3 replies to this topic

[malatekid]

There was some discussion of not being able to preserve the date/time stamp from camcorder to the finished mpg file. See this thread for cross reference.

The date/time stamp on videos taken using my analog Sony Camcorder CCD-TRV95 (Hi8) successfuly got preserved on the finished mpg. I used Media Import to capture some video clips from the analog camcorder and using the HP DC5000 Movie Writer as the conduit between the camcorder and the PC.

Edited by malatekid, 06 October 2006 - 09:01 PM.

[ggrussell]

On the analog camcorders, the date/time stamp is actually encoded in the video signal which is recorded to the tape. Once you record the time/date, it is there permenantly. With digital camcorders, the time/date is NEVER encoded into the video. Time/date is recorded separately and is then displayed on the camcorder's LCD as an overlay.

When capturing digital tape to MPEG, the time/date will be lost. The ONLY file format that preserves the time/date stamp is DV AVI.

Edited by ggrussell, 07 October 2006 - 05:41 AM.

[malatekid]

ggrussell, on Oct 7 2006, 09:40 AM, said:

On the analog camcorders, the date/time stamp is actually encoded in the video signal which is recorded to the tape. Once you record the time/date, it is there permenantly. With digital camcorders, the time/date is NEVER encoded into the video. Time/date is recorded separately and is then displayed on the camcorder's LCD as an overlay.

When capturing digital tape to MPEG, the time/date will be lost. The ONLY file format that preserves the time/date stamp is DV AVI.

That explains it. Thank you for the info.

[walterd8]

ggrussell, on Oct 7 2006, 05:40 AM, said:

On the analog camcorders, the date/time stamp is actually encoded in the video signal which is recorded to the tape. Once you record the time/date, it is there permenantly.

You are right, but with one exception: there are about 38 high-end Hi8 analog Sony camcorders models that have an RC TimeCode and Data Code feature that preserves the date and time, together with the tape counter. This feature puts the date and time on the tape and tape counter on a separate Rewriteable Consumer Time Code (RCTC) "channel", as it is recording. Although not usually visible during playback, you CAN then view the date and time on the TV screeen by pushing the DATA button, or the DATE(+) or TIME(NEXT) buttons on the camcorder.

However neither Sony, nor anyone else, had a way to transfer the dates and times, without burning them permanently directly into the video. Although limited to Hi8 tapes only at this time, there is a tool called Hi8DateTime that extracts dates and times from Hi8 tapes made by Hi8 camcorders with the DATA CODE feature and produces a SAMI subtitle file. When viewed in conjunction with the captured MPEG file using the Windows Media Player, you could then turn the dates and times from the SAMI file, on and off as subtitles.

This FAQ has more information abount Date and Time encoding Hi8 timecode and a list of Sony models that have this feature:

http://www.octochron...odeDataCode.htm