What's wrong with my camera? at DVinfo.net

Josh Bass · October 23rd, 2004, 06:21 PM

XL1s here.

I've had this little problem recently where, while rewinding in the camera, sometimes fast forwarding, as I watch the timecode numbers roll back, or forward, they sort "blink" on and off, erratically. I know I have continuous timecode, so it's not that I'm rewinding/fast forwarding past parts that have no timecode on them. Today, when trying to capture something, the tape couldn't cue to the in point of my first clip, because every time it would start rewinding, and really get going, the timecode would just "disappear," which made it immediately stop rewinding and try again. I cancelled the capture, pushed stop and rewind myself, and it did the same thing. I ejected the tape, no pieces of tape hanging out, and put in my head cleaner, put the other tape back in, and now it's a little better, though the timecode readout still flickers on and off. What's going on here? Major or minor?

Some answers to questions I predict:

Yes, I know one is not supposed to use the camera for anything other than taping. This includes, captures, playback, rewinding and fastforwarding. However, I was also the under the impression this was only a serious problem if one did a lot of capturing/rewinding/etc. on a daily or even weekly basis, which I don't. I have periods where I do stuff a lot, and then may go for months barely touching the camera.

Why don't I get a DV Deck? 'Cause they're ungodly expensive, and I rarely make money from using the cam. When I do, it's not much. Spending 500-1000 or more on a deck when I know I'll barely use it seems ridiculous. Even $400 for a one-chip miniDV cam seems a little extreme considering how rarely I have to capture and whatnot.

Uh, I guess that's it. Please tell me if this thing's about to fall apart or something. Though some are XL1/s haters, I love my baby, and don't want to domestically abuse her.

Jimmy McKenzie · October 23rd, 2004, 07:15 PM

Has this machine been in for service yet? Looks like a good cleaning and head alignment/drum repair replacement is in the cards. A frequent remedy for unusual tape read/write anomalies. Get set to lighten your wallet by a range of about 4 - 8 hundred Bobby Bordens. That's the dead P.M. on our hundred canuck buck.

Keep searching the yard sales for a cheap minidv cam ... mine, like my xl cams sits unused for days at a time... but at least I'm abusing the el cheapo instead of the stable of Canon gear...

Best of luck...

Jimmy.

Josh Bass · October 23rd, 2004, 07:26 PM

Yeah. . .I just might.

No, never had it serviced.

Do I really want to get one of these el cheapo cams used? Seems like if something was wrong with the transport, it could f^^%&^&k up your tape irreparably. I'm all for el cheapo, but there's certain things that seem to delicate to buy used--camcorders, mixers, mics, etc. I did get my monitor used, and it works fine (I think).

Jeff Donald · October 23rd, 2004, 07:34 PM

Sounds like the early stages of a tape path alignment problem. You might try another cleaning. Be sure to follow the cleaning tapes instructions.

Josh Bass · October 23rd, 2004, 08:12 PM

Thanks. Will do.

Ed Frazier · October 24th, 2004, 12:31 PM

You should probably get it into Canon real soon. Mine started doing that a couple of years ago and would often times eat the tape just after I noticed the timecode disappear for a short time. It was fixed by cleaning and either aligning or replacing some of the transport mechanism and drum assembly if I remember correctly. Total came to around $400US and I've not seen the problem return.

Chris Hurd · October 25th, 2004, 07:00 AM

Definitely needs a trip to service, Josh. In my opinion.

Josh Bass · October 25th, 2004, 12:33 PM

Alright, all. Thanks.

Did I do this, with all my playing/capturing/rewinding/fast forwarding? Or is just something that eventually happens to everyone?

And: what el cheapo cams do people recommend as slave decks? Would you ever buy these used, or bite the bullet and get it new?

Does it have to go to Canon themselves, or can it go anywhere that's an authorized canon service center (there's a place near my house).

So I'm looking at at least $400 for the repairs, and another $400 for el cheapo camera/slave deck?

Jeez. . .or is it oy?

