XH A1 Capture Dropouts from Panasonic MQ tapes

[Don Greening]

I would suspect that it’s not the tape. I’ve used the same Panny AY-DVM63MQ tapes for the past 3 1/2 years in all 3 of my cameras and have not seen the types of problems you’re describing. Sure, I get the odd glitch from time to time but not like what you’re seeing. I would suggest you take your camera to an authorized repair facility and get it cleaned and adjusted. Also, any time you get a glitch in the A1 it’s going to last at least a half a second because of the nature of the HDV long GOP codec.

A word to the wise. Don’t use your aquisition camera to capture with. Buy a Canon HV10 or 20 and use that instead. Why wear out the tape transport on your primary camera? The local broadcast supply place here sells a ton of the HV10s and 20s to people that just use them as capture/playback decks.

The other thing you can try to minimize dropouts is to fast forward and rewind tapes before you record with them. This accomplishes two things:

– the tape is now pre-tentioned properly on the recording drum
– helps to get rid of any particles in the tape transport and recording/playback heads that could cause a dropout in the first place.

The time to decide what type of tape to use or switch to should be after you get your A1 back from Canon Repair. Although I’ve never used them, I’m told that the Sony Master Series MiniDV tapes are equally as good as the Panny tapes.

FWIW, I use the Panny AY-DVM63MQ tapes in a GL2, XL2 and a Sony PD170 without issues.

– Don

[Shiloh Heyman]

Thanks for the info Don

[Canon A1]

Hi All,

Funny I had the same problem with same tapes, I took my XHA1 to Canon service center this morning.

Matthew

[Shiloh Heyman]

Hey Matthew,

Have you had other results from other tapes?

I am about to try Panasonic AY-DVM63HD, but it may be a litle while befor I shoot.

I’ll let youl know.

Shiloh

[Canon A1]

Hi Shiloh,

I have always used Panasonic AY-DVM63AMQ Tapes.
Will see if it’s the Camera or the tapes. I’ll let you guys know.

Matthew

[Miodrag Ristic]

Hi matthew & Shiloh,

Have you resolved this problem with tapes / camera?

Mick

[Canon A1]

Hi,

I picked up my camera from Canon here in Toronto and they told me that the problem was dirty head. I still have to run some tests and will keep you all posted.

Matthew

[Miodrag Ristic]

Thanks,

exactly what I expected.
had the same issue with both of my XM2 (GL2 in USA).

Mick

[Canon A1]

Hey Mick,

when did you have this problem and are you using the same kind of tapes? or different ones? by the way how you clean the camera’s head?

Matthew

[Miodrag Ristic]

The problem occured in space of 2 months, first my 3 yo GL2,
then next month my 2 year old GL2.
Using only Panasonic master grade professional AY-DVM63MQ
and AY-DVM83MQ.
Additionaly, using Firestore hard drive to avoid using cameras
for capturing.
Using MiniDV cleaning tape for head cleaning, but head was never a problem (I believe)
as both cameras recorded without problem to the last minute.
It is the whole tape transmission system.
In first case, complete transmission system was replaced (A$650),
whilst in second (younger one) I insisted on cleaning only (A$255).

First one failed when fastforwarding a new tape for a job the night before.
Camera would still record, and record without glitch,
but wouldn’t fast forward – EJECT TAPE!

Second one failed while recording – EJECT TAPE message.
Footage was OK, tried to capture from that camera, but footage would be
pixelated, blocky. The same tame captured flowlesly from other camera.

That’s my story. Conclusion, GL2 (XM2 in Australia) is just a prosumer camera
and the build quality is where they saved, althoug a friend of mine had similar
problems with his XL1s.

Mick

P.S. I’ve got frequently 2 different people operating one of the 2 cameras.
Noticed that on of them was trying to close the tape door before the tape mechanism
ingested the tape. That might have possibly contributed to the fault. I’m not sure.
But I think that malfunction would occur instantly if that was the cause.