generating ltc audio track from BWF timestamp

[Wyatt Tuzo]

Thought I would throw this out there. I have a last minute playback job for tomorrow... chances are I'm not going to have access to my PB files until call. I've been told by the mixer that the track had embedded TC, but he isn't sure whether it is striped as audio or just stamped in the Bext chunk (producers currently have the file).

In the event it just has a SMPTE timestamp, does anyone know of an elegant (preferably software based) solution for generating an LTC track from the headstamp? I found this app called BWF timecoder which seems to fit the bill, but at $100 for the license, I would rather just playback from one of my field recorders and record the audio and TC as audio back into my system.

I'm on mac, but have a widows partition if need be.

Thanks in advance.

Wyatt

[Marc Wielage]

Well, BWF-Widget Pro will allow you to export the file with sound on one channel and timecode on the other, as an MP3 file. That might work. But it's Windows-only and is still a hundred bucks (and well worth it, in my opinion).

The people can't just email you the file? It's just a music track, right?

--Marc W.

[David Waelder]

Well, I suppose you would have to have suitable cables to pull timecode from that little mini-phone connector on your computer- but, if you can work out the cabling, couldn't you just play the file from a laptop into your recorder of choice? Voilà. An audio file with linear timecode. True, you would have to play it in real time so it would require an extra three minutes or so for the song plus the time to assemble all the elements. I believe Wave Agent (available free) will play out timecode from a stamped file; it certainly shows on the screen display. But if I'm wrong in that assumption, then it may be more complicated and I apologize for cluttering the issue.

I would recommend just using your laptop for playback. Sound Studio is good software for this. It's easy to add markers or have the sound play in a continuous loop. (And, credit where it's due - I was led to this software by Richard LIghtstone.) The software isn't free (although there may be a free trial period - cant' recall for sure) but it's pretty reasonable. I think it's about $30. Sound Studio is available from Felt Tip Software:

www.felttip.com

Of course, if you can get $75/day renting that old PD4 that is otherwise holding a door open, then go for it.

David

Hmmmm. Wave Agent does show the timecode on playback but that data wouldn't ordinarily be fed to the mini-phone output and there doesn't seem to be any provision in the menus to accomplish that. So, I guess it's not as simple as it might be.

But, if you absolutely must have playback through your DAT recorder (or whatever) you could still make a simple transfer to the recorder with timecode set on Record-Run, starting at 00:00:00. The new timecode would then be out of sync with the original file (but close) but that might not be a big deal. The code that you feed to the slate would be in alignment with the code on your playback tape. If you provided the playback tape to post, they would be able to accurately determine the offset.

David

Edited to correct bonehead suggestions.

Edited October 21, 2011 by David Waelder

[David Waelder]

I am slow on the uptake tonight.

Your problem, as I understand it now, is that if the track is not properly prepared for playback with timecode on one of the audio tracks, you have no way to feed a slate.

If you have access to a linear timecode machine, like a Fostex or HHB DAT recorder or a TC Nagra, you could still make a transfer that would give you what you need. Simply play the file from your SD744 while recording it in the DAT recorder. The 744 will supply TC out on playback and that can feed the TC-in of your DAT recorder. It ought to be possible to borrow a DAT machine from someone locally if you don't already have one. Then do your playback from the DAT recorder.

David

[Jim Gilchrist]

Sorry if this is a little late, Wyatt.

There is also One-N's BWF Timecoder for OS X or Windows. It's a little on the pricy side but takes a timecode stamped BWF poly file and spits out mono files including a timecode track.

Last minute playback gigs can be nerve-wracking, especially when production treats the materials like they are national security documents.

Best regards,

Jim

[Wyatt Tuzo]

Thanks guys,

I appreciate the quick responses. BWF Timecoder is exactly what I need, but I'm just not up to paying the $100 especially since I'm not sure whether production is providing a suitable prepared track or not. Worse come to worse, I'll just drop the track into one of my SD recorders and record the audio and TC back into my pro tools rig. And yeah, you hit the nail on the head, David. Sorry I wasn't clear. I'm just trying to get access to the TC in linear form for feeding a playback slate. It'll all work out, as it always does. I just hate the feeling of a last minute gig with small, but crucial information gaps.

Best,

Wyatt

[Philip Perkins]

I've just done this as you say--playing out of an SD machine and re-recording the TC as a new track along with analog audio.

