An apparatus for recording and reproducing information on and from a recording medium having first and second areas (13a, 13b), the first area being loaded with a first information signal having a size Ya, the apparatus comprising: a head for reproducing the first information signal from the first area of the recording medium and transmitting the reproduced first information signal at a first transfer rate Rp; and a buffer memory for receiving the first information signal from the head at the first transfer rate Rp, for temporarily storing the first information signal, and for outputting the first information signal at a second transfer rate Ra lower than the first transfer rate Rp; wherein the buffer memory is operable to receive a second information signal at a third transfer rate Rb lower than the predetermined constant transfer rate Rp, to temporarily store the second information signal, and to output the second information signal at the first transfer rate Rp, the second information signal having a size Yb; the head is operable to receive the second information signal from the buffer memory, and to record the second information signal on the second area of the recording medium at the first transfer rate Rp; and the head is operable to implement reproduction of the first information signal from the first area of the recording medium and recording of the second information signal on the second area of the recording medium on a time sharing basis while moving between the first and second areas (13a, 13b) of the recording medium; the apparatus being characterized in that: the sum of the size Ya of the first information signal and the size Yb of the second information signal is chosen to satisfy a relation as follows: Ya + Yb ≥ Rp • Ra + Rb • Tab + Tba / Rp - Ra - Rb where Rp is the first transfer rate, Ra is the second transfer rate for the first information signal, Rb is the third transfer rate for the second information signal, Tab is a seek time taken by the head to move from the first area to the second area of the recording medium, and Tba is a seek time taken by the head to move from the second area to the first area of the recording medium; and there is provided transfer rate setting means (20, 22, 23) arranged to set the second transfer rate Ra and the third transfer rate Rb on the basis of a recoding mode designated by a user. a head for reproducing the first information signal from the first area of the recording medium and transmitting the reproduced first information signal at a first transfer rate Rp; and a buffer memory for receiving the first information signal from the head at the first transfer rate Rp, for temporarily storing the first information signal, and for outputting the first information signal at a second transfer rate Ra lower than the first transfer rate Rp; wherein the buffer memory is operable to receive a second information signal at a third transfer rate Rb lower than the predetermined constant transfer rate Rp, to temporarily store the second information signal, and to output the second information signal at the first transfer rate Rp, the second information signal having a size Yb; the head is operable to receive the second information signal from the buffer memory, and to record the second information signal on the second area of the recording medium at the first transfer rate Rp; and the head is operable to implement reproduction of the first information signal from the first area of the recording medium and recording of the second information signal on the second area of the recording medium on a time sharing basis while moving between the first and second areas (13a, 13b) of the recording medium; the apparatus being characterized in that: the sum of the size Ya of the first information signal and the size Yb of the second information signal is chosen to satisfy a relation as follows: Ya + Yb ≥ Rp • Ra + Rb • Tab + Tba / Rp - Ra - Rb the sum of the size Ya of the first information signal and the size Yb of the second information signal is chosen to satisfy a relation as follows: Ya + Yb ≥ Rp • Ra + Rb • Tab + Tba / Rp - Ra - Rb where Rp is the first transfer rate, Ra is the second transfer rate for the first information signal, Rb is the third transfer rate for the second information signal, Tab is a seek time taken by the head to move from the first area to the second area of the recording medium, and Tba is a seek time taken by the head to move from the second area to the first area of the recording medium; and there is provided transfer rate setting means (20, 22, 23) arranged to set the second transfer rate Ra and the third transfer rate Rb on the basis of a recoding mode designated by a user.