Tape medium recording and/or reproducing apparatus capable of minimizing

Abstract

A tape medium recording and/or reproducing apparatus suited for use in recording or reproducing information on or from a plurality of tracks on a tape medium. Each track has first and second regions defined therein in a direction conforming to the direction of scan. Each first region has a positioning signal recorded therein while a tracking pilot signal is recorded in selected ones of the first regions. The apparatus includes a positioning signal detector for detecting the positioning signal to provide a reproducing position signal, and a reproduction timing generator for generating a reproduction timing signal at a first timing determined by the reproducing position signal. A timing memory is provided to store the length of time from the timing, at which the rotational reference position of a cylinder has been detected, to the first timing. When no positioning signal can be detected, a timing protector generates a pseudo timing signal based on a previously detected timing stored in the timing memory and also for combining the pseudo timing signal with the reproduction timing signal to provide a protection timing signal. A tracking control section performs tracking control in reference to a level determined by the pilot signals sampled by the sample timing signal. The apparatus can perform insert-recording by determining the timing therefor based on the reproduction timing signal.