GL2 Remove Cassette Error Fix

Cosmin Rotaru · October 14th, 2005, 02:45 PM

Hehe! typing late at night... I bet my english is better than your romanian! :)

I'm from Timisoara, actually.

"I try to keep the mechanism just going "forwards" "
aaa... so you have a miniDV VCR or another camcorder for playing tapes. I'd like that too, but I'm "financially chalanged", if that's a freeking expresion! :lol

Graham Bernard · October 15th, 2005, 03:45 AM

Hiyah Cosmin!

I do have a 2nd hand ( used ) Panasonic Deck. Takes big tapes too. As I say, there has to be a REALLY good reason why I would want to review on site - and no I don't have a miniTape deck to review on site .. . me too .. on the financially challenged thing - LOL! . .Your English is FAAaaarrr better than my Romanian . .

James Bright · October 15th, 2005, 11:26 AM

1. Buy a mini dv re winder
2. Buy a cheap camcorder so that you can use it whenever you are using a GL2/XM2 other than the shooting(editing/play back etc.).
3.Go for the tape less recording and editing.
These are some of the informations I have gathered from this site!

James Holtzman · November 26th, 2005, 11:58 PM

Cosmin:

I too have been plagued with the eject cassette problem. I suspected the same thing that you suggested, "backlash" in the tape caused by not enough tape tension. Your video proved it. I applied a couple drops of trichlorethylene (hard to get) on the white gear in the center of the drive, like your photo shows. I got an immediate result. I was able to rewind several tapes. Then the problem showed up again, a couple drops more, problem fixed. The next day, it happened a third time, many tapes later. A couple drops, and haven't had a problem since. I suspect that there is a friction surface under the white gear that either has a build-up of lubricant or some other matter. Cleaning it seems to solve the problem. YOU are the only one who has suggested this fix and it worked for me, so far. If it happens in the field, I always carry some lens cleaner, alcohol, so a couple drops will take care of the problem.

Why doesn't Canon tell us about this problem? Why do they just keep hitting customers up and sell them a new drive deck with the same potential problem?

Spread the word on this fix, it worked for me.

Jim - emptech@netzero.net

Nathaniel McInnes · January 8th, 2006, 08:40 AM

Hey people. I experienced the error yesterday while getting ready to shoot a party for a friend and while i was rewinding the tapes to see what to tape over and i got the message. this morning i went down to PC World in cardiff and luckely enough there was a Canon official. i asked about the problem and he said "there's nothing to worry about. 80% of people who get the message think there is a major problem with cassette drive but infact its caused by condensation. theres no point sending it in because there is nothing canon can do unless there is a problem with the drive. if you send it in. it will cost £40 for them to look at it and if there is a problem they will replace the drive for free or if it is under 1 year old they will completely replace the camera and give you vouchers. This message was only programed to come up if there was condensation detects. look at page 140 in your manual. if there is problem with the drive it usally come up saying cassette drive error" when i got this message it was very cold and there was condensation all over the lens and cassete drive.

Graham Bernard · January 8th, 2006, 08:46 AM

Bully for you Nat! Now where is Cosmin when yah needs him?

G

David Ennis · January 8th, 2006, 09:07 AM

Sounds plausible, and I'm a GL2 supporter, and I mean no offense to Nathaniel, but I'm quite sure that every Canon rep who spends time in the field has learned to dispense with this inquiry in an informal verbal fashion. My default response is to think "bullshit" until such time as Canon publishes a statement.

Nathaniel McInnes · January 8th, 2006, 02:14 PM

i got to agree with fred. i think some of that is bullshit

Jean-Francois Robichaud · January 8th, 2006, 02:33 PM

It is bullshit. There is a design flaw with this camcorder and Canon will not admit to it. If only condensation in 80% of the cases, then how come it does not occur as frequently with other camcorders? Why is it that the problem starts occurring more and more to the point where you can no longer use the camcorder?

Ian Stark · January 9th, 2006, 03:58 AM

Nathaniel, can you confirm something - did your guy at PC World say that the drive would be replaced for free if they find a problem, regardless of the age of the camera? My cam is out of warranty and, as you would expect, the problem started about eight seconds AFTER the warranty expired.

