vitc

Hi orifuchs,

As a video editor from the linear tape mastering days, VITC Timecode was always added via RS-422 control and recorded during the tape layback (recording the master). I assume that this is not possible, nor is what you wish to do.

I was speaking to engineering about this and here's what they said.

• Here's a nice document from EBU describing some issues and options for handling timecode in MXF files:  https://tech.ebu.ch/docs/r/r122.pdf
• When you export Op1a files from Adobe products (including formats like AS-11) you will get a single SMPTE 12M Timecode Track, which contains continuous timecode representing the output sequence timecode, and can be set to start at 0, as in the example below. 
• This is by far the most common and generally useful way to express timecode in an MXF file because it exists as a top level track, and you don't have to parse anything unusual, or try to mine anything out of the compressed video stream. 
• In section 3 of that document on page 8, they talk about taking VITC timecode as a source for placement in this kind of SMPTE 12M Timecode Track.

Track

    InstanceUID = {1479705e-2224-11e8-8d8c-00059a3c7a00}

    TrackNumber = 0

    TrackID = 0

    EditRate = 60000/1001

    TrackSegment = {1479705f-2224-11e8-a36b-00059a3c7a00}

    TrackSegment -> Strong Reference to Sequence

      Sequence

        InstanceUID = {1479705f-2224-11e8-a36b-00059a3c7a00}

        ComponentDataDefinition = SMPTE12MTimecodeTrack - SMPTE 12M Timecode Track

        ComponentDataDefinition is an unsatisfied DictRef

        StructuralComponents

          StrongReferenceComponent = {14799770-2224-11e8-bdb0-00059a3c7a00}

          StrongReferenceComponent -> Strong Reference to TimecodeComponent

            TimecodeComponent

              InstanceUID = {14799770-2224-11e8-bdb0-00059a3c7a00}

              DropFrame = 00

              RoundedTimecodeBase = 60

              ComponentDataDefinition = SMPTE12MTimecodeTrack - SMPTE 12M Timecode Track

              ComponentDataDefinition is an unsatisfied DictRef

              StartTimecode = 0

              ComponentLength = 480

        ComponentLength = 480

    Origin = 0

I hope this gets you on the right track.

Thanks,
Kevin