You know how a dropped frame in HDV can cause you to lose up to a half a second? Well, I've been getting "dropouts" but it's not a half second - these dropouts are lasting anywhere up to a half a minute.

I don't know what's going on. All I know is that earlier footage has no dropouts but footage taken after a certain date (and I've been cleaning my tape heads every 15 hours/tapes) has multiple dropouts like this over every tape.

What's going on?

Brian, have you tried a different batch of tapes? I used to have TDK (the cheap ones from Costco) with not a single dropout. Then I opened a new package, dropouts near the ends. Just for the heck of it I plugged in a Panasonic, it all went away.

Brian, have you tried a different batch of tapes? I used to have TDK (the cheap ones from Costco) with not a single dropout. Then I opened a new package, dropouts near the ends. Just for the heck of it I plugged in a Panasonic, it all went away.

I used TDK, not a single dropout. Then switched to Panasonics after a cleaning. The first couple of tapes were fine but later I got drop-outs and lately I've been getting them left and right. (at least 2 in my last, 1 hr recording)

I cleaned again and am switching back to the TDK, I recorded an hour of TV last night. I'll import it in FCP and see if there are any dropouts.

There seems to be a dropout right at the beginning, but that may be because of the switchover from the Pannies.

I'll try again with another TDK.

No dice. I'm importing now, and I'm getting at least three seperate dropouts on ONE tape.

Considering that I know other HV20 owners who don't have ANY dropouts with their cameras and the same tape stock, I'm going to try one last time after a thorough cleaning. Then, I'm going to take the camera to the shop and tell them to send it back to Canon and I'll wait for a replacement.

I've rewound the tape, and re-imported. (made sure nothing else was running other than Final Cut Pro on the off chance it could be because of my computer.) No dice. The gaps are on the tape, mae while recording. These are not little dropouts either but look like they're 30-40 seconds in length.

*sigh*

So, what do I do now? I think I'm going to have to dig up my extended warranty...