Glitches, what would you do? at DVinfo.net

G. Randy Brown · January 12th, 2004, 05:23 PM

Only on this forum have I heard of problems with Sony tapes but then this is the only Canon forum I visit, so maybe it's just a Canon/Sony issue. I've been using the Sony "Premium" tape since I bought my 2 new XL1s' about a year ago. I don't remember glitches until recently but now I get them every few seconds (on both cams). I've run a Panasonic head cleaner several times in them but it doesn't help at all.
It doesn't seem likely that both cams would get funky heads ( out of alignment or whatever they do when they need service)at the same time but they are used commercially.
I was thinking of trying Sony "Excellence" but was wondering if I should just stay away from Sony altogether. I mean if there is some kind of metal ( " Metal Evaporated Tape, a Diamond-Like Carbon coating protective layer which improves durability and helps prevent shedding and drop out....) that they use that just doesn't get along with Canon heads.
What would you do?
TIA,
Randy

Franco Zefferi · January 13th, 2004, 03:40 AM

I usually use TDK tapes and now, after 2 years of work, I started to have glitches too (big square pixel and a audio noise in the same point of those squares).
I brought it to canon service last week and they said me that they have to change drum head (I don't know if it is the right name in english... sorry for this).
Cost is 246 Euro.
I used Sony premium tapes several times when I bought XL1-S in 2001, and I never had problems with them.
bye

Frank Granovski · January 13th, 2004, 05:13 AM

My wife's cousin only uses Fuji in his 2 XL1 cams because he's found that it gives him no trouble. I can't recall the other brands he's tried (when he first got into the wedding videography and photography business).

Mark A. Foley · January 13th, 2004, 07:21 AM

G. Randy Brown,
If in fact they are used commercially, I would suggest they be sent to Canon once a year for thorough factory cleaning and adjustment. Join the XL Series Owners Club (free) and the cost is only $95 at the New Jersey repair facility...they just finished one of my Xl1s...completed in 3 business day and shipped back to me overnight.

As it been discussed many times on here....find a tape and stick with it....the worst thing you can subject a cam to is switching tape brands (or plan to switch after they return from the factory service)

G. Randy Brown · January 13th, 2004, 08:38 AM

>>As it been discussed many times on here....find a tape and stick with it....the worst thing you can subject a cam to is switching tape brands (or plan to switch after they return from the factory service)<<
If I switch it would be the same brand but a "higher grade" that costs almost twice as much. As I recall I joined that club when I registered the cams so thanks I'll remember to take advantage of that deal.
I guess what I was hoping for is for someone that could tell me if pixellation could be caused by misaligned heads or not (or if misaligned heads just cause those horizontal strips like on VHS), or someone saying "you're not using a Panasonic head cleaner are you" or "maybe you're holding your mouth wrong... : )
Anyway, I too have heard the XL1s needs a tune up once a year so I reckon I'll check into that today.
Thanks guys,
Randy

G. Randy Brown · January 13th, 2004, 09:11 AM

Hey Mark, do you remember how to contact the club? I can't seem to find a phone number or address at this http://www.canondv.com/xl1owners/ address, only how to join the club.
Thanks for your patience,
Randy

Mark A. Foley · January 13th, 2004, 09:16 AM

Navigating to the sign-up area isn't real straightforward....however...this link should take you straight to the online registration page....
http://ereturn.usa.canon.com/general...Club/frame.htm

G. Randy Brown · January 13th, 2004, 09:43 AM

Actually Mark, I registered when I bought the cams, I just can't find a phone number at that site ( I'd like to call them first).
Sorry if I wasn't clear, it's pretty early for me : )
Randy

Mark A. Foley · January 13th, 2004, 09:49 AM

No problem Randy....

Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Factory Service Center
100 Jamesburg Road
Jamesburg, NJ 08831
Tel: (732) 521-7007

BTW, if your not a member the factory service cost is $250...members $95...pretty good deal....

G. Randy Brown · January 13th, 2004, 09:56 AM

Much thanks Mark!
Randy

Mark A. Foley · January 13th, 2004, 10:04 AM

Randy,
I realize your in NM and the address/PH# was for the east coast facility...but the west coast charges a whole bunch more with a horrible turn around time.....

