Rewritable consumer timecode
Encyclopedia
The Rewriteable Consumer Timecode (RCTC, RC Timecode, or RC Time Code) is a nearly frame accurate timecode method developed by Sony
for 8mm and Hi8 analog tape formats. The RC timecode is written by the video camera directly to analog tape tracks and records the hour, minute, second and frame for each frame of video recorded to tape. Officially, RCTC is accurate to within +/- 2 to 5 frames. The RC timecode information is written in a separate area of the track so as to not disturb the audio or video information recorded on the tape. The RC timecode was used in conjunction with the datacode to record date, time and frame information directly to the 8mm tape tracks.
On several video camera models, Sony
included the ability to search by date/time (appropriately called Date Search) and to index positions within the tape so that the index mark could be returned to with the press of a button.
The RC timecode is a different technology than the SMPTE timecode, Linear timecode
(LTC), and Vertical interval timecode
(VITC).
At least one manufacturer (Octochron) created tools to capture the information from the RC timecode on tape and export it via Serial or USB to the computer.
A partial list of camcorders which supported RC timecode.
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
for 8mm and Hi8 analog tape formats. The RC timecode is written by the video camera directly to analog tape tracks and records the hour, minute, second and frame for each frame of video recorded to tape. Officially, RCTC is accurate to within +/- 2 to 5 frames. The RC timecode information is written in a separate area of the track so as to not disturb the audio or video information recorded on the tape. The RC timecode was used in conjunction with the datacode to record date, time and frame information directly to the 8mm tape tracks.
On several video camera models, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
included the ability to search by date/time (appropriately called Date Search) and to index positions within the tape so that the index mark could be returned to with the press of a button.
The RC timecode is a different technology than the SMPTE timecode, Linear timecode
Linear timecode
Linear Timecode is an encoding of SMPTE timecode data in an audio signal, as defined in SMPTE 12M specification. The audio signal is commonly recorded on a VTR track or other storage media. The bits are encoded using the biphase mark code, also known as "FM": a zero bit has a single transition...
(LTC), and Vertical interval timecode
Vertical interval timecode
Vertical Interval TimeCode is a form of SMPTE timecode embedded as a pair of black-and-white bars in a video signal. These lines are typically inserted into the vertical blanking interval of the video signal...
(VITC).
At least one manufacturer (Octochron) created tools to capture the information from the RC timecode on tape and export it via Serial or USB to the computer.
A partial list of camcorders which supported RC timecode.
| NTSC Camcorder Models with RC Timecode |
|---|
| Sony CCD-SC55 |
| Sony CCD-TR101 |
| Sony CCD-TR2300 |
| Sony CCD-TR3000 |
| Sony CCD-TR3300 |
| Sony CCD-TR3400 |
| Sony CCD-TR555 |
| Sony CCD-TR700 |
| Sony CCD-TR910 |
| Sony CCD-TRV101 |
| Sony CCD-TRV81 |
| Sony CCD-TRV99 |
| Sony CCD-V801 |
| Sony CCD-VX3 |
| PAL Camcorder Models with RC Timecode |
|---|
| Sony CCD-SC55E |
| Sony CCD-TR2200E |
| Sony CCD-TR2300E |
| Sony CCD-TR3100E |
| Sony CCD-TR3200E |
| Sony CCD-TR3300E |
| Sony CCD-TR3400E |
| Sony CCD-TR555E |
| Sony CCD-TR825E |
| Sony CCD-TR845E |
| Sony CCD-TRV69E |
| Sony CCD-TRV77E |
See also
- Linear timecodeLinear timecodeLinear Timecode is an encoding of SMPTE timecode data in an audio signal, as defined in SMPTE 12M specification. The audio signal is commonly recorded on a VTR track or other storage media. The bits are encoded using the biphase mark code, also known as "FM": a zero bit has a single transition...
(LTC) - Vertical interval timecodeVertical interval timecodeVertical Interval TimeCode is a form of SMPTE timecode embedded as a pair of black-and-white bars in a video signal. These lines are typically inserted into the vertical blanking interval of the video signal...
(VITC) - CTL timecodeCTL timecodeCTL timecode, developed by JVC in the early 1990s, is a unique technique for embedding, or striping, reference SMPTE timecode onto a videotape....
- MIDI timecodeMIDI timecodeMIDI time code , or MIDI time division, embeds the same timing information as standard SMPTE timecode as a series of small 'quarter-frame' MIDI messages. There is no provision for the user bits in the standard MIDI time code messages, and SysEx messages are used to carry this information instead...
- AES-EBU embedded timecode