Method and system for detection recording media defacts

In a magnetic recording system, a method for detecting defects on a recording medium comprising the steps of:

• (a) recording a data pattern on at least a portion of the medium;
• (b) reading data signals from said portion of the medium;
• (c) sampling the data signals to generate discrete time sample data;
• (d) processing the sample data using a discrete time filter configured to have an impulse response substantially matched to the data pattern, the filter generating filtered data, wherein the discrete time filter comprises a moving average filter;
• and
• (e) comparing the filtered data to one or more threshold values to detect defects recording medium.

A detector for detecting defects on a recording medium from data signals read from the recording medium, the detector comprising:

• (a) a sampling system for sampling the data signals to generate discrete time sample data;
• (b) a processor for processing the sample data, the processor comprising one or more discrete time filters for detecting deviation of the signal corresponding to media defects, wherein at least one of the discrete time filters approximates a moving average filter;
• and
• (c) one or more comparators for comparing the deviation of the signal to one or more threshold values to identify defects on the recording medium.