Anyone have any luck with this? I need someone who will not try and rip me off.

I have read the threads involving stripes and pixelation and head cleaning tapes.....using the tape it is unclear whether the record or playback heads are cleaned by the tape and since the it is permanently locked (erasure prevention) does this matter?

Take your camera across the river to the Canon Service facility in Jamesburg, NJ. They'll do it for you. Contact info on the XL1 Watchdog at www.dvinfo.net/xl1.htm > XL1 Skinny.