Patent ID: 7057840

Claim:
A magnetic record and playback device for recording or playing back a signal in a state in which a magnetic tape is wound on a rotating head drum, comprising: a tape withdrawal unit for winding the magnetic tape on the rotating head drum at a predetermined angle; a mode switching unit for switching the tape withdrawal unit, in a fast forward or rewind operation for the magnetic tape, to a state corresponding to either a first take-up mode in which the magnetic tape is wound on the rotating head drum or a second take-up mode in which the tape is not wound thereon; a processor for determining whether to engage the first take up mode or the second take up mode in response to an instruction; and a tape driving unit for fast forwarding or rewinding the magnetic tape in the first take-up mode or second take-up mode, wherein speeds at which the magnetic tape is transported by the tape driving unit are such that the speed during the second take-up mode is set higher than the speed during the first take-up mode.