Multi-mode, multi-channel magnetic recording head and apparatus

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of 2N+1 transducers on a pitch,

wherein at least one of the transducers within the array is configured as a servo reader,

wherein one of the transducers configured as the servo reader is flanked by transducers on each side.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the transducers configured as the servo reader is flanked by an equal number of N transducers on each side.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the array; and

a controller directly electrically coupled to each of the transducers.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to activate data channels thereof depending on a tape motion direction.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to process data using 2N transducers in a first mode of operation, wherein the controller is configured to process data using fewer than 2N transducers in a second mode of operation.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein a pitch between the transducers used in the second mode of operation is an integral multiple of a pitch between the transducers used in the first mode of operation.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the controller includes 2N+1 data channels, each of the data channels being directly electrically coupled to an associated one of the transducers.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein all of the data channels are active in one mode of operation.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least two servo readers positioned external to an outermost transducer of the array and on a same side thereof.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9 , wherein the at least two servo readers have different track widths.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein N is 32.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the transducers are on a same module, each of the transducers being coupled to an associated pair of connection pads of the module, wherein at least two of the transducers are configured as servo readers, wherein relative positions of the pairs of connection pads coupled to the transducers configured as a servo readers are transposed from relative positions of the transducers configured as servo readers on the module.