Method of recording image data

Abstract

In tracing a tape with a signal recording head to form tracks having digital data recorded thereon, a plurality of tracks provide each of blocks, and a usual playback data area NA and trick playback areas TH and TL are arranged on each of the tracks included in each block. The trick playback areas are enlarged to provide increment areas TA with a decrease in the bit rate of usual playback data. In recording image data as to a plurality of programs on a tape conjointly, signal recording tracks are formed on the tape, and a usual playback data area and a trick playback data area are formed on each of the tracks or on one track per plurality of tracks, as arranged longitudinally of the track, whereby the image data as to programs A to D is conjointly recorded on the same tape. In this method, a number of tracks in accordance with the number of speed multiplication for trick playback provide one TP frame, the same trick playback data is repeatedly recorded from track to track in the trick playback data areas of the tracks within the same TP frame, and the image data as to the programs A to D is cyclically recorded in such respective TP frames, each for one program.