Timecode FX start time offset

johnmeyer wrote on 5/23/2003, 3:52 PM

I use the Timecode fx (along with two cookie cutters) to display the runner's time on-screen during a track meet. Works great.

Here's the problem. While I searched this forum to get the idea on how to do this in the first place, I have been unable to find a solution for one remaining problem. At the end of the race, I would like to have the winning time freeze and remain displayed on screen for a few seconds. I tried creating a new generated event by copying my generated event, but the timecode resets to zero. I read various posts on this forum that suggest I can select right-click on the generated timecode event, select "Properties...", and on the media tab seledt "Use Custom Timecode" and enter some sort of offset to start the time at something other than zero. However, doing this has no effect whatsoever; the time always starts at zero. If this technique DID work, I could set the offset to the winning time, make the generated event exactly one frame long, and then duplicate the single-frame event a few dozen times to get the winning time to stay on screen for a few seconds.

I also tried rendering the last frame of just the generated event, but I was unable to figure out how to overlay this back onto the video in exactly the same position as the generated event plus the two cookie cutters.

Does anyone have any advice or ideas?

Thanks!

Comments

SonyDennis wrote on 5/23/2003, 5:05 PM

What version of Vegas are you using? Some older versions didn't honor timecode offset properly in the Timecode FX; the latest version should.

Otherwise, you could take a snapshot of the solo'ed track with timecode, and cookie cutter that.

///d@

johnmeyer wrote on 5/23/2003, 5:47 PM

I figured out the problem. This might help others, so I'll post it here.

There are two ways to apply fx to media: you either apply them to the event, or to the media itself. I was using the "Video Event fx" for my generated timecode, and if you do this, changing the media start time has no effect on the displayed timecode. If, however, I apply exactly the same timecode fx using the "Media fx" option, then I can use the starting timecode for that generated media to set the time to exactly the winning time. I was then able to create exactly one frame of this video and duplicate it about eighty times to let the winning time display for a few seconds after the race was finished.

I now understand the difference: you can either apply the effect to just one instance of the media (Video Event fx) or to every instance of that media in the project (Media fx). If you only use each media asset once in a project, either will usually produce exactly the same result -- but not in this case.