JPH0466061B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field This invention is applicable to, for example, video signals and audio signals.
The present invention relates to a method for recording and reproducing digital signals, which is suitable for use in cases where a PCM signal is converted into a PCM signal, recorded as one diagonal track on a recording medium by a rotating head in units of time, and reproduced at variable speed.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY AND PROBLEMS There is a case in which video signals and audio signals are recorded on a magnetic tape by forming one diagonal track every unit time using a helical scan type rotary head device, and this is then played back. In addition, it is being considered to record and play back video and audio signals by converting them into PCM. This is because PCM allows high-quality recording and playback.

In this case, tracking control to ensure that the rotating head correctly scans the recording track during playback has conventionally been carried out by transmitting a control signal recorded at one end of the tape widthwise by a fixed magnetic head. This is normally achieved by reproducing with a fixed head so that the reproduction control signal and the rotational phase of the rotary head have a constant phase relationship.

However, this method requires the provision of a particularly fixed magnetic head for tracking control.

Providing such a fixed magnetic head is
When it is desired to downsize a recording/reproducing device, it causes inconvenience due to its installation location, etc.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention previously proposed a method of performing tracking control of a rotary head for reproduction by using only the reproduction output of the rotary head without using the fixed head.

With this method, PCM signals can be easily compressed and expanded on the time axis, so unlike analog signals, there is no need to record and play back signals in a continuous manner. This was done with the focus on the fact that it is easy to record this PCM signal and separate signals by dividing the area.

In other words, when recording a PCM signal by compressing the time axis and forming tracks diagonally on a recording medium using a plurality of rotary heads without forming a guard band, the PCM signal is compressed in the longitudinal direction of each track. The recording area records a plurality of tracking pilot signals independently, and during playback, the recording track is scanned by a rotating head whose scanning width is wider than the width of the track, and the rotating head scans the tracks on both sides of the track being scanned. The tracking of the rotary head is controlled by the reproduced output of the pilot signal from the rotary head.

The reference signal for recording and reproducing this tracking pilot signal is a 30Hz pulse signal (PG ) is used.

However, even during playback, if the PG signal is used as a detection position reference when reproducing the tracking pilot signal, the reference position of the PG signal may shift due to mechanical changes in the device over time, temperature changes, etc. It appears as a kind of steady-state tracking error (offset).

In addition, since the sampling pulse for obtaining the reproduction output of the tracking pilot signal is formed over the period of one revolution of the head using the PG signal as a reference, the error increases in the form of integration, resulting in the effect of so-called jitter. As a result, the position of the sampling pulse may shift.

For this reason, it is difficult to reproduce the tracking pilot signal at the same timing as during reproduction and recording, and to accurately control the rotary head, and there is a particular problem in that compatibility between devices cannot be achieved.

Furthermore, when considering tracking control in a rotary head type recording/reproducing apparatus, it is necessary to consider not only normal reproduction but also variable speed reproduction in which the tape speed is different from that during recording.

Purpose of the Invention In view of the above, the present invention provides a method for reliably reproducing a tracking pilot signal to drive a rotating head without being affected by mechanical aging, temperature changes, or jitters of the device, especially during double-speed reproduction. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for recording and reproducing digital signals that can be controlled correctly and ensure compatibility between devices.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a method for compressing the time axis of a digital signal, forming and recording diagonal tracks on a recording medium using a plurality of rotating heads without forming a guard band, and reproducing the same. , a plurality of tracking pilot signals are recorded independently of the digital signal as a recording area at least in the central portion in the longitudinal direction of each of the tracks, and during double speed playback, the rotary head is moved between two adjacent recording tracks of the recording track. A pulse signal is formed based on the reproduced output of the pilot signal that appears first in each scan, the pilot signal of each track is detected during the period of this pulse signal, and the detected output is The device is configured to perform tracking control of the rotary head by
As a result, even during double-speed playback, the tracking pilot signal can be reliably reproduced and the tracking control of the rotating head can be performed without being affected by mechanical changes over time, temperature changes, or jitter in the device. It is possible to achieve mutual compatibility.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on FIGS. 1 to 5.

