Digital recorder with trick play operation

A record and replay apparatus comprises a transducing unit for reproducing a digital signal from a medium. A control unit controls a reproduction mode of the apparatus. A decoding is coupled to the transducing unit for decoding the digital signal and deriving therefrom a signal indicative of a specific picture type. The reproduction mode has a first period of reproduction at a normal play speed and a second period of reproduction at a speed greater than the play speed. The first and second periods alternating with the first period initiated responsive to the signal indicative of a specific picture type. In a further arrangement a first transducing unit records an MPEG signal. A control unit generates a signal, indicating an intra coded frame occurrence in the MPEG bit stream, which is recorded by a second transducing unit together with a servo reference signal.