October 23rd, 2004, 06:21 PM	#1
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Oh crap oh hell oh damn what's wrong with my camera? XL1s here. I've had this little problem recently where, while rewinding in the camera, sometimes fast forwarding, as I watch the timecode numbers roll back, or forward, they sort "blink" on and off, erratically. I know I have continuous timecode, so it's not that I'm rewinding/fast forwarding past parts that have no timecode on them. Today, when trying to capture something, the tape couldn't cue to the in point of my first clip, because every time it would start rewinding, and really get going, the timecode would just "disappear," which made it immediately stop rewinding and try again. I cancelled the capture, pushed stop and rewind myself, and it did the same thing. I ejected the tape, no pieces of tape hanging out, and put in my head cleaner, put the other tape back in, and now it's a little better, though the timecode readout still flickers on and off. What's going on here? Major or minor? Some answers to questions I predict: Yes, I know one is not supposed to use the camera for anything other than taping. This includes, captures, playback, rewinding and fastforwarding. However, I was also the under the impression this was only a serious problem if one did a lot of capturing/rewinding/etc. on a daily or even weekly basis, which I don't. I have periods where I do stuff a lot, and then may go for months barely touching the camera. Why don't I get a DV Deck? 'Cause they're ungodly expensive, and I rarely make money from using the cam. When I do, it's not much. Spending 500-1000 or more on a deck when I know I'll barely use it seems ridiculous. Even $400 for a one-chip miniDV cam seems a little extreme considering how rarely I have to capture and whatnot. Uh, I guess that's it. Please tell me if this thing's about to fall apart or something. Though some are XL1/s haters, I love my baby, and don't want to domestically abuse her. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

October 23rd, 2004, 07:26 PM	#3
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Yeah. . .I just might. No, never had it serviced. Do I really want to get one of these el cheapo cams used? Seems like if something was wrong with the transport, it could f^^%&^&k up your tape irreparably. I'm all for el cheapo, but there's certain things that seem to delicate to buy used--camcorders, mixers, mics, etc. I did get my monitor used, and it works fine (I think). __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

October 23rd, 2004, 07:34 PM	#4
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Sounds like the early stages of a tape path alignment problem. You might try another cleaning. Be sure to follow the cleaning tapes instructions. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

October 23rd, 2004, 08:12 PM	#5
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Thanks. Will do. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

October 24th, 2004, 12:31 PM	#6
Ed Frazier Major Player Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 343	You should probably get it into Canon real soon. Mine started doing that a couple of years ago and would often times eat the tape just after I noticed the timecode disappear for a short time. It was fixed by cleaning and either aligning or replacing some of the transport mechanism and drum assembly if I remember correctly. Total came to around $400US and I've not seen the problem return. __________________ Ed Frazier

October 23rd, 2004, 07:15 PM	#2
Jimmy McKenzie Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Waterloo Ontario Posts: 721	Has this machine been in for service yet? Looks like a good cleaning and head alignment/drum repair replacement is in the cards. A frequent remedy for unusual tape read/write anomalies. Get set to lighten your wallet by a range of about 4 - 8 hundred Bobby Bordens. That's the dead P.M. on our hundred canuck buck. Keep searching the yard sales for a cheap minidv cam ... mine, like my xl cams sits unused for days at a time... but at least I'm abusing the el cheapo instead of the stable of Canon gear... Best of luck... Jimmy.

October 25th, 2004, 07:00 AM	#7
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Definitely needs a trip to service, Josh. In my opinion. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

October 25th, 2004, 12:33 PM	#8
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Alright, all. Thanks. Did I do this, with all my playing/capturing/rewinding/fast forwarding? Or is just something that eventually happens to everyone? And: what el cheapo cams do people recommend as slave decks? Would you ever buy these used, or bite the bullet and get it new? Does it have to go to Canon themselves, or can it go anywhere that's an authorized canon service center (there's a place near my house). So I'm looking at at least $400 for the repairs, and another $400 for el cheapo camera/slave deck? Jeez. . .or is it oy? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB