Viewing embedded Timecode in Quicktime files on PCs?

OK guys- I'm hoping someone from this group has a solution to this problem.

I have a library of clips encoded into standard Quicktime DV25 format using Final Cut Pro. FCP has embedded the timecode into the clip and it is viewable within FCP. My problem is that I have some people who are trying to view these quicktime movies on Windows machines, and although they can play the clips fine, they are not able to view the embedded timecode and we really really need to view that timecode.

I did some searching a while back and found that if you had Quicktime 6 Pro, you could open the clip and go into the Movie Properties dialog, then drop down to the Timecode section and see the embedded timecode. Only problem is that we are using QT7 and Apple removed that functionality from 7.

I also looked into some 3rd party logging apps, and Digital Heaven makes a great app called Movie Logger for logging shots and creating XML files for import into FCP, but at the moment it is Mac only. A windows version is in the works, but I need this functionality today.

I even experimented with Quicktime Alternative, which installs the Quicktime codecs into the system to be played in Windows Media Player, although I can't seem to find a way to display timecode there either.

Does anyone know a way to view the embedded timecode of these DV25 Quicktime files from a PC?

 

Wow- Did I really stump you guys?

 

well, rolling back to 6 would be a solutiion, and quicktime 7 has bugs. it seems that every time I say this somebody qoutes me and says QFT

 

I don't understand. Can't you just load it into (your favorite flavor of windows editting here) and get the timecode from there?

 

No. The clips will load in, but the embedded timecode does not show. All the imported clips (speaking specifically of Adobe Premiere) just start the clip timecode at 0. Besides, I don't want to have to install a full blown editing application just so folks can view timecode on clips.

 

Well I'm stumped. I think your best bet would be to extend the vertical resolution by 20 pixels or so, and comp the time-code into the movie itself. I believe there is a "time-code print" filter under the video category.

EDIT: Ha! Beatya durb!

 

Here's a crazy idea...

Try using the built in text feature in After Effects. You could use that to litterally build you OWN timecode feature. Yes... You will have to render out a version that has the timecode visible all the time. But if all you need is a reference point, that should do the trick.

Just and idea.

btw: On a personal note, I got your email the other day, and haven't had the time to respond properly. I've been up to my friggin eyeballs with work. Going from cube farm, working for the state, to freelancer, is a weird transition. It's a long story...

 

I've thought about doing that, but it would tie up our edit suite and require extensive transcoding. I mean, the data is there, and I can see the video fine, I just wish there was a simple player that displayed the embedded timecode. I'm just shocked that no one has come up with something that seems so simple to develop.

 

In QT7 there is an option to view "Show movie info" That will give you the current time in hours:minutes:seconds:frames format. I'm not sure what it does with embedded timecode thougth. You could always do a little math.

 

That's cool Durb. I mean, seeing as I dropped off the face of the planet for 6 months, I don't have any room to expect immediate replies. Although I was beginning to wonder if I had been blacklisted.

Anyways, what I might do is just downgrade the viewing stations to Quicktime 6 Pro. At least I can view the timecode that way. I'll just deal with the lack of QT7 codecs until I find something else that works or Digital Heaven gets their PC version of Movie Logger done.

bgii_2000, the Show Movie info just shows the clip run time and not the embedded timecode. It seems they removed this function when they went to 7. Friggin Apple dingleberries....

By the way, if you FCP users haven't checked out Movie Logger, it deserves a look. It's a very simple app that allows you to browse and log video clips into separate shots. You can apply comments to each shot and then save the log out as an XML file. When you import the XML file into FCP, the clip shows up in the project window and each of your logged shots show up as individual clips that you can add to the timeline. Very, very slick.

 

There's also a "show movie properties" (only availible to pro users) that claims to have "advanced editing features".

 

Yeah, that's where the Timecode can be viewed in QT6 Pro, but it's not available in QT7.

 

No, Jerm... You were not blacklisted. Hell, I was surprised to get your email. I thought you really had been abducted by aliens, and were now living a nice peaceful life among some big-eyed, bald, tall people.

Anyway... What you're describing here is why software upgrades are a BAD thing. This is why I NEVER upgrade anything until I have to. It seems that just about all developers, in their infinite, all knowing, wisdom, think they have a better grasp of what people really need than the actual users. So, they just arbitrarily (it seems) move features elsewhere, make them hard to find, or remove them altogether.

It would be one thing if all they ever did was ADD features. But NOOOOOOO... That would be too easy. And presumably, they think that won't be enough for people to shell out the clams to get the newest version.

I agree with your stance of back-grading to QT6. If it works better, then it works better. Damn the new CODECs, if that's all that's usefull anyway.