I have been reading that you should stick to one type of tape or another. Unfortuently, I've been using Panasonics, TDK and Sony. Is there a procedure I can do to clean the heads of my xl? And do the heads need realligned like the heads on a DAT at certain intervols? Thanks in advance for any advice.............

Bryan Coleman

Get and use a miniDV cleaning tape. If you use your camera reasonably heavily and/or professionally it's a good idea to send it to Canon service for a routine cleaning and calibration each year.

Maintenance procedures (including head cleaning) are on pages 66-67 of the (NTSC) manual. Sony- and other-brand dry MiniDV cleaning tapes will work OK too.

Because the cleaning process causes aditional wear, Canon suggests do it only when indicated. A tape brand change after a steady diet of another brand is a good time. Frequent changes of tape brands might not require cleaning as often.

Now that you are sticking to one brand of tape that will help. Sending the camera in once a year for maintenance is also a good idea (it will at least keep the heads aligned).

If you haven't been using 4-track, you can also use any cheap miniDV as a playback deck for those other tapes.