Program TC overlay displays incorrect timecode

[kristines23037864]

I imported shots with double-system audio recorded 32-bit float having jammed an FX6 from a MixPre6ii.  I can sync camera (with guide track) and audio clips in the timeline via TC with no problem.  Here's the oddity: Suddenly the TC overlay in the Program window displays incorrect TC for only the audio clips (up to a minute off), but PPro seems to read the proper TC because I can still sync clips using TC in the timeline.  Also, I had TC properly displayed in a couple of timelines, but when I went to another timeline and then back to the timelines that had correctly displayed the TC, they now also displayed incorrect TC, i.e. the display went bad in seconds.  I had correct TC displayed in these timelines for weeks until this anomaly occurred.  I know because I did a test shot shooting the display of the MixPre, which displayed the same TC as the PPro Program overlay.   I uninstalled and reinstalled PPro: same problem.  On another computer: same problem.  Is this PPro having problems with 32-bit float?  Something else?  [I'm on a trashcan Mac Pro, OS 12.6.6, PPro v23.5]  Thoughts?  Thanks

[Collin K]

I need to recheck this later this evening. As of last week, I was still seeing the wrong Audio file TC in Overlays versus what the actual file time code in my current project.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Cool, @Collin K - let me know!

[Kevin-Monahan]

Great, @mcx#5000 - I appreciate the news. I will share it with the team.

[Collin K]

I just downloaded and opened PP 24.6.1 (Build 2) to do a quick trial.

I imported one .R3D file and one separate sound file that syncs together nicely for an interview. When I did a manual sound sync by matching the timecodes of both files, I was able to replicate the SAME PROBLEM I had in the previous Premiere version where the timecode from the sound file in the Source Monitor did not match the timecode shown in the TC Overlays of this same file.

I did figure out a fix, though. When I right-clicked the sound file in the Project, I went to 'Timecode' to see what the file was showing. Time Display Format was showing '23.976 fps Timecode' (without me changing anything) which should have been correct. I changed this setting over to 'Use Default Time Display'. Upon changing from 23.976 to Default, the timecode "fixed" itself and the TC Overlays were now correct and matching the Source Monitor.

Hope this helps anyone running into this. I've attached a bunch of screenshots for reference.

[R Neil Haugen]

Great catch, and thanks so much for posting back the fix!

Now "we" should be able to help others because you were so thorough and thoughtful. Thanks again!

[Alan Demafiles]

I'm on a PC windows 10 using Premiere version 24.6.1 and am still running into this issue. I tried the 'Use default time display' trick but it doesn't resolve the discrepancy.  For fun, I tried importing the same .mxf & .wav into BMD Resolve and it reads and displays everything correctly.

[JHZATX]

We are also still experiencing this bug. And we just updated to Premiere v25.

[Paulo_Conceição]

Same problem here, 25.0.0 (build 61).

Premiere displays one timecode in the folder (that is the correct one), but when dropped onto the timeline it alters the TC.

The IN point is different from the original file. The same problem occurs when trying to create a Multi-Cam.

[Kevin Chop Chop]

@Kevin-Monahan I'm also facing the same problem. Everything was fine until I started on my first 23.976 fps project and now this bug is messing everything up. My AE has given up and gone to use another NLE for syncing and binning. 

[Kevin-Monahan]

Sorry to hear that, @Kevin Chop Chop. If your AE is unhappy, then I am unhappy too. We need to fix this ASAP. Let me see if @jamieclarke or @Rach McIntire might be able to investigate. I apologize for the issue. Take care.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Henrique - TMMW]

I'm also able to reproduce the bug here.

Our integration relies on timecode for syncing, and the same way Premiere displays

the wrong timecode it also deliveres that timecode when we get a project item timecode

from it's metadata.

Would be really nice to have a fix for this soon seen that it first resported over 18 months ago.

Many thanks!!

Henrique \\ TMMW

[penelope_9793]

It appears that the display issue in Premiere Pro may be related to the 32-bit float audio format or how it handles timecode overlays for mixed frame rates or formats. Since sync still works fine in the timeline, the issue is likely limited to the TC display in the application window. Try resetting the settings or using a different sequence setting, as this can sometimes resolve display inconsistencies. If the issue persists, check for updates or revert to a previous version of PPro that may work better with timecode overlays.

[Aqlex239]

I am still experiencing this bug in Premiere 2025.1, and I was experiencing it last year consistently through all versions of 2024 as far as I can recall.

Tried the 'Use Default Time Display' trick, but no dice, still having the same issue.

I'm an AE here trying to sync a huge number of files and burn in separate video and audio timecode. However, I can't actually burn in any audio timecode because none of the tools are spitting out the correct timecode for these separate audio files. I'm currently having to "generate timecode" manually and paste in the timecode of each audio file, but there are hundreds of files so this is an untenable solution in the long run and is already cutting severely into the budget.

Let me know if there is any further information I can provide to help developers try and track down this bug!

[wesley_d2s_]

Using the Version 25.1.0 (Build 73) in 2025 and still having this bug. The micahyo's tips worked with me! Thank you so much, Micahyo!

"The workaround is two-part:

Set the "Indeterminate Timebase" preference to "23.976"

Leave all of your 23.976 WAV files set to "Default" under "Timebase Display Format". DO NOT FORCE TO 23.976. Even though that's the appropriate setting, this triggers the bug."

[Aqlex239]

@wesley_d2s_Unfortunately, this same workaround doesn't seem to work for me. My timecode readout doesn't change when I set the "Indeterminate Timebase" preference to "23.976" and leave all of my 23.976 WAV files set to "Default". Just for fun, I then tried changing "Default" to "23.976", but this made no change to the timecode. Even if this worked though, I would have to do this one by one for hundreds of files in my case, which I'm not sure would save me any time.

[Aqlex239]

In my case, I'm having this problem with the Metadata and Timecode Display effect, where I need to burn in audio timecode for hundreds of files. I feel that, if I was able to set "Time Display" to 23.976 rather than 24, I might be able to solve my issue. However, 23.976 is not one of the options in the dropdown. Is there a reason that there is no 23.976 option on this list? Or is this a different issue, and I should be posting about this in a different thread?