G. Randy Brown · January 13th, 2004, 10:23 AM

Coincidentally, I was going to call that number to get the CA address but won't bother now...thanks for the heads up.
Randy

G. Randy Brown · January 14th, 2004, 11:58 AM

Just in case there are any other knuckleheads besides me following this post, I want to pass on the brilliant discovery that I made this morning. I use a prosumer mini DV/VHS deck (figured it out yet?) to use with an external TV monitor and to dump my raw footage into my computer. I was editing something and saw a glitch on the timeline, I loaded the original tape into the deck and found the spot where the glitch was on the timeline; no glitch. So I guess the XL1s' didn't create the glitch but the deck does on playback...right?
I'll try to clean the heads one more time and if I still get the glitches I'll send the deck in.

Randy

Lorinda Norton · January 14th, 2004, 12:30 PM

This knucklehead just tuned in. I'm a card-carrying XL1s member, so I wonder why it still costs me $250 every time I have my cameras serviced over here in the West? That's quite a cost difference.

You're right, Randy--it's the deck causing the problem. There's an old thread somewhere around here where we talked about it. I ran into the same problem. Interesting that other tapes from other cams worked with the deck just fine--only our Sony's used in our cameras glitched.

We decided there's an incompatibility somewhere--maybe between the way the XL1s heads are aligned--so we've given up on using a deck and just capture from the cameras. Works like a charm, and by the time we wear out the heads on the cams we'll be ready for something new anyway.

By the way, we didn't notice an improvement with Sony Excellence on the deck, so I wouldn't pay the extra money unless you're doing close work (not events, etc.).

Mark A. Foley · January 14th, 2004, 12:33 PM

Randy, was the the glitch you saw something like this?
http://www.sundevilpictures.com/artifact.jpg

January 12th, 2004, 05:23 PM	#1
G. Randy Brown Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 288	Glitches, what would you do? Only on this forum have I heard of problems with Sony tapes but then this is the only Canon forum I visit, so maybe it's just a Canon/Sony issue. I've been using the Sony "Premium" tape since I bought my 2 new XL1s' about a year ago. I don't remember glitches until recently but now I get them every few seconds (on both cams). I've run a Panasonic head cleaner several times in them but it doesn't help at all. It doesn't seem likely that both cams would get funky heads ( out of alignment or whatever they do when they need service)at the same time but they are used commercially. I was thinking of trying Sony "Excellence" but was wondering if I should just stay away from Sony altogether. I mean if there is some kind of metal ( " Metal Evaporated Tape, a Diamond-Like Carbon coating protective layer which improves durability and helps prevent shedding and drop out....) that they use that just doesn't get along with Canon heads. What would you do? TIA, Randy

January 13th, 2004, 03:40 AM	#2
Franco Zefferi New Boot Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: roma - italia Posts: 10	I usually use TDK tapes and now, after 2 years of work, I started to have glitches too (big square pixel and a audio noise in the same point of those squares). I brought it to canon service last week and they said me that they have to change drum head (I don't know if it is the right name in english... sorry for this). Cost is 246 Euro. I used Sony premium tapes several times when I bought XL1-S in 2001, and I never had problems with them. bye __________________ Franco

January 13th, 2004, 05:13 AM	#3
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	My wife's cousin only uses Fuji in his 2 XL1 cams because he's found that it gives him no trouble. I can't recall the other brands he's tried (when he first got into the wedding videography and photography business).

