8.0

Synchronization
Timecode (positional references)
566
30 fps non-drop SMPTE (N)
This is the frame count of NTSC broadcast video. However, the actual frame
rate or speed of the video format runs at 29.97 fps. This timecode clock does
not run in realtime. It is slightly slower by 0.1 %.
30 fps drop-frame SMPTE (D)
The 30 fps drop-frame count is an adaptation that allows a timecode display
running at 29.97 fps to actually show the clock-on-the-wall-time of the
timeline by “dropping” or skipping specific frame numbers in order to “catch
the clock up” to realtime.
Confused? Just remember to keep the timecode standard (or frame count) and
frame rate (or speed) separate.
Frame rate (speed)
Regardless of the frame counting system, the actual speed at which frames of video
go by in realtime is the true frame rate.
In Cubase the following frame rates are available:
24 fps
This is the true speed of standard film cameras.
25 fps
This is the frame rate of PAL video.
29.97 fps
This is the frame rate of NTSC video. The count can be either non-drop or
drop-frame.
30 fps
This frame rate is not a video standard anymore but has been commonly used
in music recording. Many years ago it was the black and white NTSC
broadcast standard. It is equal to NTSC video being pulled up to film speed
after a 2-3 telecine transfer.
Frame count vs. frame rate
Part of the confusion in timecode stems from the use of “frames per second” in both
the timecode standard and the actual frame rate. When used to describe a
timecode standard, frames per second defines how many frames of timecode are
counted before one second on the counter increments. When describing frame
rates, frames per second define how many frames are played back during the span
of one second of realtime. In other words: Regardless of how many frames of video
there are per second of timecode (frame count), those frames can be moving at
different rates depending on the speed (frame rate) of the video format. For
example, NTSC timecode (SMPTE) has a frame count of 30
fps. However, NTSC
video runs at a rate of 29.97
fps. So the NTSC timecode standard known as SMPTE
is a 30
fps standard that runs at 29.97 realtime.