A method of reproducing information from a recording medium having first and second areas (13a, 13b) on which first and second information signals are recorded respectively, the first information signal having a size Ya, the second information signal having a size Yb, the method comprising the steps of: controlling a head to reproduce the first and second information signals from the first and second areas (13a, 13b) of the recording medium and to transmit the reproduced first and second information signals on a time sharing basis and at a first transfer rate Rp while moving the head between the first and second areas (13a, 13b) of the recording medium; and controlling a buffer memory to receive the first and second information signals from the head at the first transfer rate Rp, to temporarily store the first and second information signals, and to output the first and second information signals at second and third transfer rates Ra and Rb respectively, the second and third transfer rates Ra and Rb being lower than the first transfer rate Rp the method being characterized in that: the size Ya of the first information signal and the size Yb of the second information signal are chosen to satisfy a relation as follows: Ya + Yb ≥ Rp • Ra + Rb • 2 • Tmax / 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, Tmax is a common maximum value of a seek time taken by the head to move from the first area to the second area of the recording medium and a seek time taken by the head to move from the second area to the first area of the recording medium. controlling a head to reproduce the first and second information signals from the first and second areas (13a, 13b) of the recording medium and to transmit the reproduced first and second information signals on a time sharing basis and at a first transfer rate Rp while moving the head between the first and second areas (13a, 13b) of the recording medium; and controlling a buffer memory to receive the first and second information signals from the head at the first transfer rate Rp, to temporarily store the first and second information signals, and to output the first and second information signals at second and third transfer rates Ra and Rb respectively, the second and third transfer rates Ra and Rb being lower than the first transfer rate Rp the method being characterized in that: the size Ya of the first information signal and the size Yb of the second information signal are chosen to satisfy a relation as follows: Ya + Yb ≥ Rp • Ra + Rb • 2 • Tmax / 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, Tmax is a common maximum value of a seek time taken by the head to move from the first area to the second area of the recording medium and a seek time taken by the head to move from the second area to the first area of the recording medium. the size Ya of the first information signal and the size Yb of the second information signal are chosen to satisfy a relation as follows: Ya + Yb ≥ Rp • Ra + Rb • 2 • Tmax / 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, Tmax is a common maximum value of a seek time taken by the head to move from the first area to the second area of the recording medium and a seek time taken by the head to move from the second area to the first area of the recording medium.