GB2157054A

GB2157054A - Tape recorders

Info

Publication number: GB2157054A
Application number: GB08508618A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Siegfried Apitz
Original assignee: Standard Elektrik Lorenz AG
Current assignee: Alcatel Lucent Deutschland AG
Priority date: 1984-04-05
Filing date: 1985-04-02
Publication date: 1985-10-16
Also published as: GB2157054B; GB8508618D0; FR2562702A1; JPS615490A; DE3412735A1; DE3412735C2

Abstract

In order to permit the determination of the respective tape position of the magnetic tape (1) at the magnetic head (37) of tape recording or reproducing equipment, the magnetic tape recorder comprises a processor (27) with two program circuits (28 and 29) which are controlled by a pulse generator (23) associated with at least one of the tape reels (2). The first program circuit (28) ascertains from the rotational speed of the tape reel (2), at a defined speed of the magnetic tape, the respective tape position thereof and stores the tape position data in a tape-position memory (30). With the aid of the second program circuit (29), when the tape is not travelling at the defined speed there is ascertained with respect to each incoming output pulse of the pulse generator (23) corresponding to a defined angle of rotation of the tape reel (2), and from the stored tape-position data, the respective new tape position, with the data thereof being stored in the tape-position memory (30) and displayed in a display device (32). In this way, the momentary tape position can be read off at any time even during the fast forward or fast rewind (SVL, SRL), for example, in terms of a remaining running-time statement. <IMAGE>

Description

Tape Recorders This invention relates to tape recorders and in particular to domestic tape recording or reproducing equipment, of the kind comprising a reeled magnetic tape of defined length for recording audio or video information, a pulse generator controlled by the number of revolutions of a winder spindle placed below the reels, a measuring arrangement disposed subsequently to the pulse generator, for measuring the rotational speed of the winder spindle, a processor circuit for ascertaining the positional data for marking the relevant tape position of the magnetic tape from the data supplied by the measuring arrangement and marking the rotational speed of the winder spindle, and a display device for displaying the tape position based on the positional data supplied by the processor circuit.

Tape recording or reproducing equipment of this kind, in particular magnetic tape recorders or video tape recorders include, for the purpose of indicating the respective position of the magnetic tape as inserted in the equipment, an indicating device in the form of either a mechanical or electronic tape footage counter which, either on click-action counter wheels or on a display, gives an indication or display in the form of a numeral corresponding to the number of revolutions of the capstan shaft driving the magnetic tape. From this tape footage counter, display conclusions can be drawn with respect to the length of tape which has been spent in the equipment, provided that the counter was set to zero at the beginning of the tape.A video tape recorder employing an electronic tape footage counter display is known, for example, from the technical journal "Funkschau" 1982, No. 9, page 75. With this particular type of recorder, the electronic tape footage counter is automatically reset to zero upon insertion of a tape cassette. Based on the tape footage count shown on the display, the user can draw conclusions with respect to the position of the magnetic tape, that is, to the length of tape which has already passed the recording or reproducing head of the recorder, or to the still remaining length of tape available for either recording or reproducing. With the aid of such an indication or display, the desired position of the magnetic tape can be set in a relatively easy manner.The tape running times or even the still remaining length of tape is, however, only determinable by the user of such a recorder with some difficulty.

In order to overcome this difficulty, a reel-type cassette recorder known from the technical journal "Funkschau" '1983, No. 6, page 44, is provided with a so-called real-time counting mechanism indicating the length of tape which has already been used up inside the recorder, in real time - hours and minutes. For effecting the real-time display, a guide roller for the magnetic tape contains a pulse generator whose output pulses are converted to a seconds clock and fed to a counting module. The counter display of the conventional recorder is only sensitised when the capstan motor has reached its rated speed. However, if the real-time display is to be identical with the actual running time of the magnetic tape in the conventional recorder, it is necessary for the real-time counter always to be set to zero at the beginning of the magnetic tape.When the magnetic tape is inserted into the conventional recorder in a position lying between the beginning and the end of the tape it is necessary, for setting the counter to the real time, for the tape to be first of all, each time, run back to the beginning of the tape. In the case of long magnetic tapes this may, in certain circumstances, be a rather time-consuming procedure.

