Page 18 of the GL2 manual says "do not leave the cassette in the camcorder after use.....". Why is this? I have never had to do this with other camcorders (Hi-8 or Digital 8).

This is for protection of the sensitive heads in your camera and
also to protect your tape. If you leave it there long you can
leave some stuff behing that you do not want on your heads.
Every camera that uses tape has this "feature". Some just do
not tell you about it.

I thought the camera unloaded the tape from the head when in "stop" mode, or is it left there and just the head stops rotating? VHS and Hi-8 actually retract the tape in stop mode, does mini-DV not do this? Does Canon really mean I have to remove the tape from the camera every day?

Well.. that is what I remember. I could be wrong ofcourse. I know
there was a discussion here on this board last year about the
same things and most people in the know agreed that you should
remove the tape if you want to avoid problems.

Why would you want to leave it in? I feel safer if it stored in its
little case in a safe place than in my camera. As soon as my shoot
is over I rewind the tape, remove it and put it in a safe spot
(even when travelling from location back to the place the gear is
stored). Unless I would have to do that in the rain or something
ofcourse :)

And, yes, Canon is serious. Why would you not go through this
minor thing to better take care of your expensive camera! This
is not a cheap device! You paid hard bucks for it. It deserves
all the care in the world, at least mine does.

I hope someone else in the know will chime in and tell you a little
bit more about the hows and why's.

This is the thread (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3042&highlight=leave+tape+in) Rob is referring to.

Thanks so much for finding that, Jeff! Much appreciated.

Thanks Jeff and Rob, but this only makes sense if the tape remains threaded when the camera is turned off. I think the motor noise heard when going in and out of standby is the tape being retracted - I may be wrong. Does anyone know if the tape remains threaded when the camera is turned off?

Slack in the tape can develop wether the tape is threaded on the heads or not. I use to own a large video production company and we had a consumer division that did video repairs. We removed probably 100's of tapes that got stuck because of slack in the tape. When the camera is turned off, the tape is not fully retracted into the cassette shell. It is not on the heads, either. The tape is only fully retracted when the eject button is pressed. By leaving the tape exposed, you also subject the tape to greater risk of contamination (dropouts) from outside sources. In my line of work it is not worth the risk. However, for some, the risk is justified (news people, etc.).

I'm doing something in between. If I'm using the GL2 (or any of my camcorders) regularly, meaning more than once a week, I leave the tape in and the battery on. If I'm not sure when I'll pick it up again, I take out the tape and remove the battery.

I like leaving the tape in place because it helps eliminate time code problems.

I remove tape if not shooting the next day. It is the safe thing to do.

Hi!
I am a new user of XM2 (cca 1 month) and my problem is: during recordig EJECT starts to flash and REMOVE THE CASSETTE. I remove the tape and insert it again, but I get the same message again. I tried to use different tape (the same brand/type) but no success. I read (in the manual) about safety mechanism that protects the tape (f.e. agains humidity). Is my problem connected to tapes? I use FUJI tapes. Well... when I bought the camcorder I used SONY tapes, later I switched to FUJI. I read some posts that FUJI is the best, but I didnt have this problem while using SONYs. What should I do? Should I use the cleaner? Btw, I dont intend to mix the tapes any more, if maybe this would be the cause of the problem.
Hope you can help me. Thank you in advance.

This is just my guess, Anton. But I don't think your problem has much to do with your tape brand. I suspect that there may be something wrong with the threading mechanism of your tape transport. Did you recently purchase this camera new? If so, it may be worth exchanging it for a new unit.

Another possible cause of the eject icon is if the tape is tight; i.e., too much drag in the play process. This could be caused by a problem cassette. Try some of your older tapes that worked before, (a Sony tape?) again, see if it also has the problem?

If known good tapes have the probelm as well, the taep tension sensitng stuff probably needs adjustment. If it is just one or two tapes, try FF and RW the tapes, see if this solves the problem.

With resepct to a few problem tapes, try them in other MiniDV machines. If they play OK, the XM2 may need adjustmet. Send a problem tape in with it so Canon service has a sample of the problem.

Thank you both. You helped a lot. I tried a Sony tape and it worked ok. Maybe I bought bad Fujis? I also tried to rewind the Fuji tape by hand - the tape mechanism was stucked, jammed. On all (10) Fuji tapes! Anyway my XM2 now works OK... on Sony's tapes :-)
In case of any new problems (hope not) I know where to find help. Thanks again.

