Katana VentraIP

Tape head

A tape head is a type of transducer used in tape recorders to convert electrical signals to magnetic fluctuations and vice versa. They can also be used to read credit/debit/gift cards because the strip of magnetic tape on the back of a credit card stores data the same way that other magnetic tapes do. Cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, 8-tracks, VHS tapes, and even floppy disks and early hard drive disks all use the same principle of physics to store and read back information. The medium is magnetized in a pattern. It then moves at a constant speed over an electromagnet. Since the moving tape is carrying a changing magnetic field with it, it induces a varying voltage across the head. That voltage can then be amplified and connected to speakers in the case of audio, or measured and sorted into ones and zeroes in the case of digital data.

For the King's X album, see Tape Head.

Cleaning[edit]

With use the head will become dirty with loose tape shedding. Video head cleaner can be used to clean video, audio, erase, or control track heads.

D6 HDTV VTR Scanner and video head, removed

D6 HDTV VTR Scanner and video head, removed

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

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

Type B videotape video Scanner Head

Type B videotape video Scanner Head

Type B VTR, BCN 20 Tape Desk and video Scanner

Type B VTR, BCN 20 Tape Desk and video Scanner

Quadruplex videotape Ampex AVR-2 Video Head

Quadruplex videotape Ampex AVR-2 Video Head

Sony U-Matic Video head

Sony U-Matic Video head

Ampex audio recorder without covers

Ampex audio recorder without covers

VHS heads

VHS heads

Nagra audio heads: erase, record and play

Nagra audio heads: erase, record and play

SONY UVW-1400P_1400AP Betacam SP video heads

SONY UVW-1400P_1400AP Betacam SP video heads

Sony UVW-1800P Betacam SP flying erase head

Sony UVW-1800P Betacam SP flying erase head

Magnetic card reader of a programmable pocket calculator HP-67 (1976) with transport mechanism

Magnetic card reader of a programmable pocket calculator HP-67 (1976) with transport mechanism

Recording head

Magnetic tape sound recording