +1 if the information signal on said second information track has a positive value, and by -1 if the information signal on said second track has a negative value, and a second cross-talk coefficient representing a degree of cross-talk between said first and third information tracks by multiplying the value of a signal on said first information track by +1 if the information signal on said third information track has a positive value, and by -1 if the information signal on said third information track has a negative value;
• and
• a cross-talk correction circuit for receiving said first and second cross-talk coefficients and said signals from said first, second, and third information tracks and generating a corrected cross-talk signal by subtracting the product of said first cross-talk coefficient and the value of the signal on said second information track from the value of the signal on said first information track, and subtracting the product of said second cross-talk coefficient and the value of the signal on said third information track from said value of said signal on said first information track.