The position of a length of magnetic recording tape, adjacent a rotating head device is servo controlled to accurately position a transverse tape data track in alignment with the head path. The tape includes a longitudinal servo track. A portion of the servo track is read by the rotating head as it sweeps transversely across the tape. The servo track is formed as a constant frequency pattern having periodic sync marks which define the center of a data track. The rotating head signal constitutes a clock which is used to drive an up/down counter as the head sweeps across the servo track. The counter's counting state changes as the head sweeps the servo track, such that the residual count, which remains after the head leaves the servo track, is a measure of the magnitude and direction of head-to-track alignment.

When transverse or slant tracks are recorded on magnetic tape, control of the position of the transverse transducer relative to the transverse track is critical in reading out the information in the transverse tracks. This control has two facets--finding a predetermined slant track and aligning the transducer with the slant track. The transverse track position sensing system shown herein provides control signals for these two functions. The position sensing is accomplished by use of a fixed head positioned relative to the path of the transverse transducer. The fixed head scans an area of the magnetic tape where each transverse track ends. Signals from the fixed head are analyzed to determine the track end position of each slant or transverse track. This information is, in turn, operated on to derive tape movement control information for the purposes of finding a slant track and aligning the track with the path of the slant track head. For greater accuracy in alignment, a second fixed head is provided for monitoring the other end of the transverse track to determine the angle of the slant track relative to the path of the slant track head. If the angles are not the same, corrections may be made by adjusting tape movement.

An elongated magnetic tape has a pair of longitudinally extending servo track areas, one of which is closer to the longitudinal center of the tape than the other. The lateral space intermediate the servo areas receives data signals, while the space between said one servo area and one edge contains identification and address signals. The tape is particularly adapted for use with rotating head recorders having two gaps on the rotor, with an intergap distance slightly greater than the lateral extent of the servo areas. A recording or write gap precedes an immediately trailing reading or recovery gap. When the rotor gaps pass the one edge in the one servo area, the write gap senses the servo track; while the read gap senses the identification signals. The arrangement is such that prior to the time the write gap reaches the data recording area, the read gap has sensed the identification signals. In a similar manner, when the gaps are leaving the data signal area, the write gap is sensing the other servo area; while the read gap is still sensing data. The longitudinal extent of the servo areas indicates, respectively, beginning of tape (BOT) and end of tape (EOT). A leader portion includes a magnetic coating for facilitating calibrating magnetic recording apparatus to each particular article.

The position of a length of magnetic recording tape, adjacent a rotating head device, is servo controlled to accurately position a transverse tape data track in alignment with the head path. The tape includes two distinctive servo indicia. The first indicia is a magnetic flux transition which is oriented substantially parallel to the edge of the tape. The second indicia is a magnetic flux transition which is oriented at an angle to the edge of the tape. This second indicia is parallel to the magnetic flux transitions which comprise the data track, and said distinctive second indicia is provided for each data track to define the physical location thereof. The rotating head includes two head gaps, one of which is parallel to the first indicia, and the other of which is parallel to the second indicia. The head gaps angular relationship insures that the respective head gaps will read only that indicia which is parallel therewith. The time of crossing of each head gap with its readable indicia is a measure of head-track to data-track alignment.

An elongated magnetic tape has a pair of longitudinally extending servo track areas, one of which is closer to the longitudinal center of the tape than the other. The lateral space intermediate the servo areas receives data signals, while the space between said one servo area and one edge contains identification and address signals. The tape is particularly adapted for use with rotating head recorders having two gaps on the rotor, with an intergap distance slightly greater than the lateral extent of the servo areas. A recording or write gap precedes an immediately trailing reading or recovery gap. When the rotor gaps pass the one edge in the one servo area, the write gap senses the servo track; while the read gap senses the identification signals. The arrangement is such that prior to the time the write gap reaches the data recording area, the read gap has sensed the identification signals. In a similar manner, when the gaps are leaving the data signal area, the write gap is sensing the other servo area; while the read gap is still sensing data. The longitudinal extent of the servo areas indicates, respectively, beginning of tape (BOT) and end of tape (EOT). A leader portion includes a magnetic coating for facilitating calibrating magnetic recording apparatus to each particular article.