In a digital PLL system, instead of measuring a binarized playback RF
signal with a high frequency clock, pulse-length data is generated by
using N phase clocks (for example, 16 phase clocks). The pulse-length
data is then counted with a virtual channel clock so as to extract
run-length data. In this digital PLL system, the number of changing
points of an asynchronous signal during an interval between adjacent
clocks of the N phase clocks is detected so as to determine phase errors
from the detected number of changing points. Phase errors are also
determined from the timing relationship between changing points of a
signal synchronized with the N phase clocks and each clock of the N phase
clocks.