Timecode generator is broken and buggy

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Fix the timecode generator

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Agreed, seems to be an ongoing issue through the years.

This is not an issue of interpreting the TC of imported footage; I can add an Adjustment layer/Transparent video to an empty timeline, add the TC generator to it, and the burn-in will not correspond with the TC displayed in the timeline panel. In my case it's exclusive to a 30fps sequence/30fps TC generator.

Current workaround is to swap everything to 29.97-- and presto the TC generator will correspond properly to the sequence TC.

[renecaron]

This bug has once again reappeared in Premiere v13. It makes this release totaly useless for us. Ex.: a 24fps timecode effect generator @ 10:00:00:00 in a 24fps timeline will display 09:59:22:00 and double or skip frames from time to time. So frustrating and unacceptable!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I can back this up, the bug is still present in v13.1. I have a sequence in 24 fps. All material is also 24 fps. In the export window, if I select the output also as 24 fps, and use the 'timecode overlay' option, I get the following results.

Choosing 'generate timecode' and '24fps' yields completely wild results. The starting time is not the same as displayed on the seqeunce itself. If i correct it with offset, it will not stay in time, in fact it does double frames, so the timecode does not change between two frames at various points.

If i select 'generate timecode' and 25 fps, the starting time is completely off, but I can again correct this with offset. This time, it stays correct from beginning to end.

So 24 fps is completely useless, and for some reason, for 24 fps sequence / material, you have to choose to generate 25 fps timecode and offset it if you want results.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

If possible please verify if this is the same issue that you may be facing.

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2611600

[adabis168]

come on adobe. you need to take this major flaw in your software seriously. people can't turnover their films with this bug. where are you?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Timecode overlay display error in 24P when NVIDIA GPU mode.
If change to software mode, Timecode overlay will be correct.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

This is a serious issue affecting my workflow on multiple projects now, only began happening after updating to CC 2019. Up to at Least version 12 this was not occuring in CC 2018 for me.

If I have a 24fps Timeline and apply 24fps "Generate" Timecode to a 24fps Transparent Video Track. I get completely wrong timecode read out:
1. It sometimes starts at about 00:59:56:09
2. It drifts significantly over the course of just 20 minutes of video.

By the end of a 20 minute rush you are looking at 1 second+ of drift, and the amount of drift increases, it is not a static offset. This seems to be some kind of mathematical error, and it may be in the coding for the Mercury OpenCL acceleration engine for this effect. Using Mercury, the timecode effect is incorrect. Using Software-Only, the timecode effect renders correctly based on its settings.

Only solutions at the moment are:
1. Stay on OpenCL and change the Time Display to "25fps" in the effect, which for some reason makes the timecode run at 24fps correctly and match...

2. Switch to Software only for rendering out, which makes the correct settings generate properly, which still doesn't solve the problem of then conforming things while actually editing.

Please fix this as it is a huge problem!

System Details:
Premiere Pro CC 2019 (v. 13.1.2 Build 9)
iMac 5k Late 2014
4 GHz Intel Core i7
AMD Radeon R9 M295X 4GB

[renecaron]

Problem still there in 13.1.2. Definitely related to GPU acceleration. Using GPU acceleration (OpenCL or Metal) breaks the timecode. Software only is a the only workaround at a huge rendering speed expense. Guys fix this ASAP please! Unworkable in my situation cannot use this release as it is right now.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Premiere Pro 13.1.2 (build 9), and Media Encoder 13.1 (Build 173). I'm hoping my frame grabs will upload to show that outputting a sequence (1920x1080, 24 fps, ProRes 422 HQ media) to Media Encoder (by selecting Queue), adding a Timecode display effect, the timecode displayed is WRONG.
1) The sequence starts at 00:59:40.00. This frame shows the burnin at 00:59:36.10. 2) Adding a frame offset of 86 frames to start the sequence at 00:59:40.00, the last frame of picture the timecode is way off (54 frames). 3) Changing the timeline frame rate to 25 (and no 86 frame adjustment), the start timecodes match. 4) The last frame of picture the timecode is 1 frame off from the burnin (the burnin is wrong).

Timecode doesn't work correctly as an adjustment layer, displaying incorrect timecode for the sequence AND the clip, and Media Encoder doesn't at all display the correct timecode.

