Time-code Format

[Craig Seeman]

Neither. LTC (Longitudinal Time Code) involves a longitudinal audio track found on tape. VITC (Vertical Interval Time Code) is in the vertical blanking interval. That can be inserted in a file but there’s little practical reason to do that. In the modern file based workflow the time code is metadata tied to the frame of the file.

Why would you need either unless you were going back to tape in which case you’d need a means to convert the metadata to insert into the tape? That’s certainly possible but it’s not something that any modern day file based camera would use that I know of.

Are you dealing with a TV station requesting HDCAM delivery or someone using old equipment using LTC or VITC?

[Eric Reusch]

I am recording audio separately and need to sync it I thought that I could use my MOTU interface to send Ltc smpte to the camera would keep the two synced together or is there a better way to do it?

Best Regards,
Eric

[Craig Seeman]

The EX3 has a BNC Time Code In and Out connection. If you’re recording in the field you can certainly feed it time code or have it send time code. Basically it does lock to external timecode but it doesn’t specify LTC or VITC. It doesn’t “record” LTC or VITC though. The EX1 doesn’t have this feature.

[Mark Raudonis]

Craig,

I think you’re wrong about the timecode. You were thinking about the actual files created, and not the camera’s ability to “live feed” a signal. The EX-3 has a BNC “timecode” out connector specifically so that you can “sync” this camera to common code in a multicam setup. That code, on that connector is essentially an “audio signal” which makes it “LTC” or Longitudinal Timecode.

The EX-3 ALSO has an SDI out connector which if I’m not mistaken packs BOTH LTC and VITC into the
signal stream. So, I guess the answer is the EX-3 does have BOTH VITC and LTC.

Mark

[Mark Raudonis]

Above answer posted BEFORE Craig responded…

[Craig Seeman]

[Mark Raudonis] “Above answer posted BEFORE Craig responded…”
I was about to respond to your response but realize you read my response after you responded.

I was thinking of “use” as “record” in my initial response. It certainly does use LTC/VITC timecode as a means to sync.

If you were to playback a recorded EX file there isn’t a LTC track or VITC in a vertical interval though. Hence the confusion on my part.

[Eric Reusch]

Thank you both so much this is a big help

Best Regards,
Eric

[Rafael Amador]

I agree 100% with Craig.
That is not LTC, neither VITC. Is a SMPTE TC but is not recorded as an audio-like signal in any audio-like track, neither in the Vertical interval of the video signal.
Connect the BNC of your EX-3 and your audio recorder to an external TCG and they will have both the same TC (don’t worry if is longitudinal, vertical or 3D).
With the EX-1 you would need to sacrifice an audio track and buy “Video Toolshed” to use that Aux TC in FC.
Again, I have a real fight in the FC forum about LTC/VITC.
LTC/VITC are concept and technologies from the analog era.
Digital files have TC. NO “L”, no “VI”.
Craig wrote:
“If you were to playback a recorded EX file there isn’t a LTC track or VITC in a vertical interval though. Hence the confusion on my part. “.
If would be a VITC you could see the white dots moving in the top of your external monitor just off-setting the the picture vertically.
rafael
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Craig Seeman]

Thanks Rafael.

That’s why I was confused by the OP’s terms “use”.
The EX3 uses SMPTE timecode. Whatever generates that is of no concern to the camera. That in can be from a master SMPTE time code generator box.

That’s also why, personally, people should be careful about how they word questions. Fuzzy wording can result in answers to different interpretation of the question.

[Eric Reusch]

I am sorry for the confusion, I should have asked “Can the EX3 sync to an LTC SMPTE time-code Source?”

Best Regards,
Eric