A while back I posted (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=82990&highlight=xl2) regarding XL2 recorded tapes not playing well with my Sony DSR-25 deck. Unfortunately, I'm still battling the issue and haven't found a consistant diagnosis. However, I will be soon purchasing a new deck for another editor and would like to avoid these issues if possible. Based on everyone's experience with the other/newer decks on the market (JVC, Panasonic, etc.), which models play well with the XL2?

Hate to say it, but my DSR 11 plays perfectly well with my XL2. I'm not certain what you have is a brand conflict, so much as a particular machine conflict.

Yeah. Looking back, I should have purchased the DSR-11. Although, with an existing Sony DVCAM deck in the office, I'm leaning towards getting a comparable DVC-PRO deck just to expand our options.

It could be a head alignment issue? If it's the case, the tape will play back well in the camera that shot the tape.

2- The Sony 1500/1700/2000 deck apparently have dynamic head tracking which helps read back certain tapes. I haven't played around with it enough to know how much better that is.

Those decks will play back DVCPRO tapes to some degree... but it takes the deck a few seconds to stabilize and get the right tape speed and then not got dropouts.

3- IME... DVCPRO decks get problems playing back miniDV. They seem to need constant fixing or something... they will sometimes play back miniDV tapes extremely poorly (massive, massive dropouts).

I agree that it is some sort of alignment issue. I just wish I could figure out why. I've called both companies and, of course, Canon says its Sony's fault and Sony says its Canon's fault. I'm glad you pointed out the issue with DVC-PRO not playing miniDV properly. That eliminates that idea altogether, and saved me some major hassle down the line. My friend's JVC deck seems to play any kind of tapes I throw at it, so hopefully that's a good sign.

The DVCPRO decks can play back miniDV correctly... but I've seen them develop problems.

2- Not sure if JVC's decks are that reliable.