I got the remove cassette error as well, I could still record, but rewinding was a no go, and it would munch tapes. So I sent it off to Canon, and they also fixed it for a courtesy rate of $62, since it was out of warranty. They know they have an issue here, and at least they are not being pricks and charging hundreds like some people have said, but I agree the camera should be more reliable.

My camera has low hours on the heads, but I did leave a tape inserted in it when going from Hawaii to chicago, and thats when the issues began.

I've told my experience before, but I think it is worth repeating again, following your experience of the level of Canon awareness to this matter.

I took my XM2 into the Canon Garage with literally days left on a 1 year's warranty. Reason? It had a dead CCD Pixel. I was told that I had more than one too! However, in the "report" I got back was that not ONLY had they replace the BLOCK they also replaced the TRANSPORT mechanism too! Of course as per the warranty this was done for free, so no complaints from me, but it did make me aware that they ARE "aware" of such mechanical problems. Oh yes, at THAT point I had no issue with the mechanism. Camera had never displayed this or any other error.

I guess we aint gonna get a "hands-up" statement - but then again, actions speak louder than words. And maybe, just maybe me writing this here kinda vindicates Canon's approach in customer service - see? There are many MANY ways to skin this particular feline. What I will say is that I think I hold the record in Canon turn-around: How about 72 hours? Nope! 48 hours? Wrong too! If I had got my own arrangements together in time, I could have got it back within 24 hours of me dropping it off at the Garage! 24hours! Now this DID impress me!

Grazie

If this is such a prevalent problem why not just use an inexpensive ($20) external tape rewinder? Seems logical if this is always going to be a potential problem for this camera.

Like i posted way back i could not rewind. i then took it into my bedroom where it was warm and waited ten minutes and it rewinded 5 tapes fine. the full lenth of them. if you get this error just check is the room cooled or warm. i get this error all the time if it is my study where it is quite cold. this error means that condensation has been deteced. i checked my other camcorder and it said condensation has been deteced so at that point i stopped worring.

ive got the same problem its been doing it for like 6 months, my gl2 is like 2 years old. i doubt it will be cheap

Like i posted way back i could not rewind. i then took it into my bedroom where it was warm and waited ten minutes and it rewinded 5 tapes fine. the full lenth of them. if you get this error just check is the room cooled or warm. i get this error all the time if it is my study where it is quite cold. this error means that condensation has been deteced. i checked my other camcorder and it said condensation has been deteced so at that point i stopped worring.

I really dont think we sould be sharing how we can mover around this problem and get Canon to actually fix it.

But in the interests of the now rather than the later, I have an old Mini Dv cam and I use that to ALL the rewinding, ALL the playback and importing. Its also a canon with 3 years warranty, (In its final year) and its built like a brick, as should all prehistoric camcorders should be. My family uses it for hols, and I use it to keep my XM2 in pristine shape.

I'm sorry to heara bout this problem, I never heard of it until I read aobut it. I will think twice when I do early morning shoots.

Sometimes the remove cassette error message is a result of condensation, but for people like me, the message comes up so often that you can't even insert a tape...even when there is no condensation. I have two GL2s that I have been using for about 2.5 years and between the two of them, this is the third time I have to send a GL2 in to get fixed. It's not under warranty anymore so I've been putting it off, but it ate a tape recently so its time to get it fixed again. The first time it was under warranty but the second time they charged me 280 dollars to clean the head or whatever they do. It also took over a month...I think it was more like 2 months for them to get it back to me.

G'day Jim,

You should have bashed Canon over the head the second time...

If you wrote a letter of complaint outlining the problems experienced, they would take it seriously. If you still get no reasonable response, raise the bar and send the letter again to the head of canon of your country and claim never to shop canon again.

This had worked here in OZ when a Sony Model DVD player had contious faults. Our tabloid News program did a show suggesting that over 20 letters (20 diff people) were sent, none recived a response, then the same 20 letters of complaint reached the eyes of the Australian CEO of Sony and something big was done.

The power of people and polite, civilised complaints.

The only reason Canon has done nothing is because we havent done anything to bring this up with Canon. However, I've never had any problems with my XM2....

I own a GL2 and haven't yet had this problem. But I am very disappointed in how Canon is handling this problem. I also own a Nikon DSLR and I have been favorably impressed with how Nikon steps up to the plate to correct any problems that show up in their product line. If this is representative of how Canon handles design flaws I will be very hesitant to buy another Canon camera.

I don't think this is a problem specifically for the xm2/gl2.
I've seen the same problem on a VX2100 (instead of "remove..." the sony displays a "error xxxxx" message).

