The present invention may be regarded as a video recording system and
method of transferring a non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment
stored on a disk drive, which is responsive to a set of data transfer
commands generated by a host processor and which is operating in a mode
optimized for transferring time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data
segments stored or to be stored on the disk drive. The method includes
sending a sequence of data transfer commands generated by the host
processor to the disk drive to transfer a respective sequence of
time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments at a required data
transfer rate. The method further includes selectively interposing a
first data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands,
the first data transfer command initiating a first transfer of the
non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment from a first storage
location. The method further includes transmitting a data transfer error
signal generated by the disk drive to the host processor, the data
transfer error signal having a state that indicates whether any data
transfer errors have occurred with respect to the first transfer of the
non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment. The method further
includes selectively interposing a second data transfer command into the
sequence of data transfer commands, the second data transfer command
initiating a second transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant
data segment from a second storage location, thereby utilizing storage
redundancy to achieve an accuracy required for the non-time-critical,
error-intolerant data segment while maintaining the required data
transfer rate of the sequence of time-critical, error-tolerant data
segments.