HEAD TRACKING SERVO METHOD, RECORDING AND PLAYBACK DEVICE, MAGNETIC TAPE, AND MAGNETIC TAPE CARTRIDGE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a head tracking servo method which allows a magnetic head to quickly and accurately follow a recording track, even when the recording track width is narrowed to increase a tape speed. SOLUTION: In the head tracking servo method for controlling the position of the magnetic head, with respect to a magnetic tape 21 which is stored in a cartridge 20 and has at least a data track and a servo track, tape variance information is read out from a magnetic tape cartridge 23 comprising the cartridge 20 and the magnetic tape 21; and a servo signal recorded in the servo track is read out by the magnetic head and is converted into head position information, and the position of the magnetic head is controlled by an off-track amount, based on the tape variance information and an off-track amount calculated from the head position information. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT