i used to browse through threads of users complaining about black bars appearing under the pictures. It didn't concern me either until I reinstalled the computer or sent my camera for a checkup to canon. So you recon I send the camera back? Did you all come up with a definite reason and/or solution to this?
Thanks in advance.
Takeshi

This flaw is inherent to the XL1S CCD block. (The XL1 has black bars on the left and right sides.) You will likely not gain anything by sending your camera back. I was pretty upset when I first realized it too--still am! As you probably remember, DVInfo.net Community members discussed this issue extensively last spring/summer. See http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1482 and http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1743.

Some users may consider this issue to be a flaw, but Canon does not; there is no fix or repair to be had and many other camcorder models exhibit this "feature" as well (such as the Sony VX1000). Sending the camera in to Canon service will not change anything as there is no modification available.

The black bars are at the edges of the frame and will not appear in the TV-safe area of any video monitor or television. You may see them on a computer screen, but never on a video monitor. If you're doing video for web delivery or any application which is viewed on a computer screen, Canon recommends cropping the image to the standard TV-safe area.

Although the XL1 and XL1S have this issue, the GL2 does not. Hope this helps,

I was just about to post on the board about this very same issue. It's said if the heads ever need aligning, it's within the first few weeks/months of use to fine-tune from the factory. I assumed I was one of the unfortunate individuals who would have had to send it in. But if nothing can be done about it, I'll just have to grit my teeth. It's quite upsetting, Canon's flagship camera having this annoying little glitch

My XL1s has a QF manufacturing stamp on it, so it's one of the newer manufactured cameras from this year, this 'feature' doesnt seem to have gone away :)

Is the post about a black bar UNDER the picture, or at each side?

I don't think the bar issue is totally based on the camera.

Read this post:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&postid=36292#post36292