Apparatus for coding a television signal in common image format in which the video frame rate may have any one of a plurality of predetermined different values and the number of pixels or the spatial resolution per video frame of which is the same for all frame rates, comprises a video encoder for coding the video information of each video frame into a format suitable for recording in oblique tracks on a magnetic tape, and an audio encoder for coding the audio information associated with each video frame into blocks for recording with the video information, each audio block comprising digital audio data and a pointer indicating that portion of the block containing the audio data, and preferably also the sample rate of the audio data.