Patent ID: 7242854
Filing Date: 2007-07-10
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A magnetic tape recording apparatus for recording digital data on tracks of a magnetic tape by using a rotary head, comprising: formatting means for adding error correcting code to each of first group data including video data, audio data, or search data, and second group data including subcode data related to said first group data, and for formatting said first group data and said second group data so that said first group data and said second group data are continuously disposed on the tracks of said magnetic tape; and supply means for supplying the data formatted by said formatting means to said rotary head so as to record the data on said magnetic tape, wherein: said formatting means continuously disposes sync blocks on each of said tracks, each of said sync blocks having a predetermined number of bytes; said sync blocks comprising second sync blocks each second sync block consisting of a detection pattern for detecting the sync block, identification information for identifying the sync block, main data, and inner error correcting code added to said identification information and said main data, and a remaining quantity of sync blocks each consist of the detection pattern, identification information, an outer error correcting code, and the inner error correcting code; and said outer error correcting code is provided for each group of the sync blocks obtained by dividing third sync blocks contained in a predetermined quantity of tracks by a predetermined quantity of planes; and said sync blocks are arranged on said magnetic tape so that a distance between the sync blocks belonging to the identical plane is constant among the planes.