View source for Helical scan

{{short description|Method of recording high-frequency signals on magnetic tape}}
{{Infobox media
| image = Helical tape drive.png
| caption = Helical recording method. As the tape moves horizontally, the drum rotates and the heads in the drum create or write diagonal tracks with signals.
| type = [[magnetic tape]]
| use = recording high-frequency signals
}}
'''Helical scan''' is a method of [[Analog recording|recording]] high-frequency signals on [[magnetic tape]], used in open-reel [[video tape recorder]]s, [[video cassette recorder]]s, [[digital audio tape]] recorders, and some computer [[tape drive]]s. 

With this technique, magnetic tape heads (or head chips) are placed on a rotating head drum,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US5453892A/en?q=(dynamic+tracking+vtr)&oq=dynamic+tracking+vtr | title=Rotary magnetic head drum with fluid bearing and with head chips mounted together in parallel }}</ref> which moves the chips at high speed by due to its high angular velocity. The speed of the head chips must be higher than the linear speed of the tape. The tape is wrapped tightly around the drum. The drum<ref name="Broadcast">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8YDOAwAAQBAJ&dq=helical+scan+video+recorder&pg=PA465|title=Broadcast Engineer's Reference Book|first=E. P. J.|last=Tozer|date=November 12, 2012|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781136024184 |via=Google Books}}</ref> and/or the tape is tilted at an angle that allows the head chips to read the tape diagonally. The linear speed of the tape is slower than the speed of the head chips, allowing high frequency signals to be read or recorded, such as video. As the tape moves linearly or length-wise, the head chips move across the width of the tape in a diagonal path. Due to geometry, this allows for high head chip speeds, known as writing speeds, to be achieved in spite of the low linear speed of the tape. The high writing speed allows for high frequency signals to be recorded.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NXEIVQrhKP4C&dq=helical+scan+high+frequency&pg=PA129|title=VCR Troubleshooting and Repair|first1=Gregory|last1=Capelo|first2=Robert C.|last2=Brenner|date=June 26, 1998|publisher=Newnes|isbn=9780750699402 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7WrCSCqMk5gC&dq=helical+scan+video+longitudinal&pg=PA149|title=Magnetic Recording: The First 100 Years|first1=Eric D.|last1=Daniel|first2=C. Denis|last2=Mee|first3=Mark H.|last3=Clark|date=August 31, 1998|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9780780347090 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tOnyc8qyYfYC&dq=helical+scan+video+recorder&pg=PA664|title=New Scientist|date=December 1, 1983|publisher=Reed Business Information|via=Google Books}}{{dead link|fix-attempted=yes|date=August 2024}}</ref> As each head chip enters into contact with the tape, it creates or reads long and narrow areas with information recorded magnetically known as tracks. In Helical scan, these tracks are positioned diagonally, relative to the length of the tape. The diagonal tracks read or written using this method are known as helical tracks.<ref name="Broadcast" />

[[File:VHS head drum 1.jpg|thumb|The head drum of a Hi-Fi NTSC VHS [[Videocassette recorder|VCR]]; three of the six heads face the reader. The helical path of the tape around the drum can clearly be seen.]]
[[File:VHS head drum 2.jpg|thumb|The same head drum with the rotating portion elevated for clarity]]
[[File:Rotary transformer 2.jpg|thumb|The rotating portion of the head drum showing the [[rotary transformer]] and three of the six [[tape head]]s used in this particular [[Videocassette recorder|VCR]]]]

