XH-A1 Problem / Casette eject ?

C

CherryTime

Well-known member
For a couple of months now (2-3) my XH-A1 have been refusing alot of tapes by just giving me "Eject Casette" message on the lcd (it automatically ejects the casette). I have used some different brands and it might have caused some problems I know today.

The same tape can be accepted by the camera one time, but if I eject it and attempt to put it back in again it might say "eject casette" again. If i put in a tape like 10 times, perhaps one of those times it will automatically work. If I put in a tape 10 times, then I can fool it to work by pressing record at the right second between the camera controlling the tape, hence starting a recording session that takes some time to initaite but once its done it works fine 2-3 / 10 times.

I do not like to pull this trick of my own anymore, or wait for the casette to be accepted. Im guessing im gonna have to clean the Tape Heads, or something else inside the casette tray / whatever you call it :). How do I do this? Quite frankly I dont even know what else to clean, or how to clean the tapeheads. I do know what the tape head is tho, but im finding it hard to reach into there, even with q-tips. I have isopropanol alchohol at home, so guide me here if you can please :)

Some other notes: The camera / casette tray doesnt just reject the tapes instantly, it fastforwards, and rewinds, and then when it is about to do something else ( not really sure what it does after FF / RW, ) It kind of get's stuck, you can hear it and also see it on the LCD.

It works Very well to record once the tapes are accepted by the camera, so I feel that It won't be nesciary to send it to the repair center unless I really have to..

Tips.. hints.. ideas.. anything?
 
Make sure the camera is turned off and press eject button, put tape in and shut. Be sure the tape is in and completely done adjusting (making noises) Now turn the camera setting on that you want to use and presto. I'm not sure why it works, but it does.
 
I have mentioned it before on the boards, but every single camera I have had from Canon has given me the dreaded eject the tape message. From point and shoot ZR100 to the GL2 and the xh-a1. Bizarre.
 
sounds like a real pain in the butt. glad i've never encountered this. to clean the heads you need to get one of those head cleaner tapes. sony and panasonic make them.
 
Cherrytime I would not poke about inside with a q tip buy yourself a cleaning tape and run that for 10 seconds only in playback mode only not record mode

Alan
 
I have both all the nessciary equipment to clean it with a q-tip and I did so carefully and with a previous photo-salesman present, so I did not harm them, neither did I clean them thou, so hehe. Just didn't wanna go through with it..

I have a cleaning tape! Panasonic one. But I dont know.. I really don't think it needs to be cleaned I think it is something else so.. :/ I will try the shut off thing that was mentioned above and get back to this.

Zergtherobot I will try find your threads about this, do you have the same problem? It is so weird. Get back to you asap =).

Thanks for all the tips/hints/help!


EDIT:

AMAZINGLY it works when the camera is shut of! ty!
 
Last edited:
Hello,

My Canon XH A1 has developed a weird fault.

Today, after having kept the camera in its padded case unused
for a couple of months, the tape ejects message came up at power on with no cassette inserted.
Tried with or without cassette, removed battery, reset to factory default, and all sorts of tricks but no luck, the “eject tape” message is always there and it automatically tries to eject even with the compartment cover closed obviously forcing it on its way up.
I have managed not to let that happen more than once though.

It all began after some usage when some new Panasonic cassettes would be rejected at first but would work if wound forward a little on another camcorder.
Another way to let my XHA1 ingest the tape would be that of removing and reinstalling the battery thus powering down the circuitry for a few seconds.
Than the tape error message would not appear anymore.
But now……even with no tape!

The camera has been treated with the maximum care avoiding changing tapes brand more than once in it’s entire working life in order to avoid tape-lubricants mix and eventually clogging up the heads.
She looks like new without even a mark and with a UV protecting filter from new.
I am sad now, having to spend money on a surpassed camera and having been so careful with it with no other option than having it repaired.
Also, with all due respect, can I trust the engineers to do so avoiding to abuse the body by scratching it, touching the lens (it has never needed cleaning by being protected) or coursing any other problem?
 
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