Method for recording digital data using a series of adjacent heads of alternating azimuths located on a headwheel to record data at a rate that is less than the full recording rate possible using the heads

A method of operating a tape recorder capable of recording data on a tape at a first rate to record data on the tape at a second rate that is lower than the first rate, the tape recorder including a headwheel having a series of 2 heads of alternating azimuths, the series of 2 heads being located at a single location on the headwheel, the second data rate being (1/p) times the first data rate, where p is a positive integer greater than 3, the digital video tape recorder rotating the headwheel at a preselected rotation rate and moving the tape at a preselected normal play tape speed when recording data at the first rate, the method of recording data at the second rate comprising the steps of:

• a) positioning the tape in close proximity to the headwheel;
• b) moving the tape at a speed of (1/p) times the preselected normal play tape speed;
• c) rotating the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;
• d) passing the series of 2 heads over the tape by continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;
• e) controlling the 2 heads in the series of 2 heads to record data on the tape while the series of 2 heads passes over the tape;
• f) passing the series of 2 heads over the tape (p-1) times without recording data on the tape by continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;
• g) passing the series of heads over the tape for a p time after the last pass over the tape during which data was recorded;
• h) controlling the 2 heads in the series of 2 heads to record data on the tape while the series of 2 heads passes over the tape for the p time since the last pass over the tape during which data was recorded;
• and
• i) repeating steps f through h.

A method of operating a tape recorder capable of recording data on a tape at a first rate to record data on the tape at a second rate that is lower than the first rate, the tape recorder including a headwheel having a series of H heads of alternating azimuths, the series of H heads being located at a single location on the headwheel, the second data rate being (1/p) times the first data rate, where p is a positive integer greater than 2, and where H is an even positive integer representing the number of heads in the series of H heads, the digital video tape recorder rotating the headwheel at a preselected rotation rate and moving the tape at a preselected normal play tape speed when recording data at the first rate, the method of recording data at the second rate comprising the steps of:

• a) positioning the tape in close proximity to the headwheel;
• b) moving the tape at a speed of (1/p) times the preselected normal play tape speed;
• c) rotating the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;
• d) passing the series of H heads over the tape by continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;
• e) controlling the H heads in the series of H heads to record data from the reduced rate bit stream on the tape while the series of H heads passes over the tape;
• f) passing the series of H heads over the tape (p-1) times without recording data on the tape by continuing to rotate the headwheel at the preselected rotation rate;
• g) passing the series of heads over the tape for a p time after the last pass over the tape during which data was recorded;
• h) controlling the H heads in the series of H heads to record data on the tape while the series of H heads passes over the tape for the p time since the last pass over the tape during which data was recorded;
• and
• i) repeating steps f through h.