Figure 1 shows the circuit configuration of this embodiment.
Here, only the circuit configuration for recording and reproducing (double speed) a tracking pilot signal, which is directly related to the present invention, is shown, and recorded information such as
The circuit configuration for recording and reproducing PCM signals is omitted.

In the figure, 1A and 1B are rotary heads, and 2 is a magnetic tape as a recording medium. The rotating heads 1A and 1B are arranged around the periphery of the drum 3 at equal angular intervals, that is, 180 degrees apart, as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the magnetic tape 2 is wound around the circumferential surface of the tape guide drum 3 over an angular range of, for example, 90 degrees, which is narrower than each range of 180 degrees. Then, the rotating heads 1A and 1B rotate in one second.
The tape 2 is rotated at a rate of 30 rotations in the direction of arrow 4H, and is also run at a predetermined speed in the direction of arrow 4T, so that the rotating heads 1A and 1B create a pattern on the magnetic tape 2 as shown in FIG. The diagonal magnetic tracks 5A, 5B are formed, for example, in a so-called overwritten state.
That is, the head gap width (scanning width) W is made larger than the track width. In this case, the width directions of the gaps of the heads 1A and 1B are set in different directions with respect to the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. In other words, the so-called azimuth angles are made different.

Then, a period (in this example, a period corresponding to an angular range of 90 degrees) occurs during which the two rotary heads 1A and 1B do not come into contact with the tape 2, and this period is utilized during recording. The apparatus can be simplified by adding redundant data and performing correction processing during reproduction.

Reference numeral 6 denotes an oscillator that generates a tracking pilot signal P. The frequency ₁ of the pilot signal P has a relatively small value of azimuth loss, for example, about several hundred kHz, and is recorded at a relatively high level. 7 is a recording waveform generation circuit, which responds to an output from an edge detection circuit 8 that detects edges of a delayed signal related to pulse PG, which will be described later;
Based on the pilot signal from the oscillator 6, a pilot signal having a predetermined time _tP ( _tP is the recording time of each pilot signal) is predetermined depending on how many pilot signals are inserted per track and in what arrangement. Occurs at interval T ₀ . 9 is a switch circuit for switching the rotary head 1A or 1B,
Switching signal S ₁ from timing signal generation circuit 10
(Fig. 4A). This timing signal generation circuit 10 includes a pulse generator 11 that powers a rotation drive motor 1 for the rotation heads 1A and 1B.
Rotating head 1A, 1 obtained in synchronization with the rotation of
A 30Hz pulse PG indicating the rotational phase of B is supplied. Further, the pulse PG and the 30Hz pulse from the timing signal generation circuit 10 are supplied to the phase servo circuit 13, and the servo output drives the motor 12.
The rotation phase of is controlled.

Switching signal S ₁ from timing signal generation circuit 10
The pilot signal from the switch circuit 9 switched by
is supplied to the rotary head 1A or 1B via the side,
Recorded on magnetic tape 2. switch circuit 15
A and 15B are connected to the R side during recording, and are switched to the P side during playback.

Further, the output signal S ₂ (FIG. 4C) from the timing signal generation circuit 10 is supplied to the delay circuit 16,
Here, the rotating heads 1A, 1B and the pulse generator 11
After a delay corresponding to the interval between the mounting positions, etc., the signal is supplied to one input side of the edge detection circuit 8, and edge detection is performed as a recording reference for the pilot signal. The fall of the signal _S3 (FIG. 4D) delayed by the delay circuit 16 is made to coincide with the time when the first head contacts the tape during one rotation period.

Further, the signal from the delay circuit 17 has a delay time T corresponding to a half-rotation period of the head and a track (1
The signal is supplied to a delay circuit 17 having a time +3/2t _P corresponding to the distance from the end of the rear track (of the two tracks formed during the rotation period) until the pilot signal is first recorded. So, T+
The signal is delayed by a time of 3/2t _P and is applied to the other input of the edge detection circuit 8, thereby determining the starting criterion for the recording of the pilot signal by head 1A relative to one rotary head relative to the other head, i.e. in this case head 1B. Edge detection is performed to determine.

