Digital magnetic recording/reproducing device for recording/reproducing plural types of audio data, and recording/reproducing method therefore

A digital magnetic reproducing apparatus, comprising:

• a digital-to-analog converter for converting a first type of audio data read from a magnetic tape to an analog audio signal;
• a deformatter for deformatting a second type of audio data read from the magnetic tape to produce a deformatted data output;
• a decoder having an input connected to an output of said deformatter for decoding the deformatted data output from said deformatter;
• and
• a reproduction selection unit having an input for receiving general audio data, and having outputs connected to respective inputs of said digital-to-analog converter and said deformatter for selectively transmitting the general audio data read from the magnetic tape to one of said deformatter and said digital-to-analog converter in dependence upon a type of the general audio data, said general audio data including said first and second types of audio data.

A method for recording different types of audio data on a magnetic tape for a digital magnetic recording/reproducing device, comprising the steps of:

• detecting a type of an input audio signal;
• when a format of the input audio signal does not correspond to a recording format of recording sectors of the magnetic tape, formatting the input audio signal in an appropriate size to be stored in the recording sectors of the magnetic tape;
• and
• recording a plurality of different types of audio signals in respective recording sectors of the magnetic tape.

A method reproducing plural types of audio data stored on respective recording sectors of a magnetic tape for a digital magnetic recording/reproducing device, comprising the steps of:

• detecting at least one type of audio data read from said respective recording sectors of the tape, said at least one type including at least a first type of audio data and a second type of audio data;
• performing one of digital-to-analog conversion and deformatting, said digital-to-analog conversion being selected and converting digital audio data read from the tape to analog audio data when said detecting detects the first type of audio data, said deformatting being selected and deformatting the audio data read from the tape when said detecting detects the second type of audio data, said first and second types of audio data being distinguishable;
• decoding said deformatted audio data to produce decoded audio data;
• and reproducing one of the analog audio data and the decoded audio data.