Hey, everybody--I've done some searching but can't find the answer here.

Is there a way to get the recording date and time information from a DV tape shot on an XL1s, without having the XL1s on hand?

(In my particular case I'm playing back the tape from a JVC HR-DVS2U deck into a Canopus DVStorm.)

It should be embedded in the DV stream. On my tapes, when I capture using Scenalyzer from my deck, the date/time is appended to the file name. As long as the clock in the XL-1s was set, you should be able to get that information no matter WHAT is used to play the tape.

OK, so Scenalyzer. Any other way?

I've been working on a program that can read and display
information in DV streams for a couple of years now. I have
a little test program lying around that displays date & time
among other things (very crude).

If you mail me a one frame export of the movie I can tell you
what the date time was of that piece. Or do you need it on a
more regular basis? I might be able to work something out for
you in that case.

I think that the date and time stamp is a standard and as such if you play in any DV camcorder or deck with the capability to display the data code ( any Sony will do this) then you should see the date and time, press again and get camera setup for the shot ( button on most Sony remote controls). By the way this information survives all the editing I do with Premiere on my Canopus system and is still available on the master copy tape. My cameras are Sony not XL1s, just for information.

Ron Evans

It is standard indeed. There is a section in each frame of the DV
file that contains information like date time, timecode and
sometimes settings used to record it.

And yet no component of the Windows OS nor any standard NLE can read it? (Nor can my deck?)

Robert,

I am suprised that the JVC doesn't have a data code button on the remote. Every one of my Sony camcorders and my Sony DHR1000 deck has this button on the remote ( the deck has the control on the deck as well). I can read this imporfation recorded on other peoples camcorders. A friend has a JVC camcorder and my DHR1000 can read the date and time but the camcorder doesn't seem to record camera data like the Sony's. His JVC is only a low cost consumer camcorder

Ron Evans

It has a data code button ("DISPLAY"), but pressing it displays only timecode. It shows, briefly, a weekday and time as well, but, uselessly, it's the present day and time.

The Sony's have a DISPLAY button which does the same as yours but also a DATA CODE or AUX DATA button depending on model. IT is this AUX DATA that you need to see.

Ron Evans

Alas.

I had a quick scan through the manual and it does not appear to allow you to view any of the DATA CODE metadata except the timecode.


Rob, I'm also developing a media player which displays all of this info on a per-frame basis. There's a bit more about it in this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18364