18A and 18B are switch circuits 15 during playback.
These amplifiers 18A, 1 are supplied with reproduction outputs from the corresponding rotary heads 1A, 1B when A, 15B are switched to the contact P side.
Each output of 8B is supplied to a switch circuit 19.
The switch circuit 19 includes the timing signal generation circuit 1
0 to 30 Hz switching signal _S1 ' (Fig. 5A), a half-rotation period including the tape contact period of head 1A and a half-rotation period including the tape contact period of head 1B, as in the case of recording. Can be switched alternately.

20 is a narrowband bandpass filter with a pass center frequency of ₁ for extracting only the pilot signal P from the reproduction output from the switch circuit 19; 21 is a detection circuit for detecting the output of the filter 20;
2 and 23 are sampling and holding circuits for sampling and holding the detection output;
These sampling hold circuits 22, 23
As will be described later, the crosstalk of each pilot signal recorded in the center portion of the two tracks currently being scanned is sampled and held. Reference numeral 24 is a comparison circuit, such as a differential amplifier, which compares the respective outputs of the sampling and holding circuits 22 and 23, and the comparison error signal is outputted to an output terminal 25 as a tracking control signal.

In addition, in order to form sampling pulses for the sampling and hold circuits 22 and 23, a waveform shaping circuit 26 is provided on the output side of the bandpass filter 20 to substantially detect edges of the pilot signal.
is provided, and its output signal S ₇ (FIG. 5D) is supplied to one input terminal of a gate circuit, for example, an AND circuit 27. Further, the other input terminal of this AND circuit 27 is supplied with a window signal S ₈ (FIG. 5F) from a window signal generation circuit 28.

In response to the output signal _S2 of the timing signal generation circuit 10, the window signal generation circuit 28 generates a window signal of a predetermined width such that at least the pilot signal recorded in the center portion of each track is received.
Generate S ₈ .

The AND circuit 27 passes only the signal _S7 that enters during the period of the window signal _S8 , and this passed signal _S7 substantially becomes a reference for starting reproduction of the pilot signal.
In other words, during playback, the reference for starting playback of the pilot signal by the rotating head is the pulse pulse as during recording.
Note that this is the playback output (starting edge) of the first pilot signal among the pilot signals recorded for tracking of the rotary head in the center of the track currently being scanned, without using PG as a reference. I want to be

29 is a sampling pulse generation circuit,
In response to the output signal S ₉ (FIG. 5G) of the AND circuit 27, a pair of sampling pulses SP ₁ and SP ₂ (FIG. 5H and I) having a phase difference of time t _P from each other is generated.
is generated for the sampling and hold circuits 22 and 23.

Next, the operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to the signal waveforms shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

First, during recording, a pulse PG from the pulse generator 11 indicating the rotational phase of the rotary heads 1A and 1B is generated.
In response, _the timing signal generating circuit 10 generates a signal _S2 as shown in _FIG .
However, on the output side there is a signal as shown in Figure 4D.
S ₃ is output. This signal _S3 is the edge detection circuit 8
The edge (falling edge) is detected, and in synchronization with this edge, a narrow signal _S4 as shown in FIG. is supplied to The time point at which signal _S4 is detected at this time is made to approximately coincide with the time when head 1B actually contacts tape 2 for the first time, and this determines the standard for starting recording of the pilot signal by head 1B. .

The recording waveform generating circuit 7 substantially passes the pilot signal P from the oscillator 6 for a predetermined time _tP at predetermined intervals _T0 in synchronization with the supplied signal _S4 , and thus outputs a signal on its output side. A signal _S6 , which is an intermittent pilot signal as shown in FIG. 4G, is taken out.

Further, the signal _S3 from the delay circuit 16 is transmitted to the delay circuit 1
7. This delay circuit 17 generates a signal S ₅ as shown in FIG. 4F having a duration T+3/2t _P in synchronization with the falling edge of the signal S ₃ . this signal
_S5 is supplied to the edge detection circuit 8, where its edge (falling edge) is detected as described above, and in synchronization with this edge, a narrow width signal is applied to the output side as shown in the right part of FIG. 4E. A signal S ₄ is generated and supplied to the recording waveform generation circuit 7. The signal _S4 at this time determines the reference for starting recording of the pilot signal by the head 1A.

In this case as well, the recording waveform generating circuit 7 passes the pilot signal P from the oscillator 6 for a predetermined time _tP every predetermined interval _T0 in synchronization with the supplied signal _S4 , and outputs a signal on the output side. An intermittent pilot signal _S6 as shown in FIG. 4G is output.