A video tape recorder of the kind referred to and which is also known from the Philips Manual by H.

Bahr "Alles tiber Video"(AII about Video) 1980, and especially pages 181 to 183, contains a counter display which is controlled by a processor. For the purpose of displaying the tape position there is taken, in the conventional video tape recorder, from a pulse generator which is connected to the takeup reel, a pulse signal indicating the number of revolutions of the takeup reel, and is feed to the processor.

It is an object of the invention to design tape recording or reproducing equipment of the kind referred to in such a way that it ascertains the actual tape position, especially by way of a real-time display, even in cases where the magnetic tape has previously not been returned to the initial position.

According to the invention in its broadest aspect, tape recording or reproducing equipment of the kind referred to is characterised in that the processor circuit contains a first program circuit for computing and issuing the data relating to the tape position of the magnetic tape from the data of the measuring arrangement for measuring the rotational speed identifying the rotational speed of the winder spindle, and from the data identifying the tape speed of the magnetic tape, as well as a second program circuit by which, starting out from the respective last-computed and stored positional data of the tape position and the direction of run of the magnetic tape as stored in a direction-of-run memory, for each successively following pulse of the pulse generator of the winder spindle, as connected to one clock input of the second program circuit, there is computed the new tape position data of the tape position associated with the pulse, the data being held ready at the data output of the processor circuit, that the first program circuit is only turned on during a control signal from a control circuit as connected to one control input of the first program circuit for adjusting the tape speed, which produces the control signal only when the magnetic tape is transported at the predetermined tape speed, and that the execution of the second program circuit is blocked as long as the program execution of the first program circuit is turned on in the processor circuit.

The measures which are to be taken according to the invention only require slight additional means to be employed with recording or reproducing equipment of the kind mentioned hereinbefore. In particular, there is only required a special computer program in the processor. By introducing a second computer program which is connected in the background of the first computer program, there is additionally achieved the considerable advantage that the tape position of the magnetic tape is displayed also during a fast forward or fast rewind, in the course of which the magnetic tape is not transported at a prescribed tape speed. In the case of magnetic tapes having very long running times, for example, of several hours, it is desirable to know about the respective momentary tape position also during the fast forward or fast rewind.

Otherwise, the user of the recorder has to switch over the equipment from time to time to a tape run at a constant tape speed of the magnetic tape, in order thus to determine the momentary tape position. This procedure is very time-consuming. By taking the measures according to the invention, however, the desired tape position can be very exactly found and set in a simple way during the fast forward or fast rewind.

In a development of the invention, four computer programs are introduced into the processor which computer programs are controlled by a pulse generator of the takeup reel as well as by a pulse generator of the feed or supply reel, this offers the added advantages that the storage space requirement for the four computer programs is altogether smaller than the storage space requirement for the two computer programs which are only controlled by the pulse generator of one single reel. Moreover, the real-time display is more exact, because the real time is only ascertained each time up to half the takeup volume of the reels, and because the real-time display loses its accuracy as the takeup volume increases.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of a circuit for indicating (displaying) the tape position of a magnetic tape as inserted into a tape recording or reproducing equipment, and Figure 2 is a block diagram of a further circuit for indicating (displaying) the tape position of a magnetic tape as inserted into tape recording or reproducing equipment.

