System for reproducing a video signal in a slow motion or still picture

Abstract

A video signal reproducing system comprises a tape on which video signals are recorded along video tracks, which extend obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the tape with substantially no space therebetween. A control signal is recorded along a control track extending in the longitudinal direction, the video tracks being recorded by a plurality of rotating video heads having gaps of mutually different azimuth angles. The control signal is recorded along the control track interrelatedly with the recording of the video tracks by the video heads. A motor drives the tape in tape travel or stops the tape. A plurality of rotating, reproducing video heads successively trace the video tracks to pick up and reproduce the recorded video signals. The rotating video heads have gaps which have mutually different azimuth angles that are respectively the same as the first mentioned azimuth angles, and which have different height positions above the plane of rotation of the centers of the tracks in the width direction thereof. The control signals are reproduced from the control track of the traveling tape. A circuit delays the reproduced control signal by a specific time to obtain a delayed signal and uses this delayed signal to stop the motor and therefore the tape travel. The tape is stopped at a position relative to the reproducing video heads at which the reproduction is accomplished so that the time instant when the level of the reproduced video signal becomes a minimum is within or in the vicinity of the vertical blanking period.