Recording head

A recording head is the physical interface between a recording apparatus and a moving recording medium. Recording heads are generally classified according to the physical principle that allows them to impress their data upon their medium. A recording head is often mechanically paired with a playback head, which, though proximal to, is often discrete from the record head.

The two most common forms of recording head are:

Note that Magneto-optical recording, though using optics and heat, should properly be considered a magnetic process, since the data stored on magneto-optical media is stored magnetically.

Earlier systems, such as phonograph records, used mechanical heads known as styli to physically cut grooves in the recording medium, in a configuration (of size, width, depth and position) recoverable as sound.

D6 HDTV VTR Scanner and video head, removed

Inside a D6 HDTV VTR Tape Deck, VTR Scanner and video head in place.

Type B videotape video Scanner Head

Type B VTR, BCN 20 Tape Desk and video Scanner

Quadruplex videotape Ampex AVR-2 Video Head

Sony U-Matic Video head

Ampex audio recorder

VHS heads

Nagra audio heads: erase, record and play

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