Have you read this: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=42822&page=3 ? (I mean my post...)

just thought to give you all an update: my XM2 is still ok. No error so far! :)

yes i have the gl2 and noticed right about at the 2 year mark id get the remove error, got an estimate but never got it fixed because i was upset it did this without any form of weat/tear, this thing is kept always in this same room and only records/reads a tape every month..it disturbed me and remains this way for over a year now

ive been reading and i also poped into my local jessops store and they sometimes they have people comeing in saying they have this problem with xm2. what i found is that it comes up with people who use JVC tapes. is this what people find?

Today evening i filmed my 3 weeks old daughter.
Meanwhile i had this topic message two times.

I always use tdk cassette, and it was in normal condition.
Also in the room was warm enough, so no condensation.
8-10 months ago i have sometimes the "use cleaning cassette" messages, but i use several times this cleaning cassette and since then i dont see the message again.
My question is: do i need to take my XM2 to the service?
Shortly begins the wedding season, i make 8 wedding sure.


thx

As others more informed have stated, this "remove the cassette" error message is a general error which points to a fault detected by the tape transport mechanism. This can be caused by condensation or the tape pack being wound too tightly within the cassette shell. It can also be caused by a broken reel table brake release claw, broken drive gear, bad capstan motor, or an electrical failure of the reel table tach sensor.

Most often, though, it is caused by worn out FELT! To reduce the cost of the drive mechanism, felt has been used for years to apply a balancing torque opposite to the driven tape direction. This is common in audio cassette mechanisms as well as DAT drives. Only very expensive tape transports employ servo driven reel tables to maintain constant tape tension! When the felt disk wears down, the hold-back tape tension is reduced, which results in reduced reel torque. Eventually, the reel tables cannot effectively overcome the drag inherent in the cassette shell, which causes tape slack. This is detected by the electronic sensor mounted underneath the reel table (often a hall-effect transistor) as a failure of the reel table to complete the correct number of rotations within a certain period of time. To prevent damage to the tape and/or mechanism, further operation of the transport is prevented, and the operator receives the dreaded "remove the cassette" message.

There are several felt-torque assemblies used in these transports, including the 2 reel tables, and the so-called "goosneck" gear which is used to switch the reel table rotational direction. Contamination of any of these assemblies through dirt, wear, oil, or other liquids will effectively destroy them.

Of course, any other mechanical fault which causes the loading mechanism to not complete the operation within a certain time will also give the same result.

This is a general fault common to many other makes and models...

had mine for a month and it just started doing it, going back to canon on monday----this stuff is bullshit

For those of you that have had the dreaded "Remove Cassette" Error with your GL2, and have purchased a DV Rewinder to use instead of rewinding tapes in the camera, has that fixed the problem, or do you still encounter this problem from time to time with your GL2?

Thanks,
Jim

I've had a rewinder from the start. In two years I haven't used fast forward or rewind on my GL2 more than 2 minutes total. I haven't had any problems. But the truth is that defect modes are highly random and the threshold of failure varies from unit to unit. You could conceiveably use a rewinder and still have problems. I could have problems tomorrow.

However. other things being equal, using a rewinder certainly takes strain and wear off of the GL2 transport mechanism. And I don't worry about it. As soon as my high school video club can afford it, I will buy a GL2 for it, because I haven't seen anything in the $1500 -2500 range do stage productions as well, including my VX2100.

[Edit-- I often make that assertion about the GL2 vs. the VX2100. In fairness, I haven't tried diffusion filters on the VX, or deinterlacing and softening its footage in post]

Just got this problem. I have never played a tape recorded on this Cam I have owned for more than 2 yrs. First time I did it, the problem started. Meanwhile, I also recently developed the "Zoom has a mind of its own" problem, so the cam is just about useless now.

Just got this problem. I have never played a tape recorded on this Cam I have owned for more than 2 yrs. First time I did it, the problem started. Meanwhile, I also recently developed the "Zoom has a mind of its own" problem, so the cam is just about useless now.Sorry to hear that. Both of those problems have been addressed with some success on a do-it-yourself basis by some people in this thread. Otherwise it's a trip back to the service center where about $250 is the standard charge and they pretty much fix everything for that price.

How many years should the average GL-2 last? Does it go by the amount of hours you use it or do the amount of years factor into it. For example I use mine less than ten hours a year (recording and playback) so should I expect to have it for ten years or does storage time somehow wear on it. Also Canon told me to send it in for cleaning and adjustment about once a year. Should I wait until every three or four years since I barely use it?

Thanks,
Tony

I bought a Canon GL1 about six years ago, had it serviced once and just sold it off to someone else in working condition. As far as I can tell the GL2 should be equally durable.