I have no doubt that the error is caused by condensation (I've experienced it in such conditions) but I'm not convinced this is the only cause and I tend to agree with other posters that suspect a design fault.

If Canon are offering free drive replacements then I'd like to sign up!

Don Palomaki · January 9th, 2006, 04:35 AM

A stiff casssette (one in which the tape mechanism is binding a bit and the tape does not spool freely) may also cause the message, as could a cefective cassette, or some foreign object in the tape path; e.g., a piece of label.

Condensation can also cause the message, and is a likely cause, especially if the camcorder just came from a cold location into a warm location.

Nathaniel McInnes · January 9th, 2006, 10:07 AM

the rep in pc world said they would fix it for free. but it costs £40 for them to look at it

Ian Stark · January 9th, 2006, 10:50 AM

Well that sounds like good value to me! I shall investigate further!

Thanks for the info.

Nathaniel McInnes · January 9th, 2006, 01:23 PM

as long it is in warrenty also if it is under 1 year old you got to take it back to the people you bought it from and then they have to replace it.

Bill Young · February 6th, 2006, 05:21 PM

My GL2 "Remove the Cassette" problem started in Dec 2005, It finally died Jan 15 2006. I was out of Warranty. I called Canon in Irvine Ca. and after several weeks they replaced the entire tape transporter mechanism. THey Charged me 62 USD and advised me this was a courtesy rate. I'm thinking to myself, there's a flaw here with all the postings in several DV and Video forums......(WTF about this courtesy rate). I got the camera back and seems to be working for "Now".
I might keep the research info I did on the Sony VX2100 just in case. I'm soured by this whole event even though in the end they did fix it and was never treated bad or disrespectful during the entire transaction/Event.
It's the principal of what I paid for what was suppose to be a relaible camera.

October 14th, 2005, 02:45 PM	#136
Cosmin Rotaru Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Romania, Timisoara Posts: 453	Hehe! typing late at night... I bet my english is better than your romanian! :) I'm from Timisoara, actually. "I try to keep the mechanism just going "forwards" " aaa... so you have a miniDV VCR or another camcorder for playing tapes. I'd like that too, but I'm "financially chalanged", if that's a freeking expresion! :lol __________________ Cosmin Rotaru

October 15th, 2005, 11:26 AM	#138
James Bright New Boot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 12	remedy for the remove cassette error. 1. Buy a mini dv re winder 2. Buy a cheap camcorder so that you can use it whenever you are using a GL2/XM2 other than the shooting(editing/play back etc.). 3.Go for the tape less recording and editing. These are some of the informations I have gathered from this site! Last edited by James Bright; October 15th, 2005 at 03:15 PM.

November 26th, 2005, 11:58 PM	#139
James Holtzman New Boot Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA USA Posts: 23	gl2 eject cassette problems Cosmin: I too have been plagued with the eject cassette problem. I suspected the same thing that you suggested, "backlash" in the tape caused by not enough tape tension. Your video proved it. I applied a couple drops of trichlorethylene (hard to get) on the white gear in the center of the drive, like your photo shows. I got an immediate result. I was able to rewind several tapes. Then the problem showed up again, a couple drops more, problem fixed. The next day, it happened a third time, many tapes later. A couple drops, and haven't had a problem since. I suspect that there is a friction surface under the white gear that either has a build-up of lubricant or some other matter. Cleaning it seems to solve the problem. YOU are the only one who has suggested this fix and it worked for me, so far. If it happens in the field, I always carry some lens cleaner, alcohol, so a couple drops will take care of the problem. Why doesn't Canon tell us about this problem? Why do they just keep hitting customers up and sell them a new drive deck with the same potential problem? Spread the word on this fix, it worked for me. Jim - emptech@netzero.net

January 8th, 2006, 08:40 AM	#140
Nathaniel McInnes Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Taffs well, Wales Posts: 190	remove cassette error Hey people. I experienced the error yesterday while getting ready to shoot a party for a friend and while i was rewinding the tapes to see what to tape over and i got the message. this morning i went down to PC World in cardiff and luckely enough there was a Canon official. i asked about the problem and he said "there's nothing to worry about. 80% of people who get the message think there is a major problem with cassette drive but infact its caused by condensation. theres no point sending it in because there is nothing canon can do unless there is a problem with the drive. if you send it in. it will cost £40 for them to look at it and if there is a problem they will replace the drive for free or if it is under 1 year old they will completely replace the camera and give you vouchers. This message was only programed to come up if there was condensation detects. look at page 140 in your manual. if there is problem with the drive it usally come up saying cassette drive error" when i got this message it was very cold and there was condensation all over the lens and cassete drive.