Figures 1 and 2 each show a block diagram of a circuit for displaying the tape position of the magnetic tape 1 as inserted in tape recordings or reproducing equipment. In the block diagrams of Figures 1 and 2 identical parts are indicated by the same reference signs or numerals. The magnetic tape is wound on to two reels of which the one is placed on the righthand or takeup winder spindle 2 and of which the other one is placed on the lefthand feed or supply winder spindle 3. The winder spindles are each driven by respective motor 4 or 5. The magnetic tape 1 is transported by a capstan shaft 6 against which a pinch roller 7 is pressed which is schematically shown in the drawing, so that the magnetic tape 1 is transported between the shaft 6 and the roller 7 by being driven by a motor 8. To the capstan motor is connected a pulse generator 9.The output signals thereof are fed to a control circuit 10 regulating the capstan motor 8 to a prescribed rotational speed which is set in the control circuit 10, in a way not described in detail, by a control facility 11. As long as the capstan shaft 6 rotates at the prescribed rotational speed, the control circuit at its output 12 produces an output signal identifying or indicating the status of being ready to operate at the rated speed.

Via the various switches 13 to 17 of the control facility 11 of the magnetic tape recorder the different operating conditions or states of the magnetic tape recorder can be adjusted. For example, the switch 13 (PLAY) is provided for a normal recording or reproducing operation of the magnetic tape recorder. An associated normal operating circuit 19 produces at an output 18 a signal identifying the rotational speed of the capstan shaft 6 for the normal recording or reproducing operation. The switches 14 (CUE) and 17 (REVIEW) are provided for setting the fast forward and the fast rewind operations. The associated operating circuits 20 and 21, when in the operating state, produce at an output 22 and output signal identifying the increased rotational speed of the capstan shaft for this particular operating state.At the switches 15 and 16 there is set the operating state of the fast forward (SVL) or of the fast rewind (SRL), in the course of which the capstan shaft 6 is not in engagement with the magnetic tape. During the fast forward operation, the winder spindle motor 4 rotates the takeup reel at a high rotational speed; during the fast rewind, the winder spindle motor 5 causes the feed or supply reel 3 to rotate at a higher rotational speed.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the winder spindle motor 4 for the takeup reel 2 simultaneously drives a pulse generator 23 which produces a pulse signal at a pulse frequency which is in proportion to the rotational speed of the takeup reel. The output signal of the pulse generator 23 is fed to a measuring arrangement 24 for measuring the rotational speed, with the output thereof producing the data identifying the measured rotational speed. Moreover, to the measuring arrangement 24, there are connected the outputs of a beginning-of-tape sensor 25 and of a end-of-tape sensor 26, which serve to recognise the beginning and the end of the magnetic tape and, in the measuring arrangement 24, produce the output data relating to both the beginning and the end of the tape. In this embodiment, the measuring arrangement forms part of a processor 27 containing a program circuit 28 for a first computer program RPI and a program circuit 29 for a second computer program RP2, and which moreover contains a tape position memory 30 for storing the data relating to the tape position BP as ascertained by program circuits 28 or 29, and a direction-of-run memory 31 for storing the running direction LR of the magnetic tape in the course of the previous operating condition of the recording or reproducing equipment. The tape position data BP as stored in the tape position memory 30 are available to an optical display device which displays the tape position in terms of hours and minutes of the still remaining tape running time.The computer program RP1 of the program circuit 28 is so designed that the program circuit 28, from the output data of the measuring arrangement 24 and the data relating to the tape speed of the magnetic tape as supplied by the outputs 18 or 22 of the control facility 11, ascertains the respective tape position data corresponding to the rotational speed of the takeup reel 2, so long as the output signal as produced at the output 12 of the control circuit 10 at the nominal speed of the capstan motor, is applied to the standby input 33 of the program circuit 28.From the output data of the program circuit 28 and the output data of a tape length indicating circuit 34 as connected to the processor and which, for example, scans the specified total tape length of the magnetic tape from the cassette containing the magnetic tape, and transmits them as data identifying this length, the processor ascertains the data relating to the tape position of the magnetic tape in terms of the remaining running time of the magnetic tape for the recording or reproducing operation of the equipment.

