Canon camcorders and non-Canon decks - is there a final answer?

Richard Alvarez · September 1st, 2005, 05:59 PM

Zach,

I use panny tapes now. I've used Fujiis in the past. Never used Sony tapes... once, when we sent the xl1 in for servicing, Canon SPECIFICALLY ASKED ME "Are you using Sony tapes? Because that can be a problem".

Don't know what to tell you my friend. There is some sense to the reasoning that a tape plays better on the heads it recorded from. The idea being that any 'misalignment' will match up correctly and therefore play back. The problem with re-aligning heads on a machine, is the tapes that were recorded before the correction, often fail to play back after the correction. Catch-22.

Zach Mull · September 1st, 2005, 06:57 PM

Richard,
That is EXACTLY what I needed you to tell me. I wanted to blame the Canon cameras, and it looks like my problem is the tapes. I still think head realignment is an unlikely cause because I can switch tapes between cameras, and the Sony tapes are the only constant between my dropped frame experiences with the different decks and cameras. I think once we run out our stock of Sony tapes, which is unfortunately enough to last us a couple of months, I will run head cleaners and try the Panasonics. Thanks again.

Richard Alvarez · September 1st, 2005, 07:09 PM

Zach...

WHOA buddy... I wouldn't take my comment as the answer. I suspect that the problem is 'overdetermined.' A little bit of this, a little bit of that...

Yes, Canon advised me against using SONY tapes. You won't find that in print anywhere however, and I suspect that there are XL2 shooters on this board that shoot with them. (I won't)

Yes, misaligned heads will cause problems when tapes are played on different machines.

Yes, more expensive machines have more exacting tollerances. It's funny, but sometimes a DVD I burn will not play on an expensive Sony player, but plays fine on the 29 dollar off-brand. This was explained to me as the cheaper player have 'looser tollerances' than the more expensive one. Same thing can happen in decks.

Give one of your Canon's a good head cleaning. Run a Panny tape through it, lots of different stuff on it. Then check for dropped frames. All you've got to loose is the price of a single panny tape. (I use the AY-DVM63PQ)

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Zach Mull · September 1st, 2005, 08:06 PM

OK, I did get a little excited there. But changing tapes is the first thing I've heard that sounds like it's definitely worth trying. It was hard for me to imagine that Canon could be incompatible with everything else, but it's not hard for me to imagine that Sony tapes are incompatible with Canon.

Mathieu Ghekiere · September 2nd, 2005, 04:33 AM

I already ran some dozen tapes in my XL1s, always Sony Exellence, never had a problem. The owner before me used them too, never had a problem too.

September 1st, 2005, 05:59 PM	#16
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Zach, I use panny tapes now. I've used Fujiis in the past. Never used Sony tapes... once, when we sent the xl1 in for servicing, Canon SPECIFICALLY ASKED ME "Are you using Sony tapes? Because that can be a problem". Don't know what to tell you my friend. There is some sense to the reasoning that a tape plays better on the heads it recorded from. The idea being that any 'misalignment' will match up correctly and therefore play back. The problem with re-aligning heads on a machine, is the tapes that were recorded before the correction, often fail to play back after the correction. Catch-22.

September 1st, 2005, 06:57 PM	#17
Zach Mull Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 273	Richard, That is EXACTLY what I needed you to tell me. I wanted to blame the Canon cameras, and it looks like my problem is the tapes. I still think head realignment is an unlikely cause because I can switch tapes between cameras, and the Sony tapes are the only constant between my dropped frame experiences with the different decks and cameras. I think once we run out our stock of Sony tapes, which is unfortunately enough to last us a couple of months, I will run head cleaners and try the Panasonics. Thanks again.

September 1st, 2005, 07:09 PM	#18
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Zach... WHOA buddy... I wouldn't take my comment as the answer. I suspect that the problem is 'overdetermined.' A little bit of this, a little bit of that... Yes, Canon advised me against using SONY tapes. You won't find that in print anywhere however, and I suspect that there are XL2 shooters on this board that shoot with them. (I won't) Yes, misaligned heads will cause problems when tapes are played on different machines. Yes, more expensive machines have more exacting tollerances. It's funny, but sometimes a DVD I burn will not play on an expensive Sony player, but plays fine on the 29 dollar off-brand. This was explained to me as the cheaper player have 'looser tollerances' than the more expensive one. Same thing can happen in decks. Give one of your Canon's a good head cleaning. Run a Panny tape through it, lots of different stuff on it. Then check for dropped frames. All you've got to loose is the price of a single panny tape. (I use the AY-DVM63PQ) Good luck, and keep us posted.

September 1st, 2005, 08:06 PM	#19
Zach Mull Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 273	OK, I did get a little excited there. But changing tapes is the first thing I've heard that sounds like it's definitely worth trying. It was hard for me to imagine that Canon could be incompatible with everything else, but it's not hard for me to imagine that Sony tapes are incompatible with Canon.

September 2nd, 2005, 04:33 AM	#20
Mathieu Ghekiere Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,195	I already ran some dozen tapes in my XL1s, always Sony Exellence, never had a problem. The owner before me used them too, never had a problem too.