Ok just bought this Xl-1s used from private paty and i took it out and filmed a picket for a project and throughout the interviews there are spurts of horiztonal lines coming through the video.... do i just need to clean my heads with the tape cleaner or what? Im new to the whole Xl-1 feild so any help would be most badical! Thanks!

Hello Russell, welcome aboard (H)DVInfo.net!

1. on what are you watching this footage when you see these lines?

2. how many lines are there (guess)?

3. are these lines very tiny or large(r)?

1. Ive got my xl-1s hooked up to my TV.

2. they are about 5-6 lines or so

3. larger lines too

Thanks so much!!

If you see them on the tape too (in the viewfinder, connected at the computer) I think it should be your heads that are dirty.
Don't take me on my word, I don't know that much about it, but don't really know what it could be else.

Good luck!

see im leaning towards the heads being dirty too because i just bought the camera like a month or 2 ago and it didnt have a head cleaning tape....so i really should get one. How often do you have to clean the heads? and whats the best head cleaning brand/type? THanks alot !

Don't really know which brand is the best. I think the best is that you always stay with one brand of tapes. And if you switch between brands, THEN it's best you use the head cleaning tape. Because all manufacturers use other chemicals in their tape, that's why it's best to pick one brand of tapes, and stick with them.

And how many times you have to clean them? Well, it's maybe best if you switch between brands, but else than that: only when they are dirty. Because if you use such a cleaning cassette to much, it can damage your heads too.

Good luck :-).