RED & Timecode

[roryhinds]

How does RED handle Timecode.

Are the REDCODE files generated with LTC Timecode?
How does it handle different frame rates?

If I'm shooting to REDCODE and HDSDI deck at the same time do the both have the same TC?

Does REDQuick copy over the TC so a client can start editing straight away?

How does RED handle the 2Gb file splits and does the TC maintain its integrity.

Timecode is a major concern at its needs to be seamless as I can see nightmares developing on large projects with endless footage.

[Rob Lohman]

- edge code (starts at 1 hour) and time of day timecode or external timecode

- timecode follows the project framerate, not recorded frame rate (although they can be the same)

- I think yes to HD-SDI, but that's something Stuart needs to confirm

- Yes, clients can edit straight away with timecode

- TC integrity of course is maintained over 2 GB file chunks, it will be seen as a single clip with consistent timecode

[Nils Ruinet]

- timecode follows the project framerate, not recorded frame rate (although they can be the same)

Just to be sure, this means that if your project is in 24P, but for one shot you overcrank to 60fps, you will still get a 24fps based TC, right ?

And if you playback that overcranked file, at which speed will it play ? In slow motion at the projects 24P framerate ? Or at 60fps ?

Last question, if you overcrank for example to 100fps, what signal will you get out of the realtime HDSDI outputs ? Will it skip frames to output a signal at the projects framerate ?
For this last question, I meant in realtime when recording the footage, not afterwards during playback.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I think you get the TC based on whatever your primary frame rate is. So you set your rate at 24P, then use the "Varispeed" function to ramp the fps up to 60. Then you're shooting overcranked, with the proper TC for playback in slow-mo at 24p.

Or at least that's what I've gathered from previous RED team posts.... It may not be that way or has changed. Probably should have just let Rob answer. :)

Edit-> also meant to add... I think an overcranked file as recorded with TC for a lower rate will play back at the lower rate. I think. Or do we have to use REDCINE or a tool like REDQUICK to set the intended playback rate? But I'm just guessing here and also would only be guessing as to how they handle various frame rates and SDI output.

[Rob Lohman]

Just to be sure, this means that if your project is in 24P, but for one shot you overcrank to 60fps, you will still get a 24fps based TC, right ?

That would be correct


And if you playback that overcranked file, at which speed will it play ? In slow motion at the projects 24P framerate ? Or at 60fps ?

24 fps


Last question, if you overcrank for example to 100fps, what signal will you get out of the realtime HDSDI outputs ? Will it skip frames to output a signal at the projects framerate ?

If I remember correctly the HD-SDI is always running at 60 fps with the necessary conversions. I could be wrong on that though! Stuart can answer how this works for sure.

[Steve Gibby]

"The way timecode works in the camera is as follows -

You establish your “project frame rate” for example 24 fps. This is the frame rate that you typically capture in, and also the frame rate that you play back, edit and present in.

Hence that's your timecode counter baseline.

Then if you capture at speeds faster or slower than that, you just run the clock counter faster or slower.

Then when you play the clip back, you have a slow motion sequence, running at 24 fps and with valid 24 fps timecode.

So no need for Varicam-like duplicate frame and timecode re-striping."

Stuart English
1/3/07
REDUser
http://205.234.134.160/forum/showthread.php?t=77

[Alexander Black]

"The way timecode works in the camera is as follows -
http://205.234.134.160/forum/showthread.php?t=77

Heh, this reminds me - I seriously considered doing searches on all the "RED" people on the board and assembling, chronologically, all of the last-known-statements, just so I could search it to get answers to random questions.

_a

[Mark L. Pederson]

If I remember correctly the HD-SDI is always running at 60 fps with the necessary conversions. I could be wrong on that though! Stuart can answer how this works for sure.

Stuart -

I am assuming that the HDMI and EVF are always 720/60 - and the HD-SDI is NOT -

I can get 1080p 23.98fps out of the HD-SDI with exactly the same TC as written to the file (assuming I am shooting 4K 23.98) - is this correct?

[Georg Misch]

Hi!

How accurate is the internal TC reader/generator? Is it accurate enough to hold a TC for at least 4 hours or do we need to work with an external box like Ambient's or Denecke's to avoid drift?

Best

Georg