8
Digital audio tape recorders
Tape recording is divided into stationary head and rotary-head recorders. In this chapter the two systems will be contrasted and illustrated with examples from actual formats. The reader is referred to Chapter 6 for an explanation of coding and error-correction principles.
8.1 Rotary versus stationary heads
The high bit rate required for digital audio can be recorded in two ways. The head can remain fixed, and the tape can be transported rapidly, or the tape can travel relatively slowly, and the head can be moved. The latter is the principle of the rotary-head recorder.
In helical-scan recorders, shown in Figure 8.1, the tape is wrapped around the drum in such a way that it enters and leaves in two different planes. ...
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