PURPOSE: To read a necessary indication first so as to economize the reading time, by proceeding the reading work from the tail end of a record to the first end when the record is read.

CONSTITUTION: A signal recording zone 2 and auxiliary recording zone 3 exist on a magnetic tape 1 and a record is started from a point A and ended at a point E. In a conventional manner, the reading of the record is started from the point A to the point E, but, in this case, it is recorded on a point C or on a section of the auxiliary recording zone 3 corresponding to the point C that the record between points B and C is erroneous and reading of the record is not necessary. In this invention the reading is proceeded in the reverse way, from the point E to the point A. When it is set in this invention that the output must be started from a point H≥h, the output is started when reaching a point D and, at the same time, it can also be outputted that the total length of the record is "25". Since the reading of the erroneous record is jumped at the point C, the output attains the one shown in the graph, and thus, a necessary and sufficient record is obtained.