DVX metadata and userbits???

[yzmotoxer807]

I have read Barry's DVX Book but I still don't understand the part about user bits. Could someone please explain this to me? Can you choose for all of the types to be written to the tape or just one like date, time, etc.? Also, what kind of metadata is written to the tape, userbits aside? In other words what info is written if userbits is turned off?

Any info helps. Thanks.

[mikkowilson]

DV tape normally stores the following data:
Video
Audio
Time Code
Time-Code "User Bit"
Date & Time of recording [actually separate for audio & video streams, normally audio is ignored]
Index Marks
Camera settings such as:
- Image Stabilizer Status
- Exposure Mode (Auto, Manual, etc...)
- Shutter speed
- White Balance
- Aperture (Iris)
- Gain
Other technical stream parameters: Format, Aspect Ratio, Audio rate/locked status, etc.

All data is sored - and updated - in real time. so just as video & time code are different each frame, so is the camera data. - So if you open your iris during a shot, you can see that change in the meta-data on playback.



What data you have access to depends on the player/decoder you are using.


The "User Bit" is simply 8 characters which can be set to one of the following: 0 -> 1 or A -> F. It's really just a simple hexadecimal bit. Normally it can't be set "on the fly" but rather when the camera isn't recording. This means that you might set it up for a particular camera, or shoot, project, etc.
What you actually store there is up to you, It could be a "project ID" you have for the footage for archiving, or it could be a "camera ID" for tracking what shooter or camera it was on a multi-cam shoot. It's really up to you what data and how you wish to store it there.

Not all cameras can set the user bit, and not all players/decoders can display it.


- Mikko

[yzmotoxer807]

Thanks for your help but I still don't fully understand. I now understand what the "userbit" data is but does all of the information that you listed get written all of the time? Also, when capturing into final cut, does is this info readable? Also, why do you list timecode and then timecode (userbit)? What is this?

[mikkowilson]

Yes that data is wirtten all the time continuoisly by the camera into the data-stream on the tape.


User Bit is basically a sub part of Time Code - they almost always move together.


I don't know what FCP can read & display. Hopfully a FCP guru can chime in.

- Mikko

[rjcam]

Bump. What software can read the metadata? And can it work with files already transferred with a non- panasonic deck? Thanks!