On the other hand, in response to the pulse PG from the pulse generator 11, the timing signal generating circuit 10 outputs a fourth signal.
A switching signal _S1 as shown in Figure A is generated,
This signal S ₁ is synchronized with the rotation of the rotary heads 1A and 1B, and as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the signal S ₁
Head 1A contacts the tape 2 during a half-rotation period _tA during which the signal S1 is at a high level, and head 1A contacts the tape ₂ during a half-rotation period _tB during which the signal S1 is at a low level.
The relationship is such that B is in contact with the tape 2. Then, the switch circuit 9 is activated for a period of time by the switching signal _S1 .
At time _tA , the state shown in the figure is switched, and during period _tB , the state is switched to the state opposite to the state shown in the figure, respectively, and head switching is performed.

Therefore, the pilot signal _S6 at the predetermined interval _T0 obtained at the output side of the recording waveform generation circuit 7 is output from the amplifier 14B and the switch circuit 15B when the switch circuit 9 is in the opposite state to that shown in the figure. is supplied to head 1B through the R side, and is supplied to head 1B within period _tB .
At the beginning _, middle and end of the period of contact of the tape 2 with the tape 2, as shown in FIG. Tracking signal recording areas A _T1 and A _T2 provided at both ends,
Further, data is recorded for a time _tP in a similar recording area A _T3 provided at the center of the track 5B.

On the other hand, when the switch circuit 9 is in the state shown in the figure,
The pilot signal _S6 is supplied to the head 1A through the R side of the amplifier 14A and the switch circuit 15A, and is applied to the head 1A at the beginning, middle and end of the contact period of the head 1A with the tape 2 within the period _tA . As shown,
Equidistant l from the longitudinal center position of track 5A
The same recording areas A _T1 and A _T2 as described above are provided at both ends of the track 5A in the longitudinal direction, which are separated by a distance (equivalent to T ₀ ), and the same recording area A _T3 is provided at the center of the track 5A. recorded for a time t _P.

In addition, at times other than the time when these pilot signals _S6 are recorded, one segment of the audio PCM that should be recorded as one track is recorded (not shown).
A signal is supplied to each track 5, respectively, which was supplied to head 1A through amplifier 14A during period _tA , and to head 1B through amplifier 14B during period _tB .
The signals are recorded in recording areas _AP1 , _AP2 , and _AP3 other than the above-mentioned pilot signal recording areas of A and 5B.

Next, double speed playback, for example double speed playback, of the signals recorded as described above will be explained.

Even during this double speed reproduction, drum phase servo is applied to the motor 12 by the phase servo circuit 13 in the same manner as during recording.

During double speed reproduction, scanning is performed so that the center of the gap width of the rotary head passes through the position shown by the broken line in FIG. That is, during recording, one of two adjacent recording tracks 5A, 5B formed by two rotary heads having different azimuth angles, for example track 5B, is scanned in the first half of the tape contact period of each rotary head 1A, 1B. On the other hand, for example, track 5A is scanned in the latter half.

In this scanning manner, the signals extracted from the tape 2 by the rotary heads 1A and 1B are
Contact P side of switch circuit 15A and amplifier 18 respectively
A and contact P side of switch circuit 15B and amplifier 1
It is supplied to the switch circuit 19 via 8B. This switch circuit 19 is a timing signal generating circuit 1
30Hz switching signal as shown in Figure 5A from 0
_S1 ' causes the head 1B to alternately switch between a half-rotation period _tA including the tape contact period of the head 1A and a half-rotation period _tB including the tape contact period of the head 1B, as in the case of recording. Therefore, from this switch circuit 19, an intermittent PCM signal S _R of one segment as shown in FIG. The signal is then supplied to a decoder, where the data for each block is detected using a block synchronization signal, and undergoes processing such as error correction and deinterleaving.The signal is returned to an analog audio signal by a D/A converter and sent to the output side. Ru.

Tracking control is performed as follows.