This is the question that is almost impossible to answer. It's like asking how long will a lightbulb last. The less you use it, the longer it will work perfectly. Problem is, sometimes you get a bummer bulb... No one can truely know for sure, but hopefully you will have a long and healthy relationship with your camera.

Some parts wear, like heads and tape mechanism. Other age and gradually fail such as rubber components, and perhaps some electronic parts like and the internal back-up battery. Other things just get old and obsolete (like 8-track tapes, 8mm and and VHS recorders) and people move beyond them, even if they work.

A typical GL1/2 should be good for 10 years and more, subject to limitations to parts that wear from use or age fast due to unusual environmental storage (e.g., hot and humid). Also, long term lack of use can cause some electronic components to become inefffctive as well (e.g., electrolytic capicators).

By way of reference to other Canon gear, my GL1 is ~6 years old and doing fine, my XL1 is now past 8 years old and going strong, an L2 I have dates to April 1993 (over 13 years old) is doing fine (for Hi8) while a 1991 vintage A1 Digital (also Hi8) appears to suffer from some internal electronic component failures over the past 5-6 years (been that long since I last used it) and needs work.

I took a 3 day workshop in Chico CA last December. It was one put on by Videomaker magazine at their headquarters. They used a a couple of GL1s for the workshop courses and when asked why, they responded "because they're good workhorse camcorders" as they were each about 5 yrs. old and they kept on working!....I hope my GL2 lasts a long time too, as they're not an inexpensive item to replace, and I'd assume that being "prosumer" that they might be at least of a bit better stamina than the ordinary consumer stuff....however, one has to wonder about the drive mechanizm quality when reading some of the stories of the cassette problems....
Len

I have had my gl2 for a year and a half, had it in for tape mechenism problems ( I stupidly was shuttling back and forth) . Otherwise its a great camera. while it was out for the fix I bought an xl2 for a back up camera.

By the way, do you have connections to northern /california and live in Reginea??
I have family in Marysville and I live about 80 miles from Regina

I bought a new main zoom rocker switch from Canons service center for $13.95. Cosmin Rotaru has posted the pictures & description on replacing this part in a thread on the zoom problem. It fixes the problem.

The total cost including UPS shipping came to $21-. My advice: if you are not afraid to open the camera save the money & replace it yourself.

Hi Dale....Yes I live in Regina....I don't have any connections with California other than I like to travel there (great beer at the Chico Sierra Nevada Brewery)
Len

Hi everyone. My XL1-S is having the same problems as described by all of you before.
My question is this: Should I try to change tape brand hoping to stop the problem, or it is necessary to send it to Canon?
Past two weeks I shot maybe three hours of footage and the problem happened twice - One of them caused me to lose one tape. Afterwards I shot two more hours and nothing wrong happened. I am not rewinding tapes with the camera anymore.
Thanks

I too have had multiple problems with the "REMOVE CASSETTE" problem while rewinding. I called Cannon and they suggested using the "cleaning tape" more often. I did...and it didn't help. They suggested sending the cam in and they would fix it.

I was willing to try my own fix so I took some cleaner and cleaned the clutch. I proceeded to rewind a 60 minute tape without any problems. Fast forward and rewind 5 times...not a single error. Before cleaning the clutch I could not rewind more than 30 seconds without a stopage. Now it operates perfect.

Otherwise it's a trip back to the service center where about $250 is the standard charge and they pretty much fix everything for that price.Just to update this thread. The Canon Service center turned out to be some 30minute drive from me here in NJ, so I stopped by without an appointment to drop the GL2. They fixed the erratic zoom and Tape Eject problems and also brought the camera back to factory specs, all for about $250. I'm a happy cat again. Worth every penny.

Dear All,

Luckily, I have not yet encountered the above problem for my XM1, which I purchased for 3 years ago (HK$12600) and in normal use (for kids school performance and family outings only). I have zoom problem recently and it was solved due to the clever advice of friends from this site.

I also purchased a cheap one ccd Canon MV450i (HK$4400)at the same time when I had the XM1, as playback deck.

In the first year of purchase I used the MV450 heavily in rewinding and fast forwarding when viewing video footage and after just 10 months use the above 'remove tape' message appears every time I rewind tapes. It also eats tapes! Besides, the speaker also broke. As it was still under warranty, I quickly retun it to the Canon hong Kong service centre for repair. It took one month for them to repair. Too long a time to me. They told me they had replaced the whole 'thing' inside. I believe the refer to the tape transport mechanism.

