XL2 won't recognize footage anymore?! at DVinfo.net

Corey Aumiller · January 19th, 2007, 05:28 PM

Hey all, I don't know what to do with this, I'm pretty sure I'll have to send to the manufacturer, but thought I'd ask for advice here first.

I have owned an XL2 for over a year and a half, and up until yesterday it worked fine. Today when I plugged it into the computer to capture footage, nothing showed up, no time code, no video, nothing. I thought it was a computer issue, so I unplugged the firewire, ejected the tape, took out the camera battery, then put it and the tape back in. When I tried to play the tape on VCR mode, nothing.

I put in another tape. nothing.

I put in a new tape, recorded 10 seconds of footage. When I switched to VCR mode, it showed the time code, but I rewound to view, and the time code disappeared. No footage, no TC.

What the hell happened to my camera??

EDIT:: Sorry... it was dirty heads. A good cleaning made everything come back (imagine that!). Sorry to waste everyone's time.

Lou Bruno · January 20th, 2007, 02:57 PM

Actually you did not waste anybody's time. This is a good learning experience and reinforces the need to account for dirty heads first... even for the professional.

David Clark · January 21st, 2007, 10:16 PM

A good idea too, if you don't already do this, is to always use the same brand of tape. Mixing different brands can cause head clogs, due to different lubricants used. BTW, I just cleaned my heads, thank you.

Travis McMunn · January 22nd, 2007, 01:47 AM

I had the same problem with my Xl2 about 3 months ago. Canon said I had dirty heads. Before I shipped the camera to Canon I tried to clean the heads myself with a head cleaning tape but it did nothing, and Canon had to clean it professionally. I think it happened because I started to use 3 different brands of tape at the same time. But it works fine now.

Corey Aumiller · January 22nd, 2007, 06:38 PM

Good to know I'm not the only one with this problem. I think the main problem is that I use my XL2 as my capture camera... that's a lot of extra use. I've never switched tape brands though. Guess I should invest in a cheap capture device?

EDIT: By the way, Travis, how much did that head cleaning cost? I'm thinking it might be a good idea to just ship it in if its not an arm and a leg.

Travis McMunn · January 22nd, 2007, 07:02 PM

My camera was under warranty, so it cost nothing except the $20 to ship it to Canon. So I have no idea how much it would cost.

Matthew Jackson · February 16th, 2007, 03:00 PM

It's always good to post stuff like this! I've had my XL2 since October, and shoot outdoors with a kata cover on, and have experienced the same thing... HEAD CLEANER! nice to see similar stuff here.

Nick Royer · April 17th, 2007, 10:31 PM

Someone told me today that they were getting the heads cleaned on their XL1, and it cost around $200 to $300. I'm not sure about that though.

Adam Bray · April 18th, 2007, 07:20 PM

How often should you run a cleaner through it? Instructions say don't do it "more than needed"...whatever that is?

Corey Aumiller · April 22nd, 2007, 12:02 PM

update: i ended up sending the camera to canon because the head cleaning didn't solve the trick for too long. it was a 300 dollar repair, but i got all new heads and parts so essentially i've got a new camera. using your primary camera as a capture device puts way too many hours on it!

Robert Acosta · April 27th, 2007, 09:32 AM

What brand or type of head cleaner would be the "best" for maintaining my cam?

Adam Bray · April 27th, 2007, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Acosta

What brand or type of head cleaner would be the "best" for maintaining my cam?

I use Panasonic tapes. And also use a Panasonic head cleaner.

Melanie Pake · May 14th, 2007, 10:15 PM

Hi. We purchased a 2nd hand XL2 two years ago and have used it since. It was used for shooting and capture. We have used 4 different tape brands and a TDK Head Cleaner. We've cleaned the head but the tape eject sign still appears. We believe the camera should be put to service. How many hours of use can the XL2 heads take before they need to be serviced? Also, what is the best recommended brand of tape and head cleaner to use on the XL2? Do we need a certain head cleaner for the XLH1?

Robert Acosta · May 15th, 2007, 06:46 AM

Adam, Thanks for the reply. I was also wondering what a good "cheap" capture device would be and how much it might cost?

Jarrod Whaley · May 16th, 2007, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Acosta

I was also wondering what a good "cheap" capture device would be and how much it might cost?

If cheap is what you're going for (and I can't blame you), then pick up the cheapest, most consumer-type mini-DV cam you can find (you can even get an old crappy used one if you like, and more likely than not it'll be just fine as a capture deck). If you're just using it as a deck, then it doesn't matter what the camera section can or can't do, functionality-wise. Since digital data is digital data, and because the DV format is so standardized, even widescreen 24p XL2 footage played back from a $300 handycam will look every bit as good as it does when played from the XL2, and the pulldown and 16:9 flag will remain intact. You'll save a lot of wear on your XL2's heads, and if the cheapo capture camera ever dies, you can just get another one.