For example, if the head 1B is to scan in the direction shown by the broken line across the two tracks 5B ₂ and 5A ₂ in FIG.
As shown in the figure, in area A _T1 , track 5B ₂
pilot signal P _A2 and adjacent trucks 5A ₂
In the area A _T3 , _{the pilot signal P A4 of the track 5B 2 and} the pilot signal P _B4 of the adjacent track 5A ₂ are regenerated _.
At A _T2 , the pilot signal P _A11 of the track 5B ₃ on both sides of the track 5A ₂ , the pilot signal P _A6 of the track 5B ₂ , and the pilot signal P _B6 of the track 5A ₂ are reproduced. At this time, the reproduced output of the head 1B from the switch circuit 19 is supplied to a narrowband bandpass filter 20 with a passing center frequency _{of 1} , and only the pilot signal is taken out as its output _SF , as shown in FIG. 5C. , this is supplied to the detection circuit 21 and detected, and the detection output is supplied to the sampling and hold circuits 22 and 23.

Also, of the pilot signal which is the output SF of the bandpass filter 20, each region A _T1 , A _T3 and
The edge of each pilot signal positioned first in the scanning direction from A _T2 , that is, P _A2 , P _A4 , and P _A11 , is detected, and a narrow width as shown in FIG. 5D is detected on the output side. Signal S ₇ is generated and AND circuit 2
7.

On the other hand, 30Hz indicating the rotational phase of heads 1A and 1B.
In response to a signal _S2 as shown in FIG. 5E from the timing signal generation circuit 10 supplied with the pulse PG of FIG.
As _shown in _FIG .
A window signal S ₈ of a predetermined width such that P _B4 is included is generated and supplied to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 27 .

Therefore, the AND circuit 27 passes only the signal S ₇ corresponding to the edge of the pilot signal P _A4 that falls within the period of the window signal S ₈ during the period _tB , and outputs the fifth signal on its output side.
This will generate a signal _S9 as shown in Figure G.

This signal _S9 is generated by the sampling pulse generation circuit 29.
Based on _the signal S ₉ , the _signal shown in _FIG .
_The sampling _pulse SP ₁ as shown in _FIG .
A sampling pulse SP ₂ as shown in FIG.
is supplied to

Therefore, when the head 1B scans across the two tracks _5B2 and _5A2 in the direction shown by the broken line in _FIG . (3rd
Track 5B ₂ on the tape transport direction side shown in Figure)
The crosstalk of the pilot signal P _A4 is sampled, and a tracking signal with a delayed phase is obtained from the sampling hold circuit 22.

Also, the sampling pulse SP ₂ is the pilot signal P _B4 of the track 5A ₂ on the opposite side to the tape transport direction.
The state is set to sample the crosstalk of
A tracking signal with an advanced phase is obtained from the sampling and hold circuit 23.

These tracking signals are supplied to one and the other input terminals of a differential amplifier 24 serving as a comparison circuit. The differential amplifier 24 outputs pilot signals P _A4 and P _B4.
The tracking signals corresponding to the respective crosstalks are compared. Therefore, the difference between the two inputs is obtained from the differential amplifier 24 as a tracking control signal, which is supplied from the output terminal 25 to a capstan motor (not shown) to control the tape transport amount and perform sampling and holding. circuits 22 and 2
3, the level difference between each output is zero, that is, head 1B
When the rotary head scans across the two tracks 5B ₂ and 5A ₄ , the rotary head is controlled so as to draw a scanning locus as shown by the broken line.

The same procedure is applied to other tracks. For example, the two tracks _5B3 and _5A3 are moved to the head 1A in the direction shown by the broken line in FIG.
When scanning, in the area A _T1 shown in the figure, the pilot signal P _A7 of the track 5B ₃ , the pilot signal P _B7 of the adjacent track 5A ₃ , and the pilot signal P _B2 of the track 5A ₂ on both sides are reproduced. region
In A _T3 , the pilot signal of track 5B ₃
Pilot signal of P _A9 and adjacent truck 5A ₃
Play P _B9 and track 5 in area A _T2 .
Pilot signal of truck 5B ₄ on both sides of A ₃
P _A12 and the pilot signal P _A11 of track _5B3 ,
The pilot signal _PB11 of track _5A3 is regenerated.

