I've had my HMC-150 cameras for 18 months now and I've never been able to figure out how to use the timecode. Yes, I can sync the two cameras with no problem, but by the time I import the clips into Vegas the timecode does not match camera timecode and all clips start with 00:00. I always thought it was a compatiblility issue with Sony Vegas.

However, recently I installed Premier Pro and I have the same issue. My understanding is that Premier Pro reads Panasonic AVCHD timecode just fine. However, with my clips all time code starts with 00:00, which makes the time code pretty much useless. This makes me wonder if the problem is not with the software (Vegas or Premier) but something in the way I have set up my cameras.

I'm now wondering if there could be a problem with the timecode write to the sd cards.

I've looked at all of the various menus in the camera and believe I have all the metadata switches turned the right way to record timecode as part of the file.

Does anyone know if there is a setting that could cause timecode on the outputted files to all start at 00:00?

Time code seems to work great on the LCD so I'm pretty sure its getting generated correctly.

I've already asked Sony and in various Vegas Forums and am not getting the right answers, so my appologies for asking here. I know that I'm doing all the import functions the correct way in Vegas and am adding the correct Media FX at the media bin level so that if there is timecode there it should be read correctly, but still all the clips begin with 00:00.

You could at least check what the timecode really is in your mts/m2ts files using the demo version of DVMP Pro.

Colin. Thanks for your message. Earlier today before reading your post I realized that the solution was to check with DVMP Pro which I already had (version 4) to see if the timecode was there.


The timecode is there when you import the entire file structure. (everything in the "private" folder on the AVCHD file.) The issue is that Vegas 9.0 can not read the time code.

I did read that Vegas Pro 10 would have improved AVCHD functionality, so I went ahead and upgraded to see if it would help.

Eureka, they finally got it right! Vegas 10.0 does read the Panasonic AVCHD timecode.

I wish the Sony engineers could have fixed this a long time ago, but I'm glad they finally did.