January 19th, 2007, 05:28 PM	#1
Corey Aumiller Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 44	XL2 won't recognize footage anymore?! Hey all, I don't know what to do with this, I'm pretty sure I'll have to send to the manufacturer, but thought I'd ask for advice here first. I have owned an XL2 for over a year and a half, and up until yesterday it worked fine. Today when I plugged it into the computer to capture footage, nothing showed up, no time code, no video, nothing. I thought it was a computer issue, so I unplugged the firewire, ejected the tape, took out the camera battery, then put it and the tape back in. When I tried to play the tape on VCR mode, nothing. I put in another tape. nothing. I put in a new tape, recorded 10 seconds of footage. When I switched to VCR mode, it showed the time code, but I rewound to view, and the time code disappeared. No footage, no TC. What the hell happened to my camera?? EDIT:: Sorry... it was dirty heads. A good cleaning made everything come back (imagine that!). Sorry to waste everyone's time. Last edited by Corey Aumiller; January 19th, 2007 at 05:59 PM.

January 20th, 2007, 02:57 PM	#2
Lou Bruno Go Cycle Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 815	Actually you did not waste anybody's time. This is a good learning experience and reinforces the need to account for dirty heads first... even for the professional. __________________ Lou Bruno

January 22nd, 2007, 06:38 PM	#5
Corey Aumiller Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 44	Thanks! Good to know I'm not the only one with this problem. I think the main problem is that I use my XL2 as my capture camera... that's a lot of extra use. I've never switched tape brands though. Guess I should invest in a cheap capture device? EDIT: By the way, Travis, how much did that head cleaning cost? I'm thinking it might be a good idea to just ship it in if its not an arm and a leg.

April 17th, 2007, 10:31 PM	#8
Nick Royer Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Posts: 133	Someone told me today that they were getting the heads cleaned on their XL1, and it cost around $200 to $300. I'm not sure about that though. __________________ Sincerely, Nick Royer

April 27th, 2007, 09:32 AM	#11
Robert Acosta Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bflo, USA Posts: 64	Head Cleanners? What brand or type of head cleaner would be the "best" for maintaining my cam?

January 21st, 2007, 10:16 PM	#3
David Clark Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Carrollton, Texas Posts: 145	A good idea too, if you don't already do this, is to always use the same brand of tape. Mixing different brands can cause head clogs, due to different lubricants used. BTW, I just cleaned my heads, thank you.

January 22nd, 2007, 01:47 AM	#4
Travis McMunn New Boot Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Posts: 10	I had the same problem with my Xl2 about 3 months ago. Canon said I had dirty heads. Before I shipped the camera to Canon I tried to clean the heads myself with a head cleaning tape but it did nothing, and Canon had to clean it professionally. I think it happened because I started to use 3 different brands of tape at the same time. But it works fine now.

January 22nd, 2007, 07:02 PM	#6
Travis McMunn New Boot Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Posts: 10	My camera was under warranty, so it cost nothing except the $20 to ship it to Canon. So I have no idea how much it would cost.

February 16th, 2007, 03:00 PM	#7
Matthew Jackson Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 92	It's always good to post stuff like this! I've had my XL2 since October, and shoot outdoors with a kata cover on, and have experienced the same thing... HEAD CLEANER! nice to see similar stuff here.

April 18th, 2007, 07:20 PM	#9
Adam Bray Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Houston/Austin Posts: 394	How often should you run a cleaner through it? Instructions say don't do it "more than needed"...whatever that is?

April 22nd, 2007, 12:02 PM	#10
Corey Aumiller Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 44	update: i ended up sending the camera to canon because the head cleaning didn't solve the trick for too long. it was a 300 dollar repair, but i got all new heads and parts so essentially i've got a new camera. using your primary camera as a capture device puts way too many hours on it!

May 14th, 2007, 10:15 PM	#13
Melanie Pake New Boot Join Date: May 2006 Location: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Posts: 11	XL2 Tapes & Head Cleaners Hi. We purchased a 2nd hand XL2 two years ago and have used it since. It was used for shooting and capture. We have used 4 different tape brands and a TDK Head Cleaner. We've cleaned the head but the tape eject sign still appears. We believe the camera should be put to service. How many hours of use can the XL2 heads take before they need to be serviced? Also, what is the best recommended brand of tape and head cleaner to use on the XL2? Do we need a certain head cleaner for the XLH1?

May 15th, 2007, 06:46 AM	#14
Robert Acosta Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bflo, USA Posts: 64	Head cleaning Adam, Thanks for the reply. I was also wondering what a good "cheap" capture device would be and how much it might cost?