High-Accuracy Recording
Recording, High-Accuracy
the recording of information, characterized by a high degree of precision as specified by accepted criteria. High-accuracy recording is necessary for registering signals used in measurement and control and for the operation of computers; magnetic tape is the recording medium usually used.
The technology of high-accuracy recording makes use of many standard methods of signal generation and processing, which have been developed in the fields of radio engineering and communications, for example, data transmission. However, there are several types of interference peculiar to magnetic recording and reproduction, which are associated with magnetic and mechanical inhomogeneities of the recording medium and nonuniformity of the recording speed. These peculiarities have necessitated the development of special techniques used only in high-accuracy recording, including modulation and some promising digital techniques that are still in the development stage.
The recorders used for high-accuracy recording are part of complex systems for the transmission and processing of information. They are used to store information whenever there is no direct connection between the source of information and the processor, to record signals scheduled for multiple or centralized processing, to record the results of computer calculations, and to record the operational programs of control systems. The recorders are usually capable of recording many signals on one common carrier, most often a magnetic tape. They are greatly superior to the sound and video recording equipment in fidelity of recording and other capabilities. High-accuracy recorders are classified as special or general-purpose types. The latter have standardized performance specifications to assure interchangeability; the specifications include width of the magnetic tape, dimensions and location of tracks, speed of recording and playback, and parameters of the modulation system.
The current development of high-accuracy recording technology is aimed at increasing recording capacities, improving the fidelity of recording and the reliability and service life of the equipment, and lowering costs.