Timecode Box

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I downloaded the trial version of FCP X - something I have been meaning to do for some time now that I have a fully upgraded late 2012 iMac.

As a quick introduction, I use FCP 7 currently for subtitling feature films. However I have been experiencing some strange delay in pressing play where the media will play immediately, but without audio. The audio will kick in after about half a second, but will be the audio for where the video began - therefore the playback is out of sync. Scrubbing back and forward a single frame before pressing play eliminates this. However, given I have the most current and powerful iMac it seems strange to me that I can't just press play inside FCP after it has been sitting for 30 seconds and it not play back properly.

So - to my point! I downloaded the trial version of FCP X and I don't seem to have this problem, but I have another...

In FCP 7 there is a "Current Timecode Field" where I can copy/paste the current timecode of where the playhead is located. Also, I can change the "Current Timecode Field" to display HH:MM:SS:FF, Feet+Frames and just Frames.

In FCP X I have found that the timecode field is non-selectable, therefore I cannot copy/paste it, nor can I paste a previously copied timecode into it (from an email for example: "Check TC 01:10:11:16 for bad cut")
Also, FCP X does not display Feet+Frames. As half of the films I subtitle need to be subtitled in Feet+Frames I am wondering if FCP X is utterly not for me?

It would be a shame to continue on FCP 7. As great as it is, the strange incidents with pressing play and the inexplicable loss of playback sync - despite the media being synced, is driving me nuts.

Thanks for any advise, and I apologize for the long post.

/Buskins

Control-P brings up the addressable timecode display. Or click in the Dashboard. You cannot copy and paste in it however.

Timecode/frames display is in a popup in the preferences. Frames only, not feet and frames.

So it's back to FCP 7 then if I can do neither of copy out / paste in timecode, nor display feet+frames. I can't help but wonder why on earth these two simple functions are not present.

Anyway, thank you for your reply and here's to FCP 11.

/Buskins

Hi Buskins,

I've asked Apple some extra features regarding timecode, for instance, being able to copy/paste in it.

Please also send feedback to Apple. The more people do this, the more chance they add this capability.

Will do. And also to display Feet+Frames. Half of the films I get into my studio have Ft/Fr display, so I can't use X at all even if I could copy/paste the timecode window.

Maybe I'll nip to the FCP 7 forum in the meantime and see if I can get my FCP 7 glitch sorted.

Thanks again all.