Moreover, the pulse-shaped output signal of the pulse generator 23 of the takeup reel 2 is applied to the input of the program circuit 29 for the computer program RP2 whose input is connected to the clock input 35 of the processor.

The second computer program RP2 of the program circuit 29 is so designed that each pulse applied to the input 36 of the program circuit 29, is associated with one tape position of the magnetic tape, which is dependent on the tape position BP as stored in the tape position memory 30, and differs therefrom by the amount by which the magnetic tape is transported in the direction of run as stored in the direction-of-run memory 31, between two successively following pulses appearing at the input 36 of the program circuit 29 in the recording or reproducing operating state. The tape-position data thus ascertained by the program circuit 29 is treated by the processor in the same way as the data ascertained by the program circuit 28, and is stored in the tape position memory 30 for being displayed.In this way, also during the fast forward or fast rewind, the tape position of the magnetic tape is continuously displayed (indicated) at the recording or reproducing head 37 of the magnetic tape recorder. Accordingly, the person operating the recorder is thus capable of recognising the position of the magnetic tape at any time during the entire fast forward or fast rewind of the magnetic tape, and of switching the recorder to the recording or reproducing operating condition upon reaching the desired tape position, without any other switching operations for ascertaining the tape position being required during the fast forward or fast rewind operation.

In this embodiment, the program circuit 29 for the second computer program RP2 is always turned on when the control circuit 10 does not supply an output signal at its output 12. Whenever the video tape recorder as shown in Figure 1, upon turning on the recorder or upon insertion of a video tape cassette, is switched either to the fast forward or fast rewind operation, without another operating state having been switched on prior thereto and the magnetic tape comes to a standstill in a tape position outside the beginning or the end of the tape, the tape-position memory 30 does not contain any tape position data, so that the program circuit 29 is incapable of ascertaining any tape position data.For this reason, the control unit or operating facility 11, for example, contains a trigger device 40 which, in response to a trigger signal, produces at its output 41 for only a few rotations of the takeup reel 2, either the recording or the reproducing state. The tune-on time of this trigger circuit is dimensioned to be so long that the capstan motor 8 will reach the rotational speed necessary for performing the recording or the reproducing operation, and that the program circuit 28 is capable of ascertaining the data relating to a particular tape position. In this embodiment, the trigger signal is produced with the aid of a trigger key 42 which, when the power supply SV is turned on, and via a test contact 43 closed by the inserted magnetic tape, applies a supply voltage as the trigger signal to the input 41 of the trigger device 40.

In another embodiment the control unit or operating facility 11 shown in Figure 1 contains a trigger and blocking device 44 with a settable memory circuit 45. This memory circuit controls two switching devices 46 and 47 in the fast forward and fast rewind operating circuits 48 and 49. In the setting position S of the memory circuit 45, the switching devices 46 and 47 turn on the search run operating state corresponding to the respective direction of run, when the respective fast forward or fast rewind operating state is set with the aid of the selector switches 16 or 17.When the power supply SV is turned on upon insertion of the magnetic tape, or when inserting a magnetic tape into the turned-on recording or reproducing equipment, in the course of which the test contact 43 is closed, a setting signal is produced in a pulse shaper 50 which adjusts the memory circuit 45 to the setting position, and during the subsequently following turning on of the fast forward or fast rewind, with the aid of the switches 16 or 17, at first adjusts the recorder to the corresponding search run operating state. As sooon as the output signal appears at the output 12 of the control circuit 10 for indicating that the capstan shaft 6 is rotating at the specified speed, this signal, via a delay circuit 51, sets the settable memory circuit 45 to the reset position. In this way, the memory circuit 45 with the aid of the switching devices 46 or 47, switches the recording or reproducing equipment into the respective fast forward or fast rewind operating state as preselected with the aid of the switches 16 or 17. The delay time of the delay circuit 51 is so chosen that the tape position of the magnetic tape can be reliably ascertained in the program circuit 28.