You should have cleaned your tapes once or twice before switching tape brands. If Sony wasn't giving you problems, you should have stuck with with them. Fuji tapes are "dry," Sony tapes were always "wet," although Sony may have some "dry" ones now, don't know for sure.

http://www.dvfreak.com/tape.htm

Also, no matter what type of tape you use, if you shoot under humid conditions, the heads/tape will give you problems. Solution: take the tape out and let the cam and tape sit in a dry place for a couple of hours.

I second the comment about humidity causing problems. Just returned from Jamaica where I shot a wedding (Not by choice, it was my brother-in-laws!, how does this always happen?). Hotel room was nice and cool and the humidity was reasonable due to the AC. As soon as I walked outside (where the wedding was being held) I would get the "EJECT TAPE" warning. Solved the problem by removing the tape and GENTLY warming the drive/heads and the tape with a blow dryer. Also hit the lens just to prevent it from fogging up. New experience for me since here in Flagstaff today the humidity is 7%. Not sure this is something I would want to do on a regular basis but it worked.

> ...I also tried to rewind the Fuji tape by hand - the tape mechanism was stucked, jammed. On all (10) Fuji tapes!...

Are you sure? The tape reels are "locked" by an automatic reel-lock mechanism when the tape is not loaded in a camcorder.

<<<-- Originally posted by Don Palomaki : > ...I also tried to rewind the Fuji tape by hand - the tape mechanism was stucked, jammed. On all (10) Fuji tapes!...

Are you sure? The tape reels are "locked" by an automatic reel-lock mechanism when the tape is not loaded in a camcorder. -->>>

Yes, I am sure. There is a little knob (I dont know which other word could I use) in the middle of the cassette - I pushed that knob and turned the weel of the cassette. And it really was blocked and hard to move - the tape started to squeal, but after a few turns it went on smoothly.

And like Rob, it happend on a wedding to me too. Moving from car with AC to the sun, shooting outside, moving to hotel with AC... No wonder! But now I know: essential equipment includes blow dryer.
Thank you all for your help.

My GL2 refuses to rewind tapes now. last week I had the REMOVE CASSETTE error occur once when I tried to rewind a tape. I didnt think it was a big deal because I removed the tape and it worked fine after that. However, now It won't even rewind. It will give me the error each time before it even gets going. Anyone know why this is happening?

The heads have been cleaned recently... and for those of you who are against using the GL2 as a VCR: I am too, but my cheapo JVC camera just died on me, so I had to use the GL2 for the time being.

A quick search yielded:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21441
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10881
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=161
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13713
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16081
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28494

What is the best way to solve this problem. My camera is paralyzed!! I did a search on the subject but nothing useful in my case. I don't want to have to send my camera to NEw jersey for a big buck repair I don't have to. Its only 13 months old. Thanks in advance.

I don't understand what your issue is. Can you explain in detail what you're trying to do?

I'm afraid you'll have to send camera to service...feel sorry for you.

THis message appears every time i place a cassette in the camera. Any easy things that could be wrong to correct the problem?

From your post I can't tell what you are experiencing or which camera you have. However, before sending you camera off to repair, you might try pushing the reset button. If you have a GL1, open the LCD. Among the buttons in the recessed area you will set a small reset button. Use a pen or other small object to push the reset button. My GL2 is at home so I cannot verify if the button is in the same location, but it probably is. There is just a chance the reset button will get you going again.

Chris,

Just out of curiosity, what brand of tapes are you using? Some people have a theory that the Sony tapes are more likely to cause this problem....

Keep us updated on any solutions you might find. And if you end up sending it to Jersey, let us know how much it costs to fix. I know some people are trying to get together a class-action lawsuit about this issue, but I doubt it'll happen.

FYI: my camera does the same thing. It records fine, but can't rewind or fast forward through tapes. I've just started using a cheapo camera for playback, since I don't have the time between projects to send the GL2 in for repair.

Good luck!
Ryan

Its a GL2 and yes i have used nothing but SONY premium tapes since day one, I have cleaned the heads not that long ago but that did no seem to help. I even got "remove the cassette" recently when i put the head cleaning tape in. Damn this sucks!!

i will try the reset button tonight!

Well, it sounds like you better send in the camera for repair. I have had this message as well and I could just eject the tape, put it in again and it worked again. That happenend several times, even after cleaning the heads. Then suddenly the tape got eaten, damaged.
Then I did not trust anymore my camera and I read here about this problem and I send it in. Service was very good and within 2 weeks I got my camera back, fully functional again. I have no what they repaired since I cannot understand the repair codes and I cannnot find them on internet.
By the way, I was using only JVC tapes and my camera got this problem after about 14 months. Well actually it does not matter when the problems starts, not everyone is using the camera as much as others do.
For your information, the repair cost me about $160
Hope your problems get solved soon

Just got my camera back after it's second time in for repair. It most definetly is nothing to do with the brand of tape you are using.
1st repair NZ$155 (after only 5 tapes use),
2nd repair NZ$420 after only 3 more tape put thru, 8 tapes use since new! (haggled down from more than $500).
The second time they replaced the tape carriage recorder unit.
Talk about annoying!!

where is this reset button on the GL2.....or is there even one, i dont see it!

