Xl1s eating tapes at DVinfo.net

Yarrak Osman · October 5th, 2003, 09:31 AM

Hi I had a 4 mounths old xl1s it started eating tapes when rewinding tapes, service here in europe told me that mechanical band way has to be changed it cost 800$(my warranty is valid only in usa)...Ýs it normal or if i will try to change the tape brand can i solve it?

Thanks...

Markus Aalto · October 17th, 2003, 07:34 AM

Same here with my XL1S. I have been using only TDK DV Digital Standard -tapes, and now - after about 30 tapes - it did this marvelous thing. Destroyed my shooting by eating the tape when rewinding.

If I pay this much of my camera I do expect that this kind of crap does NOT happen! None of my cheap Sonys have never done this to me.

Any solutions or ideas?

Jeff Donald · October 17th, 2003, 08:05 AM

All cameras eat tapes from time to time. There is nothing new to cameras eating tapes. I had a Sony Betacam SP camera ($50,000 USD) that ate 3 or 4 SP tapes at about $50 USD each. It just happens, cost of camera has nothing to do with it. All things mechanical can break or get out of adjustment. Get the camera fixed and get back to shooting.

Kyle Root · October 17th, 2003, 09:18 AM

(1) Buy a miniDV tape rewinder. They're like $20. We bought 2 of them last year and use them constantly. It'll save wear and tear on your camera.

(2) My GL1 started eating tapes after owning it for over 2 years. Sent it into Canon for repair, had to replace several components because they were worn out... ended up costing close to $400 if I remember correctly, this was just a couple months ago.

Markus Aalto · October 17th, 2003, 10:10 AM

Thanks Jeff & Kyle. Found another thread here, too, where people told they had this same problem also with new XL1S cameras. Some parts had been changed and the problem was gone. Well, have to go to the local Canon service on monday and hear what they say about it.

Btw Jeff, very nice wildlife photos in your gallery! A little different here in Northern Finland (I guess most of you don't even know where on earth this little country called Finland even is located) ;-)

Don Palomaki · October 18th, 2003, 03:45 AM

Beware of cheap tape rewinders, they are as or more likely to eat or damage a tape than a camcorder.

Markus Aalto · October 18th, 2003, 06:49 AM

Thanks Don, You're propably right.

But hey, in my last posting I mentioned how small and unknown Finland is and the next answer's surname is a Finnish name! :-)

Markus Aalto · November 5th, 2003, 11:28 AM

Hi again! Got my xl1s back from the local Canon service today. They had changed the mechanical band way and cleaned the whole thing. The camera is not under warranty anymore but they had talked about it with the Canon distributor. I also told them that several people in this list had had the same problem even in new cameras (another thread here, too) and emailed them the URL. Charge 0 euros.

I appreciate Canon for this kind of fair play, and thanks for this list, too. Nice team here :-)

Kyle Root · November 5th, 2003, 12:37 PM

Good to hear you got the cam back and that they hooked you up. The few times we've had to deal with Canon Service, they've always been helpful.

Kyle

Arthur To · December 5th, 2003, 02:12 PM

hey i got my xl1s in august of 2003....

will it have this rewinding problem? (aside from time--wear&tear--)

Wayne Debeb · December 5th, 2003, 05:34 PM

I had the XL1 for 13 monthes. I loved it, then it started messing up my tapes. As suggested on this forum, I took it to a shop and for $300.00 thy fixed it.

When I think of it, I could have bought 2 or 3 other brand for the price I paid to do the same job.

Wayne

October 5th, 2003, 09:31 AM	#1
Yarrak Osman Tourist Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 1	Xl1s eating tapes Hi I had a 4 mounths old xl1s it started eating tapes when rewinding tapes, service here in europe told me that mechanical band way has to be changed it cost 800$(my warranty is valid only in usa)...Ýs it normal or if i will try to change the tape brand can i solve it? Thanks...

October 17th, 2003, 07:34 AM	#2
Markus Aalto New Boot Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Finland Posts: 12	Same problem here Same here with my XL1S. I have been using only TDK DV Digital Standard -tapes, and now - after about 30 tapes - it did this marvelous thing. Destroyed my shooting by eating the tape when rewinding. If I pay this much of my camera I do expect that this kind of crap does NOT happen! None of my cheap Sonys have never done this to me. Any solutions or ideas? __________________ Markus Aalto

October 17th, 2003, 08:05 AM	#3
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	All cameras eat tapes from time to time. There is nothing new to cameras eating tapes. I had a Sony Betacam SP camera ($50,000 USD) that ate 3 or 4 SP tapes at about $50 USD each. It just happens, cost of camera has nothing to do with it. All things mechanical can break or get out of adjustment. Get the camera fixed and get back to shooting. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

October 17th, 2003, 09:18 AM	#4
Kyle Root Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Decatur, AL Posts: 881	Eating (1) Buy a miniDV tape rewinder. They're like $20. We bought 2 of them last year and use them constantly. It'll save wear and tear on your camera. (2) My GL1 started eating tapes after owning it for over 2 years. Sent it into Canon for repair, had to replace several components because they were worn out... ended up costing close to $400 if I remember correctly, this was just a couple months ago. __________________ Kyle KR Productions; www.kyleroot.com

October 17th, 2003, 10:10 AM	#5
Markus Aalto New Boot Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Finland Posts: 12	Thanks Jeff & Kyle. Found another thread here, too, where people told they had this same problem also with new XL1S cameras. Some parts had been changed and the problem was gone. Well, have to go to the local Canon service on monday and hear what they say about it. Btw Jeff, very nice wildlife photos in your gallery! A little different here in Northern Finland (I guess most of you don't even know where on earth this little country called Finland even is located) ;-) __________________ Markus Aalto

October 18th, 2003, 03:45 AM	#6
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	Beware of cheap tape rewinders, they are as or more likely to eat or damage a tape than a camcorder. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

October 18th, 2003, 06:49 AM	#7
Markus Aalto New Boot Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Finland Posts: 12	Thanks Don, You're propably right. But hey, in my last posting I mentioned how small and unknown Finland is and the next answer's surname is a Finnish name! :-) __________________ Markus Aalto

November 5th, 2003, 11:28 AM	#8
Markus Aalto New Boot Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Finland Posts: 12	Hi again! Got my xl1s back from the local Canon service today. They had changed the mechanical band way and cleaned the whole thing. The camera is not under warranty anymore but they had talked about it with the Canon distributor. I also told them that several people in this list had had the same problem even in new cameras (another thread here, too) and emailed them the URL. Charge 0 euros. I appreciate Canon for this kind of fair play, and thanks for this list, too. Nice team here :-) __________________ Markus Aalto

November 5th, 2003, 12:37 PM	#9
Kyle Root Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Decatur, AL Posts: 881	Good to hear you got the cam back and that they hooked you up. The few times we've had to deal with Canon Service, they've always been helpful. Kyle __________________ Kyle KR Productions; www.kyleroot.com

December 5th, 2003, 02:12 PM	#10
Arthur To Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cerritos, CA Posts: 78	hey i got my xl1s in august of 2003.... will it have this rewinding problem? (aside from time--wear&tear--) __________________ xL1s

December 5th, 2003, 05:34 PM	#11
Wayne Debeb Tourist Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 10023 51 ave s, seattle wa 98178 Posts: 2	TAPE EATING MACHIN. I had the XL1 for 13 monthes. I loved it, then it started messing up my tapes. As suggested on this forum, I took it to a shop and for $300.00 thy fixed it. When I think of it, I could have bought 2 or 3 other brand for the price I paid to do the same job. Wayne __________________ wd