Capture the time code recorded on tape and naming the files... at DVinfo.net

Lars Siden · July 30th, 2003, 02:36 PM

Hi,

I know this question about timecodes have been discussed earlier, mostly for legal use.

I wonder if it is possible to capture the video from the camera and have the program capturing naming the clips " 2003-Jun-03 Clip 001.avi" etc etc ?

When viewing the video on the camera I can view the record-date using the display-info option.... but it would be nice to have the naming done automatically ;-) <me lazy>

Brgds,

Lazze

Rob Lohman · July 30th, 2003, 03:02 PM

Yes this is possible. You can do this while capturing with Scenalyzer Live
or their old Scenalyzer
after the capture.

Jack Robertson · July 30th, 2003, 06:49 PM

Lars,

Although it sounds like you are not refering to timecode as such, here is a little point regarding "timecode" if you ever wanted to know. (And by timecode I mean the actual Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames).

You cannot capture "timecode" from your DV tape into your PC. When capturing DV footage into a program like Premiere, all timecode is stripped and a new timecode (generated internally) is added to your DV footage. It's an easy way for Programs to calculate things in the timeline that way.

If you had a Broadcast editing platform, then real "timecode" would be captured from the tape into the PC.

Either way its not an issue now... in the past Broadcast non-liner editors used to edit all their footage in "low resolution" first and then they re-ceptured all the required clips (refering to their EDL) in hi-resolution" using the real timecode. It was mainly because when editing a rough edit there is usually a lot of spare clips in your PC that used to take up too much room if they were alll in "hi-resolution" mode. But these days this problem is overcome by cheaper storage and DV footage not taking up as much as broadcast uncompressed video.

Cheers,
Jack

Matthew Flesher · July 30th, 2003, 06:55 PM

Jack,

I think you are misinformed on DV timecode. I edit with Final Cut Pro and it does in fact capture the timecode directly from the source tape, enabling me to do exactly what you described, which is to capture at low resolution, then recapture only the footage I need using the timecode. I usually don't need to do this, but it is entirely possible.

Chief

Jack Robertson · July 30th, 2003, 07:07 PM

Matthew,

Does each of your captured clips start with 00:00:00:00 ? If so it is not real timecode from your tape.

Jack

Matthew Flesher · July 30th, 2003, 07:18 PM

No, my clips start with whatever the original sorce timecode from the tape is where I started my capture.

When the footage is edited into a sequence, that sequence has a default timecode start of 1:00:00:00, but this is the sequence being assembled from many clips from many sources and the sequence timecode start can also be modified to start at any timecode I want. And all the clips in the sequence still refer back to the original timecode from the DV tape.

Rob Lohman · July 31st, 2003, 04:06 AM

Even with Premiere my timecode is the one from the tape (perhaps
this is a setting you can change?). If Premiere is changing timecode
I would switch to another capture application instantly. I've
done research on the DV format and the actual timecode is
definitely in there.

Again, the two programs I have mentioned can read it and
can use it to generate your filenames.

Jack Robertson · July 31st, 2003, 07:54 AM

Matthew & Rob,

I have just spend quite a bit of time researching "timecode" in DV use and it apperas (like you bith say) that it is possible to capture actual source timecode into your PC.

However, Premiere DOESN'T make it very clear on how you can do this and it is something that I have actually learned just now... You can only capture "tape timecode" if you are using "batch capture" mode in Premiere or another application like Scenalyzer. If you capture clips individually in Premiere (like I have been doing), the tape timecode WILL NOT get transfarred to your PC and the captured clips will all start with 00:00:00:00.

As for Final Cut Pro Matthew, I have never used it and I cannot comment, but now believe that timcode as such can get transfered into your PC.

I hope people will get a lot out of this, as it is something not very well documented as mentioned above.

Cheers,
Jack

Matthew Flesher · July 31st, 2003, 08:18 AM

Wow, Jack! That is really strange that you are not getting the timecode from your tape when you capture clips individually. In FCP, even when I do 'capture now' (which is basically starting the tape and hitting the button when i want to start my capture) I still get timecode. If this isn't a setting you can change, I would definately consider upgrading to a different program like Rob suggested. I know a lot of people on the PC side reccomend Vegas Video.

Good luck,
Chief

Bud Kuenzli · July 31st, 2003, 10:05 AM

in FCP you can look in the Browser window and see the Media Start and Media End timecode and that reflects the actual time code on the original tape. However I know of no way to have FCP automatically name the files by checking that timecode and naming them.
If you use the Timecode Print filter, it prints timecode starting at 0:00:00;00. You can use your deck (most decks) to print the original time code when you copy the tape but if you were creating a new tape from several clips in FCP I don't know how or if you could have it show the original time codes as it played....I realize that's a different problem...just thinking outloud on a rainy day...

Lars Siden · July 31st, 2003, 11:04 AM

Scenalyzer Live seems to be a jolly good piece of software.

I'm running the demo now and it works just great

// Lazze

Jack Robertson · August 5th, 2003, 11:49 PM

Matthew, Rob & Bud,

As it turns out it wasn't Premiere's fault that I couldn't read "source timecode", it was the DV500Plus driver, which I have now upgraded (from 2.01 to 4.5a). And yes now I can capture source timecode as per you guys. WoooHoo!

