My xl1s is eating tapes. Is this a tape problem? Camera problem?
And what is the trick to getting the tapes fixed?

What do you mean by "eating tapes"?

If the issue is that the tape transport is malfunctioning you'll have to send the camera to Canon. Nothing else you can do.

See for service center contact info (http://www.dvinfo.net/canon/skinny.php#service).

I go to the service center with my xl1 every spring whether something seems wrong or not. Stuff just slowly goes out of alignment and tapes start to have artifacts, - ALWAYS at exactly the most inconvenient time.

The tune-up is a fixed price, - around $250 to $300, don't really remember. But they take out all the worn stuff, put in new, and realign. Well worth the peace of mind to me.

Brad

Yup; had the exact same problem a year ago; asked on these boards, got the same answer, problem solved.

Only problem was I had someone's wedding stuck inside!