The embodiment of a circuit for displaying the tape position of a magnetic tape inserted into a recording or reproducing equipment as shown in a block diagram in Figure 2, differs from the embodiment as shown in Figure 1 chiefly in that the motor 5 of the supply or feed reel 3 additionally controls a pulse generator 52. This pulse generator produces at its output a pulse signal whose frequency is in proportion to the rotational speed of the supply or feed reel 3. Accordingly, the processor 53 in the embodiment shown in Figure 2 is designed differently from the processor 27 in the embodiment shown in Figure 1. The pulse generator 52 of the supply or feed reel 3 is likewise assigned a measuring arrangement 54 for measuring the rotational speed of the supply or feed reel 3.The data output of the measuring circuit 24 serving the output of the data relating to the rotational speed of the takeup reel 2 is connected, on the one hand, to a data input 55 of a program circuit part 28a with the computer program RP1a and, on the other hand, to a data input 56 of a test arrangement 57, whereas the data output of the measuring arrangement 54 serving the output of the data relating to the rotational speed of the supply or feed reel 3 is connected, on the one hand, to the data input 58 of the program circuit part 28b for the computer program RPlb and, on the other hand, to a data input 59 of the test arrangement.The computer program RP1a of the first program circuit part 28a is provided for computing and issuing the tape-position data relating to the first half of the total length of the magnetic tape 1 from the increase in tape storage on the takeup reel 2 in the event of a direction of run toward the end of the magnetic tape; computer program RPlb of the second program circuit part 28b is provided for computing and issuing the tape-position data relating to the second half of the total length of the magnetic tape, from the decrease of the tape storage on the supply or feed reel 3 in the event of a direction of run toward the end of the tape.A standby input 60 of the test arrangement 57 is connected to the output 12 of the control circuit 10 for the capstan shaft 6, so that an output signal appearing at the output 12 of the control circuit 10 will switch the test arrangement 57 into operation. In its state of operation, the test arrangement 57 compares the output data of the two measuring arrangements 24 and 45 and produces an executive sequencer signal at the standby input 61 a or 61 b of the program circuit part 28a or 28b for whose associated reels 2 or 3 the measuring circuit 24 or 54 associated with this respective reel, supplies data relating to a rotational speed which is either equal to or higher than the rotational speed of the reels at the tape position of the magnetic tape lying in the centre of the total length of the magnetic tape.Moreover, to one output 62 of the test arrangement there is connected a status memory in which it is stored whether the program circuit part 28a or the program circuit part 28b has been switched to the operating condition.

When the program circuit parts 28a or 28b are not switched to standby - hence, when in the given example of embodiment, the control circuit 10 serving the adjustment of the rotational speed of the capstan shaft 6, does not produce a standby signal at its ouput 12 - then, in the turned-on state of the reproducing or recording equipment, the program circuit parts 29a or 29b are switched to standby, depending on which storage state the status memory 63 is found to be. If, for example, the program circuit part 28a was previously found to be switched to standby, and if this standby is stored in the status memory 63, the status memory will now switch the program circuit 29a to standby.

The two program circuit parts 29a and 29b have clock inputs 64a and 64b which are respectively connected to the signal output of the pulse generator 23 or 52 of the associated takeup or supply (feed) reel 2 or 3 respectively. The two program circuit parts 29a and 29b each contain a computer program RP2a and RP2b, of which the computer program RP2a corresponds to the computer program RP2 of the program circuit 29 of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 serving the first half of the magnetic tape supply on the tape reel placed on the winder spindle of the takeup reel 2.Thereupon, the program circuit part 29a, in response to each pulse of the pulse generator 23 arriving at the clock input 64a, which respectively corresponds to a defined angle of rotation of the takeup reel, for example, to one complete rotation of the takeup reel 2, ascertains from the magnetic tape position data as stored in the tape position memory 30, and from the running direction of the magnetic tape as stored in the direction-of-run memory 31, the data relating to the tape position of the magnetic tape belonging to this particular output signal of the pulse generator 23, and stores this, instead of the former tape position data, into the tape position memory 30.If, in the course of this ascertainment or determination, the magnetic tape position data exceeds the centre of the total length of the magnetic tape, then the program circuit part 29a changes the status in the status memory 63 from status a to status b, so that now the program part 29b is switched to standby as long as no standby signal appears at the output 12 of the control circuit 10.Now the computer program RP2b of the program circuit part 29b, in the same way as the computer program RP2a of the program circuit part 29a, ascertains with respect to each pulse of the output of the pulse generator 52 arriving at its clock input 64b, and based on the data stored in the tape position memory 30 and the direction-ofrun memory 31, the data of the new tape position of the magnetic tape, respectively relating to the defined angle of rotation, for example, one rotation of the supply (feed) reel 3 for each pulse at the clock input 64b.

