23.98 to 29.97 timing question

[Jeremy Garchow]

29.97 df?

[Deleted User]

Jeremy,

I hadn’t logically reasoned out that a second is still a second regardless of whether there’s 23.98fps or 29.97fps in it. I now wish I could delete the original question. I’ve been living in the 29.97 bubble for too long.

[Jeremy Garchow]

There’s a difference. If you need 24 minutes for TV, it will be 29.97 DF. 23.98 is NDF only, so 24 minutes of 24p NDF will not equal 24 minutes of real time.

You will need to calculate 23.98 NDF to 29.97 DF timing. If it’s 29.97 NDF, then you’re all good.

[Shane Ross]

29.97 can have drop frame timecode…and that timecode is what we use to properly time a show for broadcast. 23.98 only has NON-drop frame timecode. And that isn’t precise for show timing. So you have to either use a timecode calculator that does the conversion properly, or you need to do a trick to figure out what time you need to make your 23.98 timeline match in order to come out as properly timed 29.97 DF.

Blog post about timecode calcultor, that links to the blog post where I do my trick:

https://lfhd.net/2008/10/22/timecode-calculator/

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Shane Ross] “Blog post about timecode calcultor, that links to the blog post where I do my trick:”

That links to a little door that links to a tunnel that links to John Malkovich’s mind.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Shane,

That’s a big piece of the puzzle that I was missing. Didn’t realize that 23.98 was non-drop only.

By the way the TC calculator link has changed to
https://netmedia-software.com/mac/timecode-calculator.html

Your webpage link is going to a 404.

Lee

SAMDOG Digital Post
Calgary, Alberta
Mac Pro 2.66 12-core 16gb ram • FSI LM1760W Monitor • Matrox MX02 • Caldigit HD One 8tb Raid • Euphonix MC Transport • Final Cut Studio 3 • Premiere Pro CS5

• Living my life one frame at a time •

[Shane Ross]

Thanks for posting that new link. I’ll have to fix that.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Jeff Coleman]

Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see how that calculator helps.
The manual for that timecode calculator reads:
“To convert a value from one format into another choose appropriate format from …format selection drop-down list…”

So if my first selection is 29.97 drop and my conversion is to 23.98 drop:
I select 29.97 drop in the pull-down menu,
type in a timecode (e.g., 10:31;00)
I then choose 23.98 drop from the pull-down menu.
Unfortunately the number it gives me is 13:08;19.
It seems to be adding frames and not really doing a conversion considering I’d add pull-down to my 23.98 in order to get to 29.97. I’m expecting a result from the calculator like 10:30;10) or 2 frames for every minute, not 2 minutes plus difference over ten minutes.

I just want to know where to end my segment in 23.98 sequence so that it ends on frame 00 in the 29.97 sequence. Can this calculator do that or do I need to create some sort of look up table?

[Jeremy Garchow]

I would make a slug in a 29.97 DF timeline at the length you need, and copy/paste to your 23.98 NDF timeline.

Match the timing of your program to the slug.

Jeremy

[Jeff Coleman]

Jeremy,
Genius.
The slug thing didn’t work for me, but something very similar did thanks to you:

1. Create an entire 29.97 df sequence of slug for say for an hour (TC start should match TC start of 23.98 sequence)
2. Export that sequence as a ref movie (29.97 df slug seq movie)
3. Import that same movie (29.97 df slug seq movie)
4. Drop it on to one of the tracks in the 23.98 timeline sequence

then you have a beautiful reference track if you turn on your timecode overlays in the canvas. You can even disable that movie in the sequence (CTRL-B) so there are no render bars and still have the reference timecode displaying in the canvas overlays.

WAAAAAAAAY easier than a lookup table or calculator. Seems simple when you think of it.

A huge THANK YOU.