Very serious items to fix.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Here is the work around: switch the Mercury Playback Engine to Software Only. In Premiere you go to File\Project Settings\General. In Media Encoder you go to Preferences\General\Video Rendering. That is only for exporting media. This give accurate sequence and clip timecode burn ins.

[mkammes]

I'll add to the chorus; something is awry. I typically use it on an adjustment layer over the entire sequence for a timecode window burn. The starting TC is never right, and the offset doesn't allow for enough flexibility to correct for it. Yes, this is with CUDA acceleration (CC 13.x).

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

This is still an issue in 13.1.2 Build 9 Adobe please fix this ASAP.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

After spending time talking to Adobe over the last week, I was able to get them to fix the bug in Premiere where the timecode overlay from 24fps sequences was incorrect when using the Mercury Engine (Hardware Cudu). The update was released today. v13.1.3 Hopefully this will address the issue most people here where having.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

The Software only is a temp fix but it would be great to have this problem fixed by Adobe!

[marcusg82263131]

I'm on PP 13.1.5 trying to get burn in TC to appear on a transparent or adjustment layer. But no numbers appear at all. I've cross tested on my laptop and it works. Adobe tech support spent 2.5hrs trying to fix with screen sharing, but they failed to get it working.

They tried changing the render engine. I've tried a full uninstall/reinstall. I've updated the operating system. On a Mac Pro 2013 3.5 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5 so plenty of grunt.

Is it something to do with the settings in sequence? It's like the effect can't see any TC.

Weirdly, when I export the sequence to Media Encoder and try to apply a BITC there, same issue?

Any ideas welcome. I really need to get transcribing of the interviews done asap for this doco.

[Terry Kelley]

I'm an ACE editor, professional for 35 years. WTF is up with this stupid problem with timecode burn-in? It absolutely prevents me from using Premiere for professional work.

[Alan Stuart]

Ok sooooo after much back and forth, my issue got fixed by deleting fonts in my iMacs font book ( duplicate fonts ), have no idea how this fixed the issue but Adobe Tech support did it for me, and it worked ....I HAVE TIMECODE OVERLY AGAIN!!!!!!!!

[Pica Pie]

Still having this Problem, is there a **** fix?

[WhippetWimmers]

Please help i am desperately trying to hand over BUT THE TIME CODE IS ALWAYS WRONG - am running most recent update

[IvanTheEditor]

I can't believe that something so FUNDAMENTAL such as a timecode feature is COMPLETELY not working in Premiere. If applied as a plugin on my timeline it will not display AT ALL and if applied during export it is always OFF no matter what I try.

Unbelievable!!!

[eigenartfilmproduktion]

Hi,

TC the newest version 14.3.1 Build 45 is still buggy! Adobe, please fix, such a essential feature needs to work!!! Even under GPU acceleration! It can´t be that users with state of the art hardware have to think everytime they want to use a tool, if it´s working or not! Can´t you understand, that we´re all people with normal needs? No fancy dancy extra thing! We want to go home after a working day without thinking the whole night how to build workarounds to the problems you make us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So: fix it ASAP please!!!!!!!!!!!!

[johneilcarlt21153093]

Hey, I got the solution for the timecode error on source monitor. See the attachment.
I just modify the timecode value on the video. Right click the video > look for modify > Timecode.

[nextneville]

I'm still having this issue in Premiere 22.2.0. Incredibly annoying and debilitating for professional workflows. I'm an editor for high end commercials. Lately producers have been asking me what I think about switching to Resolve. I gotta say the type of bugs that constantly seem to come out of nowhere in Premiere are a reason to switch, but the timecode generator error really is Little League. If Resolve catches up on one or two more issues I'm switching. I've alreay given it a good test drive, and coming from Avid it's evident that Da Vinci has a much better grasp on what's important in postproduction pipelines.

[anthony14699114]

I've had timecode issues ever since I started a job that cuts on Premiere last year. The worst for me is that as far as I can tell, there's no way to get the timecode display on the Timeline or Program Monitor to display the Time of Day timecode attached to the clip. The reason this is important is that it's way, way more efficient to type or paste the timecode I'm looking for there and jump to that spot, rather than scrub through the timeline looking at the TOD timecode in the timecode window. If you work on a show where producers are scripting from transcripts, this is pretty essential, and it's incredibly easy in Avid. In Avid you type in the timecode, hit return and the playhead jumps there. Not being able to do this in Premiere is a serious hinderance to professional workflows.