Timecode FX - Min:sec

Jim H wrote on 12/8/2009, 11:25 AM

I use the timecode FX on a transparent solid color generated media event to overlay a timer for showing splits during track events like this: Cornell Relays

But I'm wondering if there's an alternative that would provide more flexibility with how many zero's I get on the timer, color etc. After all there are not too many events I need to show hours. Also the placement of the timers is limited to the corners and middle. To create the timers in the sample above, I had to render save one set of splits to a separate veg, import the veg, and move it using pan/crop.

I'm using V8.0c. Thanks.

Comments

johnmeyer wrote on 12/8/2009, 2:18 PM

This may give you some ideas:

Count Up/Down Sports Clock

Just follow the directions given in the VEG file. Using this approach, you can have clocks which count up or down; start at any time; and can be frozen at a specific time. Also, you can control the number of digits displayed simply by changing the size of the cookie cutter and pan/crop.

I still haven't figured out how to change the font, but there might be a way to do this in later versions of Vegas.

Jim H wrote on 12/8/2009, 4:12 PM

Thanks John. It seems I already had that veg saved. Mmmm. I should have remembered the cookie cutter trick. I see you used a velocity envelope to force it to stop but I guess I wouldn't have thought that would work...after all time marches on. I guess this same approach is used to start at a specific time? This will save time from my method of using screen captures and switching over to a still image overlay. But I don't see how you did the countdown backwards.

I don't see any option for "Custom Timecode" can you explain?

johnmeyer wrote on 12/8/2009, 6:02 PM

I guess this same approach is used to start at a specific time?Right-click on the event that has the velocity envelope. Select Properties. Click on the Media tab. You will see "Use custom timecode." This is where you set the initial time for the event. Knowing this, the rest of what you read in the initial event's text should now make sense.

One nifty thing about this technique is that you can set the timecode so that the clock finishes on the exactly the correct time. You can then group the timecode event to the main video. As you cut the video, and perhaps remove pieces you don't need, the clock will maintain the correct time, even with sections removed.