XL1s Image Problem or interference?

[Lee Mull]

Hi,
I have just got a new XL1s. Now I have had it 1 week and its been fine. Tonight I decided to connect it to the TV for some playback of shots I did over last weekend.

Now whilst it was in "normal" camera mode after I switched from VCR, it was ok for the first few minutes, then whilst watching the TV screen, there was some flashes/flickering and quite erratic, and also a strange black vertical band appeared on the TV screen which seemed to have split the image in half. Now this was at split second intervals.

I have switched the camera on and off, tried the different settings and modes and it still did this say after 3/4 minutes of switching the camera on?
Whilst this flickering/flashing was happening on the tv monitor screen, I looked into the viewfinder to see if that was doing the same, but it wasnt except a very slight image jump which was noticable but didnt seem an issue.
Anybody got any idea what has caused this or could it be some interference (RF, electrical or magnetic) or compliance problem from the RF cables or the TV itself as the XL1s was only 2/3 feet away from the television?

Below are a few pics I have just taken. I managed to capture the black vertical band with my still camera on the monitor. This band and the blue background were flickering on and off almost violently in slpit second intervals and it appears to have 'split' the image with the usual XL1s display pushed to the left.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...ace/xl1s03.jpg
This is showing the flickering black band that goes on and off.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...ace/xl1s02.jpg
The blue colour that came on and off too.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...ace/xl1s01.jpg
Another shot of this strange black band that splits the image
Could it be a static problem?
Any help would be appreciated

[Jack Smith]

In each of the photos the display shows -:--:-- meaning there is no time code at that frame. It typically should show a time code if these frames are from the middle of a recorded section. eg. 2:10:25. It would be normal to have a goofed frame if there is no timecode.
The question would be ,what is causing the loss of timecode?
If this is all from 1 tape, try inserting a previously recorded tape and check the results.If the problem persists you may start by a head cleaning and sticking to 1 manufacter and type of tape.Else I would suggest a trip in for service.

[Lee Mull]

Originally Posted by Jack Smith

In each of the photos the display shows -:--:-- meaning there is no time code at that frame. It typically should show a time code if these frames are from the middle of a recorded section. eg. 2:10:25. It would be normal to have a goofed frame if there is no timecode.
The question would be ,what is causing the loss of timecode?
If this is all from 1 tape, try inserting a previously recorded tape and check the results.If the problem persists you may start by a head cleaning and sticking to 1 manufacter and type of tape.Else I would suggest a trip in for service.

Hi Jack

No this isnt from a tape, this is 'live' when I switched the camera on without recording. Those pics are of the signal from the XL1s to the tv. :)

[Don Palomaki]

Looks to me like there is a problem with the horizontal sync of the image displayed on the TV. The black band is the blanking during the horizontal sync pulse. The TV horizontal scan is synched on the center of the image, as if the sync pulse was in the wrong place, or possibly absent.

The blue image has normal sync but red info appears to be missing from the image.

You say is happens after about 45 seconds? Is this time interval consistent?

Does turning the TV off and back on make a difference?

Does turning he camera off and back on buy another 45 seconds of OK image?

How are you connected to the TV? composite or S-Video?

Does changing the connection make a difference? E.g., connecting through a VCR.

Does the same problem happen when playing back a previously recorded tape?

Have you tried connecting the camcorde to a different TV set to see if the issue is the same?

Is it a new out of the retail box XL1s, or a previously owned machine?

[Lee Mull]

Originally Posted by Don Palomaki

Looks to me like there is a problem with the horizontal synch of the image displayed on the TV. The black band is the blanking during the horizontal synch pulse. The TV horizontal scan is synched on the center of the image, as if the synch pulse was in the wrong place, or possibly absent.

The blue image has normal synch but red info appears to be missing from the image.

You say is happens after about 45 seconds?
Does turning the TV off and back on make a differnce?

Does turning he camera off and back on buy another 45 seconds of OK image?

How are you connected to the TV? composite or S-Video?

Does changing the connection make a differnce? E.g., connecting through a VCR.

Does the same problem happen when playing back a previously recorded tape?

Have you tried connecting the camcorde to a different TV set to see if the issue is the same?

Is it a new out of the retail box XL1s, or a previously owned machine?

Hi Don

To answer your questions ill respond to each of yours thanks;

You say is happens after about 45 seconds? - It seems to happen, when it does happen say after a few minutes, but other times after Ive switched the camera on it doesnt do it.

Is this time interval consistent? - No, as I said it seems to come and go so to speak.


Does turning the TV off and back on make a differnce? - Not really, but I have noticed that if I go into a different room without the camera connected to the tv it seems ok (when the flickering happens, i look into the viewfinder and notice a slight jump of the image but the image isnt distorted like on the TV.)

Does turning he camera off and back on buy another 45 seconds of OK image?Sometimes it does yes. Even as I type this I have it connected and switched on and it hasnt even done that flickering/black band.


How are you connected to the TV? composite or S-Video? Composite with standard RF cables-TV doesnt have s-video (Im in Australia and we are behind everyone else)

Does changing the connection make a differnce? E.g., connecting through a VCR. - tried that too, didnt make any difference.

Does the same problem happen when playing back a previously recorded tape? No the recordings are clear and fine, no issue there.

Have you tried connecting the camcorde to a different TV set to see if the issue is the same? Only 1 tv in the house.

Is it a new out of the retail box XL1s, or a previously owned machine It was advertised as unused/as new and is boxed yes.

Regarding this horizontal synch of the image problem, what is that, is it a camera problem or the connection?

When I got the camera 10 days ago and connected it this same way it was ok after a few times, but now it does this.

Thanks
Lee

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

I would bring it back, it isn't normal.

[Don Palomaki]

Are you using battery power, or A/C mains power source?

IfA/C mains, try using battery to see if the problem persists.

If previously recorded tapes are OK - it is a puzzlement. Are newly recordd tapes OK too?

Try it on a different TV set. If the problem persists, see if you can get warranty repair on it.

[Jack Smith]

Sorry Lee, I thought you were playing a tape.As Don said it looks like a sync problem.I assume it is a Pal unit and the TV is Pal.You probably swapped out the composite cable as well as a short in the cable might give you grief.
I think Don's list of "to test" is pretty complete.I would go to a friends if you have to try another TV. Hope you find the cause.Happy New Year

[Lee Mull]

Hi guys
Took it back to the shop yesterday and tried it on there huge tv and the same thing happened even with different cables.
In the end the shop manager just swapped it with another one. :)
A mystery as to what it was though.
Thanks