== Types ==
There are several types of helical scan. These include:
* Alpha wrap (α), in which the tape is wrapped around the drum in a full, [[Degree (angle)|360 degree]] fashion.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TOMOmmrvwCcC&dq=alpha+wrap+helical+scan&pg=PA120|title=The History of Television, 1942 to 2000|first=Albert|last=Abramson|date=September 15, 2007|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786432431 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kmBQDwAAQBAJ&dq=helical+scan+alpha+wrap&pg=PA248|title=Television Fundamentals|first=John|last=Watkinson|date=April 17, 1996|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9781136027543 |via=Google Books}}</ref> 
* Omega wrap (Ω), in which the tape is wrapped almost fully around the drum similar to the Greek letter Omega. Used in [[Type C videotape|Type-C videotape]] recorders. The tape is wrapped 346 degrees around the drum with 270 degrees used for recording. Because of this, the vertical blanking interval of the video signal is lost and to prevent this a secondary head in a "1 1/2 head" configuration must record the interval when the video head is not reading the tape. A full frame of video with two fields can be recorded in a single revolution of the drum with a single head creating a single diagonal track on the tape.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gulati |first=R. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u-3oFBzrQ0sC&dq=quadruplex+playback&pg=PA195 |title=Monochrome and Colour Television |date= December 2005|publisher=New Age International |isbn=978-81-224-1776-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7WrCSCqMk5gC&dq=helical+scan+video+recorder&pg=PA170|title=Magnetic Recording: The First 100 Years|first1=Eric D.|last1=Daniel|first2=C. Denis|last2=Mee|first3=Mark H.|last3=Clark|date=August 31, 1998|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9780780347090 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8YDOAwAAQBAJ&dq=omega+wrap+helical&pg=PA468|title=Broadcast Engineer's Reference Book|first=E. P. J.|last=Tozer|date=November 12, 2012|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781136024184 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PdruCAAAQBAJ&dq=omega+wrap+helical&pg=PA465|title=Magnetic Recording Handbook|date=December 6, 2012|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=9789401094689 |via=Google Books}}</ref> 
*C wrap, where the tape is wrapped around the head drum in the shape of a backwards C, used in the [[Betacam]] format, uses a wrap of 200 to 300 degrees where 180 to 270 degrees are active or used for recording, similar to the U wrap which is reminiscent of an U laid on its side and is used in the [[U-matic]] format. Because the tape is not wrapped around the drum as much as with the omega wrap, two heads creating two diagonal tracks must be used to record a video frame, one field for every track and head.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-cEdAAAAQBAJ&dq=helical+scan+180+degree+two+head&pg=PA24|title=Sound Person's Guide to Video|first=David|last=Mellor|date=July 18, 2013|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9781136120787 |via=Google Books}}</Ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BHfNCgAAQBAJ&dq=helical+scan+180+degree+two+head&pg=PA134|title=VCR Troubleshooting and Repair|first1=Robert|last1=Brenner|first2=Gregory|last2=Capelo|date=August 26, 1998|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=9780080520476 |via=Google Books}}</Ref><ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jackson |first1=K. G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJqjBQAAQBAJ |title=TV & Video Engineer's Reference Book |last2=Townsend |first2=G. B. |date=2014-05-15 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-1-4831-9375-5 |language=en}}</ref>
*M wrap, used in [[VHS]] and the [[D-1 (Sony)]] and [[D-2 (video)]] digital videotape formats, wraps the tape around the head drum in a pattern or in a tape path reminiscent of the letter M, around the left and right side of the head drum, 250 to 300 degrees around it where 180 to 270 degrees are active or used for recording, with two heads if 180 degrees are used.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BHfNCgAAQBAJ&dq=vhs+180+degree&pg=PA149|title=VCR Troubleshooting and Repair|first1=Robert|last1=Brenner|first2=Gregory|last2=Capelo|date=August 26, 1998|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=9780080520476 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BHfNCgAAQBAJ&dq=vhs+two+heads+180+degrees&pg=PA134|title=VCR Troubleshooting and Repair|first1=Robert|last1=Brenner|first2=Gregory|last2=Capelo|date=August 26, 1998|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=9780080520476 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="auto" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QmaQTIdoWmYC&dq=m+wrap+tape&pg=PA386|title=Newnes Guide to Television and Video Technology|first=Eugene|last=Trundle|date=June 11, 2001|publisher=Newnes|isbn=9780750648103 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
* Half wrap, used to denominate any type of wrap where the tape covers approximately 180 degrees, or half of the circumference of the drum. To record a full frame of video it requires at least two video heads, each recording a video field, of which two are necessary to record a video frame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BH8GEAAAQBAJ&dq=helical+half+wrap&pg=PA393|title=Audio Video Systems|first=S. P. Bali, Rajeev|last=Bali|publisher=Khanna Publishing House|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-cEdAAAAQBAJ&dq=helical+tape+half+wrap&pg=PA22|title=Sound Person's Guide to Video|first=David|last=Mellor|page=24|date=July 18, 2013|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9781136120787 |via=Google Books}}</ref>

