Timecode terms editors and clients mix up
A timecode calculator adds, subtracts and converts video timecodes written as hours, minutes, seconds and frames: for example, a 00:00:45:12 cut plus a 00:00:15:20 end card at 25 fps runs 00:01:01:07.
When a client writes "the logo at 1:12 is wrong", the editor has to find that moment. Timecode is the shared address that stops a review round from turning into a hunt. These are the words that come up most.
- Timecode
- A label for one frame, written HH:MM:SS:FF. The last pair counts frames inside the second, so it rolls over at the frame rate (24, 25, 30 and so on), not at 100.
- Frame rate (fps)
- How many frames play each second. Film and many web videos use 23.976 or 24, PAL regions use 25 or 50, and North American broadcast uses 29.97 or 59.94. A timecode only means something next to its frame rate.
- Drop-frame (DF)
- A way of numbering 29.97 and 59.94 fps video so the timecode keeps pace with a wall clock. Some frame numbers are skipped at the start of most minutes; no picture is thrown away. It is written with a semicolon before the frames, such as 00:01:00;02.
- Non-drop-frame (NDF)
- Every frame number is used in order. At 29.97 fps a non-drop timecode slowly falls behind real time, by a few seconds every hour, which matters when a client asks for an exact running time.
- In point and out point
- The first and last frames of a clip or a section. The stretch between the two is the length of that section, which is how most spot and segment lengths are checked.
- Frame count
- The plain number of frames from the start. Edit lists, subtitles and some review tools use frame numbers instead of timecode, so you often need to switch between the two.
- Conform
- Changing a finished edit to a new frame rate. Keeping every frame and playing it faster or slower changes the running time; keeping the running time means some frames are added or removed.
Timecode sums, worked through
Each row is a made-up example, not a real project. The answers come from the same logic as the calculator above, so you can check a sum before you paste a timecode into a review note or an invoice.
| Example | Frame rate | Task | Input | Answer | Real running time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: 45 s cut plus a 15 s end card | 25 fps (PAL) | Add | 00:00:45:12 and 00:00:15:20 | 00:01:01:07 | 1 min 01.280 s |
| Example: length between an in and out point | 23.976 fps | Subtract | 01:03:10:05 back to 01:00:00:00 | 00:03:10:05 | 3 min 10.399 s |
| Example: one hour of 29.97 drop-frame | 29.97 fps drop-frame | Timecode to frames | 01:00:00;00 | 107,892 frames | 59 min 59.996 s |
| Example: frame number from an edit list | 29.97 fps drop-frame | Frames to timecode | 1800 frames | 00:01:00;02 | 1 min 00.060 s |
| Example: 24 fps master to 25 fps, same frames | 24 fps to 25 fps (PAL) | Change rate, keep every frame | 00:30:00:00 | 00:28:48:00 | 28 min 48.000 s |
| Example: 25 fps timecode to 29.97 drop-frame, same time | 25 fps (PAL) to 29.97 fps drop-frame | Change rate, keep the running time | 00:10:00:00 | 00:10:00;00 | 9 min 59.999 s |
| Example: 30 s spot at 59.94 fps | 59.94 fps non-drop | Timecode to frames | 00:00:30:00 | 1,800 frames | 30.030 s |
Before you trust a timecode in a client note
Match the frame rate of the timeline
The same timecode points to a different moment at 24 fps and at 25 fps. Use the rate of the sequence the client is watching, not the rate the camera recorded, or every note will land a little off.
Drop-frame only exists at 29.97 and 59.94
If a timecode has a semicolon but the project is 25 fps, someone exported with the wrong setting. Some drop-frame timecodes do not exist at all, such as 00:01:00;00, and the calculator will refuse them rather than guess.
Review players can show a start offset
Many masters start at 01:00:00:00, while a review player or a phone starts at zero. Before you act on a client note, check whether their time is from the start of the file or from the master timecode.
Changing the rate can change the length
Playing 24 fps frames at 25 fps makes the video about 4% shorter and lifts the audio pitch unless it is corrected. If a broadcaster or platform asks for an exact length, use the keep-the-running-time option and check the result with your editor.
Questions about the timecode calculator
Can the timecode calculator handle drop-frame timecode?
Yes. Pick 29.97 or 59.94 drop-frame and type the timecode with a colon or a semicolon before the frames. The answer comes back in drop-frame form with a semicolon, and timecodes that drop-frame skips are flagged as not valid.
How do I type a timecode into the timecode calculator quickly?
Type it in full, such as 01:02:03:04, leave off the hours, such as 02:03:04, or type only the digits the way many editing apps accept them, such as 1020304. Hours, minutes and seconds are filled from the right.
Why does a 29.97 fps timecode not match the clock?
At 29.97 fps a non-drop timecode counts 30 frame numbers each second while slightly fewer frames actually play, so after an hour the label is a few seconds behind. The real running time line under each answer shows the true length.
Can the timecode calculator give me a negative result?
Yes. If you subtract a later timecode from an earlier one the answer starts with a dash, to show it runs backwards. That usually means the in and out points were typed the wrong way round.
Which frame rate conversion should I choose in the timecode calculator?
Choose keep the running time when the video must last the same length, such as a 30-second spot. Choose keep every frame when frames are played at a new speed, such as a 24 fps film shown at 25 fps.
How should clients write timecodes in video feedback?
Ask for the full timecode the review player shows, plus a short description of what is on screen. "00:01:12:05, logo too small" is quicker to act on than "near the end", and it settles any doubt about which version they watched.
Does the timecode calculator send my timecodes anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or uploaded.