Magnetic tape having multiple tracks and recording apparatus therefor

Claim 1

A recording apparatus for recording digital signals on one or a plurality of forward recording tracks and one or a plurality of reverse recording tracks of a magnetic tape, the digital signals being reproduced from said one or plurality of forward recording tracks when the magnetic tape travels in a direction from one end to another end thereof, the digital signals being reproduced from said one or plurality of reverse recording tracks when the magnetic tape travels in a direction from said other end to said one end thereof, said recording apparatus comprising: first one or a plurality of heads for making contact with the magnetic tape and for forming said one or plurality of forwarding recording tracks; second one or a plurality of heads for making contact with the magnetic tape and for forming said one or plurality of reverse recording tracks, both of said first and second one or plurality of heads being supplied with the digital signals which are obtained by subjecting analog information signals to a digital pulse modulation; means for moving the magnetic tape in a predetermined direction, said digital signals being simultaneously recorded on said one or plurality of forward recording tracks and said one or plurality of reverse recording tracks by the respective first and second one or plurality of heads as the magnetic tape travels in said predetermined direction; and phase compensation circuit means for relatively advancing the phase of the digital signals which are recorded on first one or a plurality of recording tracks among said one or plurality of forward and reverse recording tracks with respect to the phase of the digital signals which are recorded on second one or a plurality of recording tracks among said one or plurality of forward and reverse recording tracks, so that solitary reproduced waveforms which are reproduced from said first one or plurality of recording tracks and solitary waveforms which are reproduced from said second one or plurality of recording tracks respectively have substantially the same assymmetry of zeros or the same symmetry of zeros, said first one or plurality of recording tracks being scanned upon reproduction in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction in which said magnetic tape traveled upon recording, said second one or plurality of recording tracks being scanned upon reproduction in a direction which is the same as said predetermined direction in which said magnetic tape traveled upon recording.