I owned a sony Hi-8 (purchased in 1996) before my DVs and I also heavily used the Hi-8 as both playback deck and cam. It never had any problem until quite recently in 2006.

2 reasons for the fragile DV tape mechanism:

1. The small size of DV tapes as compared with Hi-8 / VHSC makes all DV machines a bit fragile and we cannot use them so heavily.

2. Canon products are not as durable as Sony!

My friends used Sony VX2000 and never had any problem! My general impression of Canon products, which I frequently purchased, is that they are reasonably priced but always have minor problems. Maybe I am unlucky.

The lesson I have learnt from the cheap Canon 1 ccd cam makes me handle the XM1 with extra care. I only used it as video cam and seldom for playback deck.

The purchase price of my Hi8 is HK$9000 in 1996. The general high price at that time of video cams may push the sellers like Sony / Canon to put better stuff in their cam. Now everything has changed. Canon seems to have a factories elsewhere in the world whic are producing cheap components for Canon. Perhaps it is the way Canon keep the price low and quality so so?

I do not mean to hurt any company and I can only say that the life expendancy of seemingly durable cams can be much shorter than we expected.

Kenneth

I had 2 gl2s and I didn't even know this problem existed. I sold them both recently so it's nice reading this thread after the fact.

I only used them as decks a couple of times, but I mostly used my optura 10 as the deck. Heck, I have ran 1000s of drum hours on my canon optura 10 and it's been powered up for months now. I am waiting for it to die! lol

I just find it funny that canon created a pro camera with such a terrible deck and yet their consumer decks seem to be better quality? Again, after 2 years of owning and extensively using the gl2, I didn't even know this problem existed. It really makes me wonder why I never experienced it.


I actually had a pretty nice canon collection: optura10, gl1, gl2, xl1s, xl2, and even a ZR330 - never a problem once. Always used sony premium tape.

I didn't even know this problem existed. It really makes me wonder why I never experienced it.Well it's obvious that for you it was never a problem. For many people it was never a problem.

For those folks who do experience this problem, that's why factory service is available.

It's like anything else. Hundreds of thousands of people can own a product, and swear it is the best ever. However, if you happen to have one that goes bad, it is a major issue. This is where support either makes or breaks the company. I had an Asus MB with issues, even though everybody swears that Asus is a great product. I disagree, because I couldn't even get a response from their support, even after calling overseas to the Company itself. I have an HD100 that had issues. It was replaced with a new unit, and done so very quickly, which is working beautifully.

And my GL1 has never had the tape issue, just for the record. Been a very reliable little workhorse for the last 4 or 5 years.

My GL-1's been back to Canon service twice for the REMOVE CASSETTE issue and been fixed twice, once just out of warranty but liberal complaining saw that fix for free, and once a few days out of warranty on the repair and they charged me some $400 to replace quite a bit of stuff.

Well all was well in the world until recently. Now I'm sitting here typing this with a tape I shot over the weekend that refuses to play in the camera. The nice REMOVE CASSETTE message is blinking and I'm about ready to burn down Canon HQ....and maybe light a cigar with the flames on someone's back as they flee.

I'm certainly NEVER buying a Canon camcorder again. Perhaps it's time to sell this one and just switch to still photography! Heh.


EDIT: After some fiddling it appears to be a combination of tape and whatever governs the speed of the rewind/FF (the clutch I presume?). When my tapes hit a bad spot the camera's RW slows way down then cuts off with the REMOVE CASSETTE message.

Time for a rewinder? Would that retension my tapes correctly? It seems there's either tension or goo on the ribbon to blame and I don't think my "two pencils and a paperclip in my mouth" method of winding my tapes is helping matters.

Hi there,

I just bought a GL2 and am having the same problem with rewinding tapes and getting the evil "REMOVE THE CASSETTE" message -- not every time, fortunately, but just enough to piss me off.

I don't only get the message when I rewind, but when I turn the camera on and there is already a tape inside. I presume this is because the camera scrolls the tape a little at start-up to find the timecode, is that right? Can anyone clarify?

Thanks to all your suggestions I have tried some alcohol treatment (great instructional pic, BTW) and leaving the tape deck open over night and I had no problems with it yesterday. If it keeps up, I'll discipline it with some more alcohol.

I managed to get my cranky GL1 to work yesterday after doing the following...

- Took tape out each time it told me to, and manually rewound past the "bad spot"
- Rewound the tape in the camera all the way to the beginning (doing the above each time)
- Fast forwarded the tape to the end (doing the above a few less times)
- Rewound the tape from the very end to the beginning, this time successfully
- Alcohol lense cleaning solution on a q-tip to dab it on the big roller drum thinger (technical name) in the tape compartment
- Let it all dry with door open
- Insert tape and pray...

