Patent ID: 6356417
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A rotary head drum device comprising a rotary drum rotating at a given speed, and a plurality of rotary heads mounted on the rotary drum for scanning a magnetic tape fed in a given direction and wrapped on an outer circumferential surface of the rotary drum in a predetermined angular range along a part of helix, the rotary heads recording an information signal on the magnetic tape while forming recording tracks in a guard-band-less structure on the magnetic tape during recording, the rotary heads reproducing the information signal from the recording tracks on the magnetic tape during playback, wherein the rotary heads comprise:first and second rotary heads for a low-frequency-range information signal, the first and second rotary heads being opposed to each other diametrically with respect to the rotary drum and being different from each other in azimuth angle; a third rotary head for digital signals in frequency ranges higher than a frequency range of the low-frequency-range information signal, and for first and second operation modes being different from each other in data transmission rate; a fourth rotary head for a digital signal in the second operation mode, the fourth rotary head being opposed to the third rotary head diametrically with respect to the rotary drum and being equal in azimuth angle to the third rotary head; a fifth rotary head for a digital signal in the first operation mode, the fifth rotary head being substantially opposed to the third rotary head diametrically with respect to the rotary drum and being different from the third rotary head in azimuth angle, the fourth and fifth rotary heads being in a double azimuth head structure; and sixth and seventh rotary heads for a digital signal in the second operation mode, the sixth and seventh rotary heads being opposed to each other diametrically with respect to the rotary drum and being equal to each other in azimuth angle.