Worked fine.

phil p

[efksound]

Hi Wyatt

You can do this very easily with REAPER 4, you can download a full working free/demo version from here http://www.reaper.fm/ both Mac and Windows versions are available

Once installed open Reaper and go to file in the menu and choose project settings, set there your sampling rate and timecode values,.close the window and then in the main screen change the big time ruler to hours,minutes,seconds,frames (point the mouse and right click with mouse) so that way will will have a visual reference of your TC

Import your TC stamped file, once you have your file in the timeline select it and go to item in the main menu and select item procesing and then select move items to source preferred position ( this will move the file to the TC stamped value) After that create a new track (go to the track section, press right mouse button and choose create new track)

Select the item again and then go with your mouse to the timeline which is just above and then right click and choose set selection to item This will select the left/right locators to the item's length.

Select track 2 with the mouse and go to insert in the menu and choose SMPTE LTC/MTC Timecode Generator this will generate the linear timecode track

With the mixer adjust the levels for your TC track and pan your music and TC tracks

Go to file and choose render to create your final mix file in wav, mp3 etc....

That's it !!

Eric

[studiomprd]

" app called BWF timecoder which seems to fit the bill, but at $100 for the license, "

tools of the trade.

after all, we expect people to pay our rates for our services.

[Wyatt Tuzo]

Senator,

Please don't insinuate that I am somehow "unwilling" to pay for a tool of my trade. You've taken my quote out of context to support your argumentative agenda. I think I clearly stated my position in my previous post.

Thank you to all who had useful advice. Greatly appreciated.

Best,

Wyatt

[Tom Conen]

You can do this very easily with REAPER 4, you can download a full working free/demo version from here http://www.reaper.fm/ both Mac and Windows versions are available

Keep in mind, that Reaper is not for free. If you use its features for a paid job, you have to buy the software. It's a great product for a great price. I guess that was Senators intention and he is right.

[ezkb420]

I am the owner of a small company that is located in upstate NY. I came across your post on JW Soundboard about Repear software. That i hope you could answer for me. My client sent me an mp3 file that has a Linear timecode on the the left track and the discussion is on the right track. using Reaper, I am unsure how to visualize that timecode? i could send you the file is necessary

[Rick Reineke]

I am unsure how to visualize that timecode? I could send you the file is necessary

What do you mean by "visualize"?... in terms of a timeline waveform display? If so, why?

If you mean a TC numerical readout, I don't think Reaper will display that, unless it starts @ 00:00:00:00. Otherwise you would need a reader of some sorts. Some Avid NLEs can read LTC directly from a file and place it correctly on the timeline.

Waveform example: Trk.1 is program audio.. Trk.2 is LTC.

[studiomprd]

Hi, welcome to jwsound, " owner of a small company "

I'm guessing you want to read and display the timecode in hours, minutes, seconds, frames.

Is this part of your business ?? You are going to need to acquire either hardware or software that can read the timecode signal and turn it into a numeric display.

There are lots of software programs that include this function, depending on exactly what your needs are, perhaps bwfwidget Pro will suit your needs, or perhaps you'll need the functions of full featured audio suites like Audition, ProTools Nuendo, Cubase, SoundForge, Sonar, Vegas, Auadcity or Reaper. Perhaps hardware from Denecke Inc or Horita.would better suit your specific needs.

[efksound]

Hi

I'm working on set right now...

The only way to do this in Reaper, would be playing your mp3 file thru an external device (mp3 player, ipod etc...) And connecting the output of that external device to the audio inputs of the sound card of the computer running Reaper.Then set Reaper to chase external LTC timecode, (options, external syncronization settings) And then rerecord your audio in Reaper, that way will have your audio aligned to actual the timecode of your mp3 and you can then visualize the HH:MM.SS.FF in Reaper's time window, which is probably what you need to transcribe your audio.

Edit

OK I'm back home :-)

Once you open the external syncronization setting window, check the following options, and be sure to select the correct input where you are inputting the timecode, left, right etc... (be sure also that your timecode level is not too high or to too low) and also select your LTC frame rate, if everything is set right you will see Reaper locking to that timecode and the transport running...

Then move your mouse to the counter display and right click with mouse and select the Hours:minutes:seconds:frames setting and then do the same exactly the same with the upper timeline.

[ezkb420]

thanks for your help.. I ended up getting an application from video toolshed. called transcriber 2.. It works pretty good. I am going to try the setting as you describe..

[Richard Lightstone, CAS]

It was Jeff Wexler who first made me aware of Sound Studio, right here on jwsound! So the real credit goes to Jeff.