Considering that individual program tables of the computer programs RP1a and RP1b, and individual program tables of the computer programs RP2a and RP2b are identical and that for this purpose, therefore, storage spaces in the processor are only required once, the program circuit parts 28a and 28b as well as 29a and 29b of the embodiment shown in Figure 2, altogether require substantially fewer storage spaces in the processor than the program circuits 28 and 29 of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. Moreover, the determination of the magnetic tape position from the tape reel of the first half of the tape volume provides more exact data relating to the tape position than from a tape reel lying in the second half of the entire tape volume.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2 both the beginning-of-tape sensor (BA) 26 and the end-oftape sensor (BE) 25 directly set the data relating to the tape position at the inputs 65 and 66 of the tape-position memory 30. To one data output of the tape position memory there is connected a display device 32 for displaying the magnetic tape position data as stored in the tape position memory.

Moreover, the tape position memory 30 comprises one output for a standby signal whcih, in this embodiment, is fed to the reset input RS of a settable memory circuit 45 forming part of a trigger and blocking device 44 of the control unit (operating facility) 11 of the recording or reproducing equipment, via a line 67. This standby signal of the tapeposition memory 30 eliminates the blocking state of the circuit 44 as set by turning on the equipment or by inserting a magnetic tape into the turned-on equipment via the pulse-shaping circuit 50 within the circuit 44, and which serves to block the fast forward (SVL) or the fast rewind (SVR) until the standby signal appears at the output of the tapeposition memory 30 and, instead, switches on an operating state (CUE or REVIEW) providing for tape transport at a defined tape speed.

Claims

1. Tape recording or reproducing equipment, of the kind comprising a reeled magnetic tape of defined length for recording audio or video information, a pulse generator (23) controlled by the number of revolutions of a winder spindle (2) placed below the reels, a measuring arrangement (24) disposed subsequently to the pulse generator, for measuring the rotational speed of the winder spindle, a processor circuit (27) for ascertaining the positional data for marking the relevant tape position of the magnetic tape from the data supplied by the measuring arrangement and marking the rotational speed of the winder spindle, and a display device (32) for displaying the tape position based on the positional data supplied by the processor circuit, characterised in that the processor circuit (27) contains a first program circuit (28) for computing and issuing the data (BP) relating to the tape position of the magnetic tape (1) from the data (U2) of the measuring arrangement (24) for measuring the rotational speed identifying the rotational speed of the winder spindle (2), and from the data identifying the tape speed of the magnetic tape, as well as a second program circuit (29) by which, starting out from the respective last-computed and stored positional data of the tape position and the direction of run (LR) of the magnetic tape as stored in a direction-of-run memory (31), for each successively following pulse of the pulse generator (23) of the winder spindle, as connected to one clock input (36) of the second program circuit (29), there is computed the new tape position data of the tape position associated with the pulse, the data being held ready at the data output of the processor circuit, that the first program circuit (28) is only turned on during a control signal from a control circuit (10) as connected to one control input (33) of the first program circuit for adjusting the tape speed, which produces the control signal only when the magnetic tape is transported at the predetermined tape speed, and that the execution of the second program circuit (29) is blocked as long as the program execution of the first program circuit is turned on in the processor circuit (27).

