User guide

2-15

Basics

2.6 Notes on Source Timecode and Keycode

Some file formats for clips, e.g. *.dpx files, are capable of storing more

information than just their image content. These information are usu-

ally written in a specified format into the file headers which can be read

and interpreted by different software applications that support these

kind of information. Among the information stored you can find, for

example, the name of the creator (usually the program that created the

files), the creation time and date, the timecode and/or the keycode.

Most of the data stored in file headers and transmitted to the DVS soft-

ware during a capturing will only be recorded and given back again

during a play-out, if appropriate. However, DVS especially makes use

of the timecode and keycode information.

2.6.1 About Source Timecode

Timecode information stored in file headers (the so-called source time-

code) can be used in the whole DVS software. For example, you can

use source timecodes in the timeline of the Edit Tool and regardless of

their position in the timeline the respective clips will always show and

use their source timecode. Then, prior to a play-out you can decide

whether the internal timeline timecode should be given out as a time-

code signal or the source timecodes provided by the files.

Regarding source timecode there are some peculiarities how the DVS

software deals with source timecodes. Some of them are detailed in the

following:

The image files capable of storing timecode information usually provide

space for one timecode only in their header (generic source timecode).

But because DVS systems are able to receive, for example, during a

record, several timecodes incorporated in signals at various connectors,

they use more than just one timecode. During a write procedure, i.e.

when recording clips via the I/O Tool (*.dpx files), the system will

write all received timecode information into the file headers. The ones

additionally received will be stored at a location for user defined data in

the header and usually cannot be interpreted by applications other than

the ones developed by DVS. When processing such clips afterwards, for

instance, in the timeline of the Edit Tool or when conforming, you can

The DVS software supports additional information such as

source timecode in the *.dpx, *.mov as well as *.mxf file

formats. However, some features (e.g. multiple timecodes or

the editing of header data) are available for *.dpx files only.

With the help of Spycer the header data, such as timecode or

keycode information, can be adjusted to your liking (see

“Spycer” user guide for more information).