After readding subsequent replies, I doubt a reset button would be of much use for your probelm. On a GL1, the reset button is in the recessed area in which the LCD closes. I could not find a reset button on my GL2 or in the manual. However, unlike the GL1, the GL2 gives you access to the memory battery in the recessed area in which the LCD closes. Just remove the battery. I assume removing the battery will reset the GL2 to factory defaults in the same manner that a reset button on a GL1 works.

Sent my camera in for repair to the factory. Took about 2 weeks turnaround got a bill for 412 dollars. All that was sent on the invocie was
Labor= 400$
tax 12 $
Fine grit and sand throughout.
Not sure how any sand would have gotten in my camera as i baby it severely.
Well, at least it got fixed although at a substantial cost in my opinion with no real good explination of what was actually done.

The remove the cassette message is very common with these camera's and I don't think a consumer could be thought wrong to expect better performance out of a 3000$ peice of equipment.

Great service from the factory, costly though. Will probably try the another camera with my next purchase. we will see how long this repair holds up.

Last weekend i was shooting some stuff, and this message appeared while rewinding the tape. Next day my XM2 was rewinding same tapes without any problems. I went to Canon service, they inspected the camera and found - nothing. It seems very strange. BTW, one of my friends who is working there said that this is most comon issue with XM2 (I know this from this forum) and it is caused by faulty motor drive. Anyone experienced this ?

I have just contracted the not-so-rare "Remove the Cassette" disease. Like others, my GL2 is immaculate and has had the best of care. I am usually the do-it-yourself type, and would rather find a way to fix my cam than have it gone for a week or shell out > $250.

So far, the best suggestion that I've seen as to how to remedy the transport problem is by gently tugging at the guide drums in the cassette mechanism. Doesn't really help.

I haven't seen a good explanation of what causes this problem. Some say bent drums/pins, but that seems unlikely since they're spring-mounted.

It seems to me that a problem that can occur so suddenly, and without any apparent wear on the cam, should be solvable without replacing the whole tape transport mechanism.

Let's collect knowledge about the problem and see if there is a way for us to crack open our cams and fix 'em for free!

If you have had your cam fixed and been given useful information about what was wrong, or if you've encountered the error due to a specific accident or event, or especially if you have camera repair experience, post your snippets of knowledge!

It's worth a try...

Harper

I've experienced famous problem two weeks ago with my XM2. Day after cam worked like charm... No explanation. Service guy told me that it is a fault in motor drive, but he didn't talk to much about the problem. It's really a shame for company like Canon to have this type and ammount of same problem. People who buy XM/GL's are mostly experienced users, or wants to move from their consumer cams to something better. Which irritates me most is the fact that I've also worked a lot with VX2000 which was very heavy used, and never have any problem for almoust 3 yrs.

I know this is an old issue and this may have already been suggested. Apologies if that's the case.

It isn't a fix to the problem, and I suspect it isn't particularly good for the camera in the long term, but if you are desperate to rewind a tape but keep suffering from the Remove Cassette problem (as I am, as of this weekend), it is possible to 'preview-rewind', ie Play and Rewind.

It's interesting to note that one suggested cause is changing tape brand. I was recently given 20 JVC M-DV60ME tapes (having previously used only Sony DVM60's). I have shot about 6 hours on these new tapes and now the problem has occured. Also interesting was that it occurred first when I rewound a tape on the XM2 that I had recorded in a different camera (a JVC).

Sadly, I'm out of warranty and I have a number of paying jobs over the next few weeks, otherwise it would be in for repair.

As others have said, it's a bit worrying that this problem seems to be so common.

Would anyone be interested in taking part in a survey ('I have/have not had the Remove Cassette problem' kind of thing). I can set one up at Survey Monkey (I have an account) and post a link here.

I don't know if it will get the problem resolved but I'm sure we could send the results back to Canon to see if there's a response.

If you think it's a good idea, let me know what sort of questions would be useful (eg date/place of purchase, when problem first noticed etc)

Ian . . .

Not really a solution, but I have some questions regarding this issue. I suppose prevention is the best way to solve this problem, if possible.

