The present invention searches the data of the desired time with fewer access frequencies from a recording medium in which information is recorded by the recording system where the signal playback time length is not proportional to the data amount of the relevant signal. The playback apparatus of the present invention comprises a playback section for reading an information unit of audiovisual subject and management information containing playback time information of the information unit and recorded position information from a recording medium, and a control section for searching the recorded position of the information unit based on the recorded position information and for playing back the information unit from the position. When the information unit is played back from the desired playback time, the control section finds the estimated straight line in which the played back time is proportional to the data mount based on the playback time information and the recorded position information, and searches the estimated recorded position that corresponds to the desired playback time based on the estimated straight line. The control section calculates the error between the actual playback time and the desired playback time of the information unit at the estimated recorded position and identifies the estimated recorded position as the recorded position of the information unit at the desired playback time when the error is included in the specified range.
