A repeatable read-out (RRO)
detector employs one or more digital interpolators to interpolate asynchronous sample values that represent RRO data. The asynchronous sample values are read from a recording medium and generated by an A / D converter at a
symbol rate, and the interpolators generate interpolated samples at at least one time in between the asynchronous sample value times. Each interpolated sample corresponding to some phase relative to that of the sample values generated by the A / D converter. The RRO
detector receives 1) the asynchronous samples at
symbol rate and 2) the interpolated samples to efficiently detect the encoded RRO data. An RRO address mark indicates when detection of encoded RRO data starts, and is employed to select those samples suitable for RRO
data detection. Detection of the RRO address mark employs
peak detection among filtered asynchronous and interpolated samples. The process of
peak detection adjusts the current best phase for
sample selection. When the RRO address mark is found, the corresponding best phase corresponds to either asynchronous sampled values or interpolated samples that are subsequently selected for RRO
data detection, termed best samples. Once the best phase is selected, the RRO data
detector uses that information along with RRO encoding constraints to decode the encoded RRO data from the best samples.