January 13th, 2004, 07:21 AM	#4
Mark A. Foley Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bonaire, Ga. Posts: 356	G. Randy Brown, If in fact they are used commercially, I would suggest they be sent to Canon once a year for thorough factory cleaning and adjustment. Join the XL Series Owners Club (free) and the cost is only $95 at the New Jersey repair facility...they just finished one of my Xl1s...completed in 3 business day and shipped back to me overnight. As it been discussed many times on here....find a tape and stick with it....the worst thing you can subject a cam to is switching tape brands (or plan to switch after they return from the factory service)

January 13th, 2004, 08:38 AM	#5
G. Randy Brown Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 288	>>As it been discussed many times on here....find a tape and stick with it....the worst thing you can subject a cam to is switching tape brands (or plan to switch after they return from the factory service)<< If I switch it would be the same brand but a "higher grade" that costs almost twice as much. As I recall I joined that club when I registered the cams so thanks I'll remember to take advantage of that deal. I guess what I was hoping for is for someone that could tell me if pixellation could be caused by misaligned heads or not (or if misaligned heads just cause those horizontal strips like on VHS), or someone saying "you're not using a Panasonic head cleaner are you" or "maybe you're holding your mouth wrong... : ) Anyway, I too have heard the XL1s needs a tune up once a year so I reckon I'll check into that today. Thanks guys, Randy

January 13th, 2004, 09:11 AM	#6
G. Randy Brown Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 288	Hey Mark, do you remember how to contact the club? I can't seem to find a phone number or address at this http://www.canondv.com/xl1owners/ address, only how to join the club. Thanks for your patience, Randy

January 13th, 2004, 09:16 AM	#7
Mark A. Foley Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bonaire, Ga. Posts: 356	Navigating to the sign-up area isn't real straightforward....however...this link should take you straight to the online registration page.... http://ereturn.usa.canon.com/general...Club/frame.htm

January 13th, 2004, 09:43 AM	#8
G. Randy Brown Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 288	Actually Mark, I registered when I bought the cams, I just can't find a phone number at that site ( I'd like to call them first). Sorry if I wasn't clear, it's pretty early for me : ) Randy

January 13th, 2004, 09:49 AM	#9
Mark A. Foley Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bonaire, Ga. Posts: 356	No problem Randy.... Canon U.S.A., Inc. Factory Service Center 100 Jamesburg Road Jamesburg, NJ 08831 Tel: (732) 521-7007 BTW, if your not a member the factory service cost is $250...members $95...pretty good deal....

January 13th, 2004, 09:56 AM	#10
G. Randy Brown Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 288	Much thanks Mark! Randy

January 13th, 2004, 10:04 AM	#11
Mark A. Foley Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bonaire, Ga. Posts: 356	Randy, I realize your in NM and the address/PH# was for the east coast facility...but the west coast charges a whole bunch more with a horrible turn around time.....

January 13th, 2004, 10:23 AM	#12
G. Randy Brown Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 288	Coincidentally, I was going to call that number to get the CA address but won't bother now...thanks for the heads up. Randy

January 14th, 2004, 11:58 AM	#13
G. Randy Brown Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 288	Just in case there are any other knuckleheads besides me following this post, I want to pass on the brilliant discovery that I made this morning. I use a prosumer mini DV/VHS deck (figured it out yet?) to use with an external TV monitor and to dump my raw footage into my computer. I was editing something and saw a glitch on the timeline, I loaded the original tape into the deck and found the spot where the glitch was on the timeline; no glitch. So I guess the XL1s' didn't create the glitch but the deck does on playback...right? I'll try to clean the heads one more time and if I still get the glitches I'll send the deck in. Randy

January 14th, 2004, 12:30 PM	#14
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	This knucklehead just tuned in. I'm a card-carrying XL1s member, so I wonder why it still costs me $250 every time I have my cameras serviced over here in the West? That's quite a cost difference. You're right, Randy--it's the deck causing the problem. There's an old thread somewhere around here where we talked about it. I ran into the same problem. Interesting that other tapes from other cams worked with the deck just fine--only our Sony's used in our cameras glitched. We decided there's an incompatibility somewhere--maybe between the way the XL1s heads are aligned--so we've given up on using a deck and just capture from the cameras. Works like a charm, and by the time we wear out the heads on the cams we'll be ready for something new anyway. By the way, we didn't notice an improvement with Sony Excellence on the deck, so I wouldn't pay the extra money unless you're doing close work (not events, etc.).

January 14th, 2004, 12:33 PM	#15
Mark A. Foley Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bonaire, Ga. Posts: 356	Randy, was the the glitch you saw something like this? http://www.sundevilpictures.com/artifact.jpg