Usually how long does it take until your GL2 'contracts' the disease? I own mine for 6 months and haven't had any problems whatsoever.

Did any of you guys push the tape mechanism on the wrong spot, even if just a single time? (Not where it says 'push here')

Did you always use the same brand of tapes?

Dave,

Mine is about 16 - 18 months old and the symptoms started last weekend. I have never pushed in the wrong place (and I am the only person who has ever used the cam) but I have recently used a different tape brand (see my earlier post).

Ian . . .

I bought my GL2 in early June 2004 and by mid-January 2005 began getting the problems. I'm not so sure it's a time thing as hours logged. I shoot an average of once a week.

My workaround has been to let the camcorder sit powered on with the tape in it. I found that if I get the Remove error message, I'll eject, put it back in and let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes (I don't keep track - I just do something else then come back to it), it will usually rewind all the way back to the beginning or close to it.

4 tapes from new, using Sony tapes. It went back again with the same problem after 3 more tapes run thru'. 2nd time they replaced the tape mechanism.
Am waiting for the next failure............................

light use and had mine for about 16 months before i got the dreaded disease! argggg. it sucks when you see the "remove the cassette" This is a known problem and deserves a class action law suit. I just paid 400$

This sounds like very bad news to any GL2 users like myself... I wonder if anyone has owned GL2 for over 2 years without having the problem?

Ian and Chris say 16 months, David says 6, Colin says 4 tapes... It seems to be random, or maybe to do with the amount of usage of the deck. Either way I'm starting to think of selling mine. :(

I've been using my FireStore FS-4 to reduce the need to rewind significantly. I only rewind after laying black on a tape. Otherwise, I just use the FireStore unit for immediate playback.

I've also been transferring my tapes to the FireStore, which automatically segments the video into 2GB pieces and then burning the chunks off on data DVDs.

My Maxell tape rewinder give somes insight into an issue that can't help but be related to the GL2 failures. The issue is variation in mechanical drag in the cassette mechanism.

My rewinder's motor turns off when the tape is fully rewound by detecting the sudden refusal of the supply spool to turn. But it also turns off when the resistance to turning is high. As a result, some of my tapes, maybe 10%, are really a pain to rewind with this device because they have so much drag that the device keeps turning off. I have to press the start button dozens of times to get it rewound. I throw these tapes away. I have found offending tapes in the Panasonic, Fuji and Sony brands.

Cassettes such as these will challenge the GL2's apparently frail rewinding mechanism, and certainly be a factor in the "if" and "when" of a particular GL2's failure if the failure mode is mechanical.

Fred, that's very interesting. Do you suppose a return to the non-offending tape brand would be a case of closing the gate after the horse has bolted? In other words, would you imagine the damage has already been done?

Ian . . .

Continuing the idea that the brand of tape may be a factor in this problem. I have used perhaps 100 tapes over the past 2 years without (so far, fingers crossed) a single incident. I use exclusively TDK tapes.

Ian, I don't know about that since I have used the Maxell rewinder almost exclusively since I've had my GL2.

Fred, just bought one! I was expecting a ridiculously high price but for £13 it looks like you can't go wrong. I imagine Maxell will sell one or two more to other people reading this thread!

Thanks for the heads up.

Ian . . .

Hi all.

I have my XM2 for over 2 years. In this period I had the "zoom issue" which I solved by cleaning and eventually changing the zoom rocker (some of you might have seen the pics on this board, with my camcorder open to pieces).
Also, once in a while I get the "remove tape" issue. Like yesterday: ANY type I would try to rewind would give the message. The message appears when the tape is close to full rewind. Like minute 20 or closer to zero. For a short fraction of time before the message, the time code would show "-:--:--:--" like the camcorder looses the signal from the tape or something. While rewinding, as you get closer to the begining of the tape, the speed of the tape will increase making it harder for the heads to read the time code on the tape.
In my case the solution is simple: make sure the inside of the tape compartment is dry.
You see, every time I get back from a job (I doo weddings) I leave the camcorder with the tape compartment opened over the night (I put a cloth over the camcorder so dust won't get inside). I also have a big bag of silica stuff or what it is called (that absorbs humidity) that I put closer to the cam.
The night before yesterday I was to tired and forgot the cam into its bag (coming back from a wedding in the morning). Yesterday when I wanted to capture the tapes, I opened the bag and it smelled like an ashtray in there... I got the "remove tape" stuff with ALL tapes. I left the camcorder to dry over the night and this morning I could NOT reproduce the "remove tape" problem...

Long boring post, ha?! :)