Many helical scan cassette formats such as VHS and Betacam use a head drum with heads that use [[azimuth recording]], in which the heads in the head drum have a gap that is tilted at an angle, and opposing heads have their gaps tilted so as to oppose each other.<ref name="poptronics">{{Cite magazine |last=Goldwasser |first=Sam |date=January 2000 |title=VCRs |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=2782584&site=eds-live&scope=site |magazine=[[Poptronics]] |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=77–79 |issn=1526-3681}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8YDOAwAAQBAJ&dq=dv+9000+rpm&pg=PA473|title=Broadcast Engineer's Reference Book|first=E. P. J.|last=Tozer|date=November 12, 2012|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781136024184 |via=Google Books}}</ref> This eliminates the need for guard bands between the helical tracks allowing for a higher density of information on the tape.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8YDOAwAAQBAJ&dq=azimuth+guard+band&pg=PA465|title=Broadcast Engineer's Reference Book|first=E. P. J.|last=Tozer|date=November 12, 2012|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9781136024184 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NXEIVQrhKP4C&dq=azimuth+guard+band&pg=PA137|title=VCR Troubleshooting and Repair|first1=Gregory|last1=Capelo|first2=Robert C.|last2=Brenner|date=June 26, 1998|publisher=Newnes|isbn=9780750699402 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pY2jBQAAQBAJ&dq=azimuth+guard+band&pg=PA234|title=Newnes Guide to TV and Video Technology|first=Eugene|last=Trundle|date=May 12, 2014|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=9781483183169 |via=Google Books}}</ref>

==History==
Earl Edgar Masterson from [[RCA Corporation|RCA]] patented the first helical scan method in 1950.<ref>Patent US2773120</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://ethw.org/Magnetic_Videotape_Recording#Helical_Scanning | title=Magnetic Videotape Recording | date=April 2019 }}</ref> German engineer [[:de:Eduard Schüller (Ingenieur)|Eduard Schüller]] developed a helical scan method of recording in 1953 while working at AEG.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PL0eAQAAMAAJ ''SMPTE Journal: Publication of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers'', Volume 96, Issues 1-6; Volume 96], page 256, [[Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers]]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Schüller, Eduard - Deutsche Biographie |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/gnd129812749.html#ndbcontent |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=www.deutsche-biographie.de |language=de}}</ref> With the advent of television broadcasting in Japan in the early 1950s, they saw the need for magnetic television signal recording. Dr. Kenichi Sawazaki developed a prototype helical scan recorder in 1954.<ref>{{cite web |title=Toshiba Science Museum : World's First Helical Scan Video Tape Recorder |url=https://toshiba-mirai-kagakukan.jp/en/learn/history/ichigoki/1959vtr/index.htm |website=toshiba-mirai-kagakukan.jp |access-date=14 July 2021}}</ref> Helical scan machines were demonstrated by Toshiba in 1959 and since they recorded one field of video per track, they were the first to allow video to be paused and played back at speeds other than real time. Helical scan type B and type C videotape began to be used in 1976.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wc00DwAAQBAJ&dq=helical+scan+video+longitudinal&pg=PA119|title=Portable Moving Images: A Media History of Storage Formats|first=Ricardo Cedeño|last=Montaña|date=August 21, 2017|publisher=Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG|isbn=9783110553925 |via=Google Books}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px">
Bcn-scanner-head.jpg|[[Type B videotape]] video scanner head
Vxa1-drive-nocover-nobezel-front.jpg|Rotary head visible in a [[VXA]] computer tape drive
Vxa1-drive-nocover-top-front.jpg|VXA tape drive, alternate view of rotary head and loading mechanism
</gallery>
{{Commons category|Helical scan tape heads}}

== See also ==
* [[Azimuth recording]], used in many helical scan video formats 
* [[Type A videotape]]
* [[1 inch type B videotape]]
* [[1 inch type C videotape]]
* [[IVC videotape format]] about the IVC 2-inch helical VTR, Model 9000
* [[Video tape recorder]] (VTR)
* [[Vision Electronic Recording Apparatus]]
* [[Ampex 2 inch helical VTR]]
* [[Symmetric Phase Recording]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://patents.google.com/patent/US3735939 Sony U.S. patent for U-matic videotape cassette], filed 1971.
* [https://patents.google.com/patent/USD227579 Sony U.S. patent for design of U-matic deck], filed 1971.
*[https://cool.culturalheritage.org/videopreservation/museum/ Video Preservation Equipment Museum]
* ''The History of Television, 1942 to 2000'', by Albert Abramson, page 93.
*[https://www.experimentaltvcenter.org/vhp/ampex-products-chronology Ampex page] in the [[Experimental Television Center|Experimental TV Center]]

{{Homevid|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Audiovisual introductions in 1953]]
[[Category:Film and video technology]]
[[Category:Japanese inventions]]
[[Category:Tape recording]]