Timecoding-

[Kris Bird]

I submitted this support ticket--

Hi there- I've requested Timecode support several times over the last few months, for AVIs or MOVs .. basically just ANYTHING that I can read into vegas to auto-sync. multicam and double system shoots.

Any update/timescale on this? We're shooting a feature in a couple months and it's crucial that we can take timecode through the post workflow, so I'm currently in a predicament.

IF timecode isn't going to happen any time soon, is there any chance of getting a version of HD-link which writes timecode, or even frame numbers, out to a TXT file? A big text file listing FILENAME TIMECODE, one entry per line, anything like that ..... that's information that I can read in via script and work with.

Let me know what the score is. I don't have to tell you how important timecode is for double system post workflows..!

Kris R. Bird
Director of Photography

I don't know whether these kind of feature requests are meant to go through the support ticket system, so I'm also mirroring here for discussion!

David- what is the proposed workflow at the moment? Is there a way to take my timecoded footage and audio through the cineform post workflow? I don't know whether I'm missing something here.

Kris

[David Newman]

Timecode is a feature of our Premiere workflow, Aspect and Prospect level products reserve timecode from HDV sources, and HDSDI sources (via 422 deck control), support batch capture from both.

Are you talking about Vegas timecode support?

[Kris Bird]

I am indeed, NEO via HDLink and Vegas

[Kris Bird]

Since cineform support have marked by request "Resolved" (and not replied to my final message), and I've gotten no further answers here, I'm posting the following messages for reference, as I know there's a lot of people waiting on timecoding--

Jake Segraves posted (in response to my above message):

Time code support has been a feature request for quite some time. It is on our 'to do' list but it is not our highest priority. Our Aspect HD customers can use premiere to capture directly to cineform avi files and that retains the timecode.

We obviously can't just whip up a custom version of HDLink just for you. If it was that simple, we would do it and make it available for everyone. Like I said, it is a feature request and will be addressed at some point.

My reply, nov 27th:

I've seen David post of the forums a couple times regarding AVIs not having a standardised way of storing timecode (unlike quicktime), and that being the root of the problem. If that's the case, then I would hope that adding t/c support in MOVs might be a feasible way to get vegas users up and running, hopefully with less development time invested.

Regarding a custom version, and the comment that "If it was that simple, we would do it and make it available for everyone"- you're obviously simplifying the issue-- clearly full release versions need robust and q/c tested solutions, while proto-type fixes don't. Having worked for nearly a decade as a visual effects artist, I can't count the number of times that we got specific patches and fixes from aliaswavefront and discreet, long before they were merged back into the main development tree, tested, and released.

It seemed to me that HDLink was was printing frame numbers as it captured, and that printing these to a .txt file wouldn't be rocket science, but my apologies if these frame numbers aren't relevant to camera captured timecode. I'm presuming this won't go anywhere, but if you were able to print out some info to file then I'd be very happy to provide the vegas scripts, etc. so that vegas users can be up and running in the short term.

cheers,
Kris

No reply after a weekish, so I can only presume that timecoding is nowhere near happening. Pretty frustrating- I've been hand-syncing event work in the hope that it'll be here soon, but now I'm also faced with finding a post-solution for a feature length shoot this coming February.

Do note that cineform have never promised timecoding in Neo, I'm not saying that I've been let down or anything. I was definitely surprised that timecode wasn't preserved when I first started using Neo, never even crossed my mind that it wouldn't be, but I just presumed that it was on it's way. Would love to know just how far down the task list it is.

David, are those frame numbers in the HDLink log of any use? (i.e. can I derive timecode info from them). If so, is it reasonable for me to request that HDLink print it's log to a log.txt file?

[Stefan Scherperel]

I too have been waiting for this for quite some time. It really is an important part of any workflow and not having timecode is a really big pain in the ass. It basically makes it impossible for me to capture using scene detection because there is no way for me to tell where each scene starts and ends. I usually end up capturing an entire tape, and each new tape therefore has to restart at 00:00:00. Very frustrating to the point where I am looking into other capture solutions.

[Gildo Houtekamer]

HDVSplit causes audio sync problems [at least in my experience] and capturing within Premiere Pro doesn't work smooth [Premiere problems]
Capturing with HD link is the only solution for me, but no timecode :-(

[Mike McCarthy]

Capturing in Premiere should work fine. If it doesn't, there is probably a problem with your system. I would see capture/batch in PPro and convert in HDLink to be the ideal workflow.