A recording or reproducing apparatus according to the present invention includes a loading member movable between an unloading position at which a tape is accommodated into a cassette and a loading position at which the tape is pulled out from the cassette and wrapped around a rotary head drum to enable recording or reproduction, a detecting circuit for causing the rotary head drum to start rotating when the loading member is located at a predetermined position between the unloading and loading positions and the tape is wrapped around the rotary head drum by a predetermined angle, and detecting a rotational speed which the rotary head drum reaches within a predetermined time, and a control circuit for driving the loading member to the loading position if it is determined that the rotary head drum is not wet with dew condensation from the rotational speed of the rotary head drum detected by the detecting circuit, and if it is determined that the rotary head drum is wet with dew condensation, driving the loading member to the unloading position.

A magnetic recording or reproducing apparatus having a rotary drum includes a sensor for detecting dew condensation on the rotary drum, a take-up reel for taking up a recording medium, and a controller for controlling the rotary drum and the take-up reel in accordance with a result of detection provided by the sensor. When dew condensation has been detected by the sensor, the controller causes the rotary drum to rotate in such a way as to release the recording medium from a state of sticking to the rotary drum and, after that, causes the recording medium to be taken up by the take-up reel.

Disclosed is a method for reducing occurrences of tape stick conditions in magnetic tape, the method including stopping functional rotation of each of two bi-directionally rotatable reels of a reel-to-reel tape drive that includes a length of magnetic tape at least partially wound around each reel, a portion of the length of tape extending between the two moveable reels and contacting a head positioned between the two reels; wherein the stopping creates a stop condition in the tape drive, actuating a fractional rotation at least one of the two bi-directionally movable reels a fraction of a reel turn in a first direction during the stop condition, causing the portion of the length of tape to at least temporarily break contact with the head via the fractional rotation, and re-starting functional rotation of each of the reels, ending the stop condition via the re-starting.

Disclosed is a method for reducing occurrences of stick conditions in tape, the method including stopping rotation of a supply reel and take-up reel of a drive that includes a length of tape, a portion of the tape extending between the reels and contacting a head between the reels, wherein the stopping creates a stop condition in the drive, determining if the tape is stuck to the head, dropping tension in the tape between the reels, freeing the tape for movement in a z-direction via the dropping tension, moving the head in y-directions, moving the tape in an x-direction via a rotation of the supply reel a fraction of a rotation, and causing the tape to break contact with the head via the dropping, moving of the tape in the z-direction, moving of the tape in the x-direction, and/or moving of the head in the y-directions.

An apparatus of the present invention is a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus for pulling out a magnetic tape from a tape cassette, forming a predetermined tape drive system with a group of tape guide posts while winding the magnetic tape around a rotary head cylinder, having a rotary head, for a predetermined arc, so as to perform recording/reproduction of the magnetic tape. The group of tape guide posts include at least one inclination adjustment tape guide post whose inclination angle can be adjusted.