A video cassette recorder (VCR) generally includes a tape deck mechanism having a tape/cassette loading device, a cassette tape loading device, a tape driving device, a brake operating device, a brake device, a driving force shielding device, and a system control unit for controlling an operation of the tape deck mechanism. The cassette loading device is adapted to automatically transport a manually inserted tape cassette onto a reel table. Typically, the cassette loading device is provided with a cassette holder movable between a cassette reception position, a loading commencement position and a loading completion position. The driving system mounted on the main base for drawing the tape from a cartridge to run the tape around the outer surface of the head drum according to a predetermined route. In general, a tape recorder, such as a video cassette recorde, includes a head drum assembly containing a video head which is used to read/write signals on/off a magnetic tape running along a predetermined travel path on a deck. The head drum assembly is used for recording the video signals onto the tape and for reproducing the video signals from the tape on which the signals are recorded. In general, a head drum assembly generally includeg a plurality of video heads, a rotary drum (upper drum), a supporting shaft and a stationary drum (lower drum). The video heads are fixed to the rotary drum rotatably supported through a pair of the bearings. The upper drum records or reproduces the video signals on and from the tape while the motor is in operation. The lower drum is positioned below the upper drum and is provided with a motor for rotating the upper drum. While the upper drum is rotated by the motor, the head records the video signals onto the tape and reproduces the video signals from the tape on which the video signals are recorded. Positioning of a video head is an important factor in determining the quality of the information that can be written on a magnetic tape. A magnetic head of a video cassette recorder is made by attaching a substrate to a bass base by epoxy coating, adhering ferrite to its tip with a powerful adhesive agent, and grinding the ferrite.

A video cassette recorder system generally employs a magnetic tape as a recording medium on or from which a variety of picture are recorded or reproduced by the video cassette recorder. The head drum assembly is used to read/write image signals recorded on a magnetic tape. The image signals are recorded on signal tracks of the magnetic tape. The signal tracks are inclined at a predetermined angle to a traveling direction of the magnetic tape to achieve a high recording density. The magnetic tape as a typical recording medium has a magnetized layer formed on a surface of a base film, and the magnetized layer is recorded with picture images, audio signals and/or desired character signals. Information signals are typically recorded on a magnetic tape in discrete tracks of information when a magnetic tape travels along a given path and comes in contact with a head drum. The magnetic tape is disposed around the periphery of a head drum and longitudinally transported. The tape follows a helical path around the drum so that the rotating head transcribes a path, or track, along the tape that is disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the tape. As the tape is transported around the drum at a predetermined speed, successive adjacent tracks are formed on the tape at that angle. In a video cassette recorder, the tension of a tape running between a take-up reel and a supply reel must be constantly controlled or adjusted to a desired level depending on the operating mode of the video cassette recorder by various types of tape tension adjusting devices.

Analog video cassette recorders adopt a consecutive recording method, while digital video cassette recorders adopt a non-consecutive recording method. The digital video cassette recorder has a search mode and a normal reproduction mode. The digital video cassette recorder cannot reproduce a picture having the quality of a normal picture in the search mode, since it scans more tracks at a time than in the normal reproduction mode. In the VCR which is capable of recording and playing back only the analog video signal, the analog video signal of about 5 MHz bandwidth is recorded on slant tracks of a tape at an azimuth angle of 6.degree. In a recording mode, each of the slant tracks having a track pitch at a predetermined distance. In a digital recording format of a digital video cassette recorder, an input video signal is pulse code-modulated (PCM) and pixel values thereof are then coded in the unit of a desired bit. Namely, the input video signal is converted into digital video data, which is then compressed by a variable length coding which varies a length of bit being coded every pixel. The digital video data compressed by the variable length coding is partitioned in the unit of a desired sync-block and then recorded on a video tape in a predetermined order. Digital video cassette recorders for public use have better picture quality and are able to record longer programs in comparison with conventional analog system VTR.

A digital video cassette recorder can be operated in the same way as a conventional analog video cassette recorder is operated, and in particular it is needed that in the cases of a normal mode (SD mode) and a long play mode having a 1/2 tape speed of the normal tape speed, a digital video cassette recorder can be operated in the same way as an analog video cassette is operated. A high definition digital video cassette recorder (HD-DVCR) is a system using an inner error correction code and an outer error correction code for channel coding. The HD-DVCR is used as a data storage in which data compressed according to the MPEG II standard can be stored and from which the stored data is reproduced. The HD-DVCR uses the same recording format and channel processing portion as those of SD-DVC (standard digital video camcorder). A video cassette recorder is operable in various modes, such as play mode, review mode, rewinding mode, fast forward mode, through the selective operation of the driving mechanism. Generally, a VCR is capable of recording and playing back only an analog video signal. A high definition VCR is capable of recording and playing back only a digital video signal or both the analog and digital video signals compatibly.