Therefore, during this period _tA , a reproduced output of the pilot signal as shown on the right side of FIG. 5C is obtained at the output side of the bandpass filter 20. The reproduced output of this pilot signal is detected by a detection circuit 21 and then supplied to sampling and hold circuits 22 and 23.

Further, as described above, among the pilot signals P _A9 and P _B9 reproduced from the center portion of the track, the signal S ₉ which is substantially obtained by detecting the edge of the pilot signal P _A9 which is the foremost in the scanning direction is used. Figure 5 H
The sampling pulses SP ₁ and SP ₂ during the period t _A as shown on the right side of I are formed, and these are supplied to the sampling and hold circuits 22 and 23 to generate the pilot signals P _A9 and P _B9 from the detection circuit 21. Each tracking signal is obtained by sampling the detection output corresponding to each. By comparing these tracking signals with the differential amplifier 24, a tracking control signal for the head 1A can be obtained.

Similarly, head 1B is connected to track 5.
When scanning in the direction shown by the broken line in Fig. 3 across the two tracks _B4 and _5A4 , the pilot signal P _A10 recorded in the center part (area A _T3 ) of these tracks is When the head 1A scans P _B10 in the direction shown by the broken line in the same figure across the two tracks 5B ₅ and 5A 5, the center part (area A _T3 ) of the two tracks 5B 5 and 5A ₅ is scanned. The recorded pilots P _A15 and P _B15 are respectively sampled as pulses.
SP ₁ and SP ₂ extract the pilot signal P _A10 .
The tracking control signal for head 1B can be obtained by comparing the tracking signals corresponding to P _B10 , and the tracking control signal for head 1A can be obtained by comparing the tracking signals corresponding to pilot signals P _A15 and P _B15 . .

In this way, in this embodiment, during double-speed playback, the pilot signal is detected using the starting edge of the playback output of the pilot signal recorded in the center of the track as a reference, and a sampling pulse is generated. Since the self-clock is generated substantially on the track pattern, there is no offset.

In addition, the tracking position is detected by generating a sampling pulse as described above during each scanning period of each head. In other words, each head generates a self-clock as a sampling pulse on the track pattern each time, and each track is tracked. Since the position is detected, the effects of jitter are also eliminated.

Note that in the above-described embodiment, the double-speed playback is not limited to double-speed playback, and can be similarly applied as long as the playback speed is an integral multiple.

Furthermore, although the above-mentioned embodiment is a special rotary head device that records and plays back by winding the tape over an angular range narrower than the head angular interval,
Of course, the present invention can also be applied to the case where a rotary head device is used which wraps the tape in the same angular range as the head angular interval as usual.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a pulse signal (sampling pulse) for detecting the pilot signal recorded in the center portion of the track is generated every scanning period of each head based on the reproduced output of the pilot signal. Since the tracking control signal based on the sampling output is used to control the tracking of the rotary head during double-speed playback, even if there is mechanical aging, temperature change, or jitter in the device, it will not be affected by any of these. Tracking control during double-speed playback can be performed with high precision even if the devices used for playback and recording are different without being affected, and compatibility between devices can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the rotary head device used in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an overview of the recording track pattern of the invention. 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining the operation of FIG. 1. 1A and 1B are rotating magnetic heads, 2 is a magnetic tape, 6 is a pilot signal oscillator, 7 is a recording waveform generation circuit, 8 is an edge detection circuit, 16 and 17 are delay circuits, 20 is a bandpass filter, and 21 is a detection circuit. , 22, 23 are sampling and hold circuits,
24 is a differential amplifier, 26 is a waveform shaping circuit, 28 is a window signal generation circuit, and 29 is a sampling pulse generation circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a method for recording and reproducing a digital signal by compressing the time axis and forming diagonal tracks on a recording medium using a plurality of rotary heads without forming a guard band, the longitudinal direction of each track is A tracking pilot signal is recorded as a recording area independently of the digital signal in at least the central portion of the recording track, and during double-speed playback, a rotating head whose scanning width is wider than the width of the track is used to track two adjacent tracks of the recording track. A pulse signal is formed based on the reproduced output of the pilot signal that appears first in each scan, the pilot signal of each track is detected during the period of the pulse signal, and the detected output is used to generate a pulse signal. A method for recording and reproducing a digital signal, characterized in that tracking control of the rotary head is performed using the rotary head.