In the end there's a few spots on my tape that have been mangled but it looks like I can use the tape to continue filming and also capture most of the stuff I shot the other day.

I know I shouldn't do it, but I happened to leave the tape in the camera prior to this last bit of filming and I think that's the big trigger of these problems. Definitely need to keep the tapes out if not filming, and do my best to do very little shuttling of the tape in-camera either during filming or capture (I know I should have a dedicated capture deck/camera but I can't afford it).

As soon as I finish filming, OUT comes the tape - period! Rollers aren't getting hold of any tape or tape up against or not up against rollers - tape is well gone! AND I don;'t use it for shuttling tape or editing or reviewing.

Grazie is right about not using the camera as a deck and not shuttling back and forth. As far as removing tapes, that is probably a good idea too.

I had about 60 hours on my gl2 and never had a misfire of any kind. Then one afternoon I started shuttling back and forth to find a given spot and was having a hard time getting it right. Then the cassette error occured and it even held the tape inside.

I consider it my own stupidity.

the good part was I also convinced my wife that I needed a back up camera and we got an xl2 for back up.

Canon USA has issued in their website a faq about the "remove cassette" message.. here's the link for you.

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&keycode=2112&fcategoryid=227&modelid=7512

Has anyone else tried Cosmin's solution with the alcohol and clutch? It seems to have worked for him and some others. I have a GL2 arriving any day. Trying to head off problems before they arise.

Also is there a "best" tape I should stock up on? My GL2 is used and the previous owner said he used a variety.

I'm looking at a used GL2 that seems to be fine on everything except the fast rewind which produces the "Remove Casset" error. What is it worth in this condition.

Matt - I've used Fuji ever since the remove cassette error without a problem. But there again I never, ever rewind a cassette in my XM2 or use it as a playback machine - I've got an old JVC single CCD which I used for that.

I would avoid using the slightly longer tapes (I think they are Pannasonics) than 60mins as I was using one when the error occured. I wonder if the mechanism is so delicate that it can't cope with the strain ...

Richard - if you are not intending to rewind/forward tapes then you could be ok. But if the tape gets stuck inside - as it did with me - be prepared for expensive bills - it cost me the best part of 300UKP!

If I buy a GL2 new now should I worry about that cassette problem? It sounds like the ones having problems bought theres a while ago. If I use the same brand of tape as long as I have the camera should I really be worried? From what ive heard and seen it seems like the people who have this problem are a very small %age of those who own the camera. I guess ill have to hope im not in that %.

-Kyle

hey Kyle,
I just bought mine and because of all the cassette threads I've decided to pay $ 150.00 extra to have a five year warranty... Just in case.
I have a XL1-S that had the tape eject issue. The camera also was eating tape! I sent it to be repaired and payed around $ 250.00. Now, so far I haven't had any issue with my brand new GL2.

I have just paid HK$1200 to have the tape transport and zoom rocker repaired. Some parts have been replaced. It appeared to my XM1 after 4 years of use. They are like new. I knew many owners (Pana and Sony also, not just Canon) have experienced this problem. To prevent this, avoid rewind and fast forward tapes in your GL or XM. Do that in another cheap DV.

When there is tape or other problem to his camcorder, one would think of taking still photo instead.

I recorded the growth of my 2 daughters by both video and photo and family activities. Digital photo is great but there are something that cannot be best explained / recorded in still photos like the first walking of my baby daughter, her adventures in fun park, talkings during family trips and the birthday singings.

Camcorders are complicated machines and regular maintenance will make it work for years. I guess even the DVD and HD camcorders may still have their own problems.

As problems (tape error and zoom rocker) to my XM1 only occurs after 4 years of use, I believe, after advice from friends from this web site, it can last for 10+ years.

Kenneth

I am upset. I have read this exact thread before and thought well so far so good for I guess I just got a good one. Well today I will have to retract that statement.

I wanted to rewind a tape that I had and it said eject. It does it on every tap I put in. It also seems to hesitate when I open it and it is suppose to eject.

I called Cannon and pitched a fit. This is the only camera I own and I have a lot of work coming up. I can see a camera needing maintenance every once in a while like lens cleaning, etc but this seems to be a known issue with Cannon. It's all over this forum as well as others. I don't feel that I should be out of pocket for something like this. I have already called up and had my call escillated to the highest. I am suppose to get a call back Monday. Will see if that happens. Maybe if I came up there with all the other members on here with the same problem we could get this fixed :)

Anyway looks like I might have to send it in and pay some bucks but for now I am going to see what they offer me.