Why won't FCPX read timecode from Mp4 files?

Question

Why won't FCPX read timecode from Mp4 files?

If DaVinci Resolve can read timecode from Mp4 files, and Tentacle Sync Software can read timecode from Mp4 files... WHY oh WHY can't/won't Final Cut Pro X read timecode from Mp4 files???? Seems like a simple update that would keep users on their software instead of migrating to other previously mentioned software solutions.... or doing a workaround with those other solutions (exporting xml files, etc) More and more consumer/prosumer cameras (see Sony A7sIII and FX3, Lumix mirrorless cameras, Fuji Mirrorless, etc) are timecode-capable but don't store files in an MXF container therefore the updated capability in FCPX to read timecode from Mp4 files makes sense to me. So how do we make this happen?? What say YOU apple??

Everyone else... am I missing something here?

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 14.7

Posted on Sep 23, 2024 2:25 PM

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Answer 1

fox_m

Level 6

12,511 points

Sep 24, 2024 2:52 PM in response to IndiefilmmakerX

I wouldn't expect any meaningful support from Apple about this, most likely because of the magnetic timeline paradigm. Timecode is rarely needed... or at least, I've never seen a meaningful tutorial *for* its use in FPCX and beyond. Mostly, the effect is just "for show," or team sharing while editing (and probably, most likely, *project* timecode which overrides individual clip timecodes). You would more likely need to get Sony to add metadata information to the exports for FCP to get... like some of their competitors do. [I know that metadataSelectionStart, metadataSelectionEnd and metadataSelectionDuration will collect the Timecode information if it exists in the file — I found this out by researching aspects of this thread! From these 3 data points, the *running* timecode can be, and is, calculated in FCP.]

Read this post from joema, then the one that follows it by steve-qik-creative:

Timecode issue when importing from Sony F… - Apple Community

The (free) Tentacle Sync Studio app can be downloaded here:

https://support.tentaclesync.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003866805-Tentacle-Sync-Studio-macOS

HTH

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Answer 2

fox_m

Level 6

12,511 points

Sep 23, 2024 4:58 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Actual camera timecode or "creation" date and time? (The time the clip was saved to a hard drive on your system.) All of the metadata I know how to get from media — after years of trying and experimenting, I still can't get the actual camera TC from either Motion or FCP.

@IndiefilmmakerX — Are you sure you're getting Camera TC from your files in other apps?

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Answer 3

terryb

Level 4

2,608 points

Sep 23, 2024 4:58 PM in response to IndiefilmmakerX

I just received footage from an FX3 and all shots start at 00:00:00:00. Looking at the footage in the Sony Catalyst Browser, it shows the start time as 00:08:35:04, which makes me think the camera op didn't set time of day/timecode properly, but even this isn't reflected in FCP. Definitely send feedback to the FCP team via Final Cut Pro->Provide Final Cut Pro Feedback...

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Answer 4

joema

Level 2

309 points

Sep 25, 2024 9:01 AM in response to fox_m

Timecode is very useful when syncing material from different cameras which do not have good audio. This is especially so when the cameras are doing lots of start/stop recording.

Unfortunately, the industry never standardized on a timecode format for the MP4 container. Therefore some software handles timecode OK in some MP4 formats but not others.

The best workaround is using the third-party utility QTChange to rewrite the MP4 timecode in a format that FCP can read. It is very fast and does not change the video data.

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