Cheers,
Jack

July 30th, 2003, 02:36 PM	#1
Lars Siden Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sweden, Stockholm Posts: 469	Capture the time code recorded on tape and naming the files... Hi, I know this question about timecodes have been discussed earlier, mostly for legal use. I wonder if it is possible to capture the video from the camera and have the program capturing naming the clips " 2003-Jun-03 Clip 001.avi" etc etc ? When viewing the video on the camera I can view the record-date using the display-info option.... but it would be nice to have the naming done automatically ;-) <me lazy> Brgds, Lazze __________________ Sony HDR-CX130,Canon 5DMKII,i7 930@4.0, 12gb memory, 3x SSD + 2x1Tb(stripe), Geforce 480, Dual 24", Win 7 x64

July 30th, 2003, 03:02 PM	#2
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Yes this is possible. You can do this while capturing with Scenalyzer Live or their old Scenalyzer after the capture. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

July 30th, 2003, 06:55 PM	#4
Matthew Flesher New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 11	Jack, I think you are misinformed on DV timecode. I edit with Final Cut Pro and it does in fact capture the timecode directly from the source tape, enabling me to do exactly what you described, which is to capture at low resolution, then recapture only the footage I need using the timecode. I usually don't need to do this, but it is entirely possible. Chief __________________ Chief

July 30th, 2003, 07:18 PM	#6
Matthew Flesher New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 11	No, my clips start with whatever the original sorce timecode from the tape is where I started my capture. When the footage is edited into a sequence, that sequence has a default timecode start of 1:00:00:00, but this is the sequence being assembled from many clips from many sources and the sequence timecode start can also be modified to start at any timecode I want. And all the clips in the sequence still refer back to the original timecode from the DV tape. __________________ Chief

July 31st, 2003, 04:06 AM	#7
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Even with Premiere my timecode is the one from the tape (perhaps this is a setting you can change?). If Premiere is changing timecode I would switch to another capture application instantly. I've done research on the DV format and the actual timecode is definitely in there. Again, the two programs I have mentioned can read it and can use it to generate your filenames. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

July 30th, 2003, 06:49 PM	#3
Jack Robertson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 125	Lars, Although it sounds like you are not refering to timecode as such, here is a little point regarding "timecode" if you ever wanted to know. (And by timecode I mean the actual Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames). You cannot capture "timecode" from your DV tape into your PC. When capturing DV footage into a program like Premiere, all timecode is stripped and a new timecode (generated internally) is added to your DV footage. It's an easy way for Programs to calculate things in the timeline that way. If you had a Broadcast editing platform, then real "timecode" would be captured from the tape into the PC. Either way its not an issue now... in the past Broadcast non-liner editors used to edit all their footage in "low resolution" first and then they re-ceptured all the required clips (refering to their EDL) in hi-resolution" using the real timecode. It was mainly because when editing a rough edit there is usually a lot of spare clips in your PC that used to take up too much room if they were alll in "hi-resolution" mode. But these days this problem is overcome by cheaper storage and DV footage not taking up as much as broadcast uncompressed video. Cheers, Jack

July 30th, 2003, 07:07 PM	#5
Jack Robertson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 125	Matthew, Does each of your captured clips start with 00:00:00:00 ? If so it is not real timecode from your tape. Jack

July 31st, 2003, 07:54 AM	#8
Jack Robertson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 125	Matthew & Rob, I have just spend quite a bit of time researching "timecode" in DV use and it apperas (like you bith say) that it is possible to capture actual source timecode into your PC. However, Premiere DOESN'T make it very clear on how you can do this and it is something that I have actually learned just now... You can only capture "tape timecode" if you are using "batch capture" mode in Premiere or another application like Scenalyzer. If you capture clips individually in Premiere (like I have been doing), the tape timecode WILL NOT get transfarred to your PC and the captured clips will all start with 00:00:00:00. As for Final Cut Pro Matthew, I have never used it and I cannot comment, but now believe that timcode as such can get transfered into your PC. I hope people will get a lot out of this, as it is something not very well documented as mentioned above. Cheers, Jack

July 31st, 2003, 08:18 AM	#9
Matthew Flesher New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 11	Wow, Jack! That is really strange that you are not getting the timecode from your tape when you capture clips individually. In FCP, even when I do 'capture now' (which is basically starting the tape and hitting the button when i want to start my capture) I still get timecode. If this isn't a setting you can change, I would definately consider upgrading to a different program like Rob suggested. I know a lot of people on the PC side reccomend Vegas Video. Good luck, Chief __________________ Chief

July 31st, 2003, 10:05 AM	#10
Bud Kuenzli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 197	interesting... in FCP you can look in the Browser window and see the Media Start and Media End timecode and that reflects the actual time code on the original tape. However I know of no way to have FCP automatically name the files by checking that timecode and naming them. If you use the Timecode Print filter, it prints timecode starting at 0:00:00;00. You can use your deck (most decks) to print the original time code when you copy the tape but if you were creating a new tape from several clips in FCP I don't know how or if you could have it show the original time codes as it played....I realize that's a different problem...just thinking outloud on a rainy day... __________________ on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are

July 31st, 2003, 11:04 AM	#11
Lars Siden Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sweden, Stockholm Posts: 469	Thanks all Scenalyzer Live seems to be a jolly good piece of software. I'm running the demo now and it works just great // Lazze __________________ Sony HDR-CX130,Canon 5DMKII,i7 930@4.0, 12gb memory, 3x SSD + 2x1Tb(stripe), Geforce 480, Dual 24", Win 7 x64

August 5th, 2003, 11:49 PM	#12
Jack Robertson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 125	Matthew, Rob & Bud, As it turns out it wasn't Premiere's fault that I couldn't read "source timecode", it was the DV500Plus driver, which I have now upgraded (from 2.01 to 4.5a). And yes now I can capture source timecode as per you guys. WoooHoo! Cheers, Jack