Video-disc pick=up appts. - has separate tracking and playback heads and tracks eccentric or warped disc without loading playback stylus

The pick-up system for a video disc player has two heads. One (8) is used for tracking, the other (13) comprises the playback transducer and stylus. The tracking head (8) is carried by an arm (6) attached to a linear carriage (4) by a compliant joint (7). The joint applies sufficient force to the tracking head to make it follow the groove (9) in spite of an eccentric or warped disc. The playback head (13) is carried by an auxiliary arm (11), attached by a second compliant joint (12) to a side arm (10) on the tracking arm (6). The playback joint (12) has a higher compliance, both horizontal and vertical, than the tracking joint (7). The playback stylus runs in a separate groove (14) displaced radially up to 3mm. from the tracking groove (9). The tracking head makes the playback head follow disc inaccuracies without loading the playback stylus.