January 8th, 2006, 09:07 AM	#142
David Ennis Fred Retread Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 1,227	Sounds plausible, and I'm a GL2 supporter, and I mean no offense to Nathaniel, but I'm quite sure that every Canon rep who spends time in the field has learned to dispense with this inquiry in an informal verbal fashion. My default response is to think "bullshit" until such time as Canon publishes a statement. __________________ "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence..." - Calvin Coolidge "My brain is wired to want to know how other things are wired." - Me

October 15th, 2005, 03:45 AM	#137
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Hiyah Cosmin! I do have a 2nd hand ( used ) Panasonic Deck. Takes big tapes too. As I say, there has to be a REALLY good reason why I would want to review on site - and no I don't have a miniTape deck to review on site .. . me too .. on the financially challenged thing - LOL! . .Your English is FAAaaarrr better than my Romanian . .

January 8th, 2006, 08:46 AM	#141
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Bully for you Nat! Now where is Cosmin when yah needs him? G

January 8th, 2006, 02:14 PM	#143
Nathaniel McInnes Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Taffs well, Wales Posts: 190	i got to agree with fred. i think some of that is bullshit

January 8th, 2006, 02:33 PM	#144
Jean-Francois Robichaud Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 142	It is bullshit. There is a design flaw with this camcorder and Canon will not admit to it. If only condensation in 80% of the cases, then how come it does not occur as frequently with other camcorders? Why is it that the problem starts occurring more and more to the point where you can no longer use the camcorder? __________________ JF Robichaud

January 9th, 2006, 03:58 AM	#145
Ian Stark Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,237	Nathaniel, can you confirm something - did your guy at PC World say that the drive would be replaced for free if they find a problem, regardless of the age of the camera? My cam is out of warranty and, as you would expect, the problem started about eight seconds AFTER the warranty expired. I have no doubt that the error is caused by condensation (I've experienced it in such conditions) but I'm not convinced this is the only cause and I tend to agree with other posters that suspect a design fault. If Canon are offering free drive replacements then I'd like to sign up! __________________ www.vit-media.com www.classicmachinefilms.co.uk

January 9th, 2006, 04:35 AM	#146
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	A stiff casssette (one in which the tape mechanism is binding a bit and the tape does not spool freely) may also cause the message, as could a cefective cassette, or some foreign object in the tape path; e.g., a piece of label. Condensation can also cause the message, and is a likely cause, especially if the camcorder just came from a cold location into a warm location. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

January 9th, 2006, 10:07 AM	#147
Nathaniel McInnes Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Taffs well, Wales Posts: 190	the rep in pc world said they would fix it for free. but it costs £40 for them to look at it

January 9th, 2006, 10:50 AM	#148
Ian Stark Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,237	Well that sounds like good value to me! I shall investigate further! Thanks for the info. __________________ www.vit-media.com www.classicmachinefilms.co.uk

January 9th, 2006, 01:23 PM	#149
Nathaniel McInnes Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Taffs well, Wales Posts: 190	as long it is in warrenty also if it is under 1 year old you got to take it back to the people you bought it from and then they have to replace it.

February 6th, 2006, 05:21 PM	#150
Bill Young Tourist Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1	Tape Transporter replaced My GL2 "Remove the Cassette" problem started in Dec 2005, It finally died Jan 15 2006. I was out of Warranty. I called Canon in Irvine Ca. and after several weeks they replaced the entire tape transporter mechanism. THey Charged me 62 USD and advised me this was a courtesy rate. I'm thinking to myself, there's a flaw here with all the postings in several DV and Video forums......(WTF about this courtesy rate). I got the camera back and seems to be working for "Now". I might keep the research info I did on the Sony VX2100 just in case. I'm soured by this whole event even though in the end they did fix it and was never treated bad or disrespectful during the entire transaction/Event. It's the principal of what I paid for what was suppose to be a relaible camera.