Patent ID: 6226441
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: G06F,G11B,H04N

Abstract:
A magnetic tape memory which is interchangeably usable by a plurality of types of recording/reproducing devices, the plurality of types of recording/reproducing devices including one of an audio/visual recording/reproducing device, a random access recording/reproducing device, and a sequential access recording/reproducing device; the magnetic tape memory having a plurality of types of data recorded thereon including audio/visual program data or non-audio/visual program data,the magnetic tape memory having at least two of (1) frames of audio/visual program data, (2) frames of random access data, and (3) frames of sequential access non-audio visual data recorded thereon, each frame having a field which specifies whether the frame has audio/visual program data stored therein;the magnetic tape memory having a set of of configuration tables stored thereon, the set of configuration tables comprising plural configuration tables of differing types, the types of configuration tables included in the set being determined in accordance with which of audio/visual program data, random access data, and sequential access non-audio/video data are stored on the tape.