2. Tape recording or reproducing equipment as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the positional data (BP) relating to the tape position as fed out by the processor circuit (27) is data relating to the still remaining running time of the magnetic tape (1) expressed in terms of hours and/or minutes.

3. Tape recording or reproducing equipment as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that to one data input of the processor circuit (27), there is connected the output (38) of a tape length-indicating circuit (34), and that the tape length-indicting circuit, at this particular output, forms the data of the tape length of the magnetic tape (1) as positioned in the equipment.

4. Tape recording or reproducing equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which there is provided a pulse generator controlled by the rotations of the right-hand winder spindle, and a pulse generator controlled by the rotations of the left-hand winder spindle carrying the magnetictape reels, characterised in that the two pulse generators (23, 52) are each followed by a measuring arrangement (24, 54) for measuring the rotational speeds of associated winder spindle (2, 3) respectively, that the first program circuit (28) as well as the program circuit (29) of the processor circuit (53) each consists of two successively running program circuit parts (28a, 28b, 29a, 29b) with partial programs (RP1a, RP1b, RP2a, RP2b) following each other, of which the first partial program (RP1a) is provided for computing and issuing the data (BP) of the tape position relating to the first half of the total length of the magnetic tape (1) from the increase in tape length on the right-hand winder spindle (2) in the case of a direction of run toward the tape end (BE), and of which the second partial program (RP1b) is provided for computing and issuing the data of the tape position relating to the second half of the total length of the magnetic tape, from the decrease in tape length on the lefthand winder spindle (3) in the direction of run toward the tape end, that in the processor circuit, during a program execution of the first program circuit (28), there is inserted or formed a test arrangement (57), the test program execution of which turns on the program circuit part (28a, 28b) with that particular partial program (RP1a, RP1b) of the first computer program (RP1) for whose associated winder spindle the measuring circuit associated with this particular winder spindle, issues the data of a rotational speed of the winder spindle which is equal to or larger than the rotational speed of the winder spindle corresponding to the centre of the toal length of the magnetic tape, that to the output (62) of the test arrangement there is connected a status memory (63) which stores the turn-on of a program circuit part (e.g. 28a) of the first program circuit (28) until the other program circuit part (e.g. 28b) of the first program circuit (28) is turned on, and that upon turning on the second program circuit (29), the program circuit part (e.g. 29a) of the second program circuit is put into operation for that particular winder spindle for which the program circuit part (e.g. 28a) of the first program circuit was last switched into operation.

5. Tape recording or reproducing equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that to one output (68) of an operating device (11) whose output information is provided for setting an operating condition (PLAY) for a run of the magnetic tape (1) at a defined tape speed, there is connected the output (69) of a device (40) for triggering the tape position identification, and that this trigger device, in response to a trigger signal, produces at its input (41), and output signal lasting for only a few rotations of a winder spindle (2), for setting this operating condition.

6. Tape recording or reproducing equipment as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the trigger signal is a signal produced in a pulse generator (50) in response to the insertion of the magnetic tape (1) into the equipment, or in response to a turning on of the tape drive of the equipment, with a magnetic tape being inserted which closes a test contact (43).

7. Tape recording or reproducing equipment as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the momentarily-set operating condition for a run of the magnetic tape (1) at a defined tape speed is that operating condition ("Cue" or "Review) at an increased defined transporting speed of the magnetic tape.

8. Tape recording or reproducing equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised by a blocking device (46, 47) for blocking the outputs for setting the operating conditions fast forward (SVL) or fast rewind (SRL) of an operating device (11), as long as to its reset input (RS) there is not applied a reset signal as produced at a set tape speed by the control circuit (10) for setting the tape speed or else in the case of a recognised tape position, by the processor circuit (53).

9. Tape recording or reproducing equipment substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.