Tape hanging up and will not record.

It needs to go in for cleaning and service. It is a vintage recorder and the rubber feed capstans are probably sticky and need replacing.

It is a known issue.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Canon+XL1S+eats+tapes

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I am thinking hard... So any tape (different tape?) it will not play or record for but 17 seconds?

No, the unit cannot record without a tape.
Unlike digital units which can have internal memory, analogue recorders have no internal (built-in) tape. Analogue recorders also do not have digital memory in place of an analogue tape.

Do not use a head cleaner - they can damage the heads. Insert a brand new high quality tape and perform a record. Let it record through the entire tape. Then, play back an original prerecorded tape and check playback.

The head is dirty or bad - insert a brand new blank tape in the camcorder and perform a record through the entire tape without stopping the process until it finishes the record all the way through - this should clean the heads. Playback a pre-recorded tape. If it plays back ok then attempt an actual record. If unsuccessful, then the heads are bad.

is the erase protection tab removed from the cassette?
if yes there is a square hole on the back of the tape visible when you insert it.
put a piece of sticky tape over this hole and make shure it does not come loose.
it should record fine now when you insert it again.

make sure the camera internal battery is charged. using the ac charger plug the camera in for 24 hours. if the internal battery is dead then you will need to turn it in and have it replaced. that is why is says reinsert the tape

1). Remove the five screws from top half of cassette shell. If the cassette shell halves are glued together, very carefully split the shell with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Maneuver the screwdriver around the shell to break its seal. Avoid getting cut or damaging internal components of cassette.
2).Carefully lift off the top half of the cassette shell.
3). Pull the head if the tape from the left reel.
4). cut-off the damaged edge, and attached a peice of sctoth tape to the shining side of the tape, and leave about 1/2 inches of scotch tape beyond the head of the recording tape.
5). trim the sctoch tape using single edge of the sctoch tape razor or X-Acto knife to the same width as the recording tape.
6). carefully insert and tape the head of the recording tape to the right reel. and manually wind the tape till the recoding tape is flat to the front of the recoding pad.
7). carefully close the top shell, make sure not to pinch the tape. use your finguer trun the right reel, make sure the tape winds freely.
8). secured the top with screws.

The sensor that detects the tape movement is bad and will need to be replaced.

Try this:

If you have another VCR system (Master) you can connect it from the master to the Panasonic DMR ES15 (slave). Insert the copyrighted tape onto the master VCR system and insert a empty VHS tape on the slave system. In the slave, record from the master. When done, you can record from the videotape you have made from the master tape, to the DVD recorder.

If you still have problems, please contact the manufacturer of this model.