AC90: Software for capturing Date Time Stamp using the AC90

J

jazzspot

Member
Since the AC90 isn't capable of placing the running date time stamp on the video, I saw this software http://www.dts8888.com/vATS/vats.htm and i was wondering if anyone had used this before? I'm looking at installing the trial version to see how it works. Inputs are welcome, especially if you know of other software or work-arounds in getting the running date time stamp to be included on the video.
 
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What about your NLE instead of separate software? It should have some type of time code you can overlay.
 
Where does the time and the date come from? user entering it into software? or data in video file? It will only be useful if the time date comes from video file.
one thing -- I always shoot depositions in SD so my files are not AVCHD

final thoughts -- why bother with this if you can buy a camera that does all this automatically. Saving a step, saves time. Go buy a 80, 130, or 160.
 
ELN614 said:
why bother with this if you can buy a camera that does all this automatically. Saving a step, saves time. Go buy a 80, 130, or 160.
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I would have if the 130 or 160 were within my budget.
The vATS program works. I used an old .mts file that I shot in 2008 from a Canon HF100. Render time for this 50 second video took about 2 minutes, and I output the file as .wmv and not .mts on this test. You can output the file as a wmv or mts file. Unfortunately, both youtube and vimeo rejected the .wmv file when uploaded. So I converted the wmv file to an h264 file. But the .wmv file plays just fine on my computers.

Here's the sample video that I used - Password = time&date
https://vimeo.com/62220270
 
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If using for legal video, check with the attorney about adding date/time afterwards as this can violate the BEST evidence rule.

Since the material is not considered ORIGINAL and was manipulated after the fact, it can be impeachable.
 
Your test looks good. I am guessing this is not for legal work, if it is then it must be from the camera.
So I would just add it in my NLE (timecode) and then create a title for the date or day. No extra software to buy and all in your NLE then.
 
Lou Bruno said:
If using for legal video, check with the attorney about adding date/time afterwards as this can violate the BEST evidence rule.

Since the material is not considered ORIGINAL and was manipulated after the fact, it can be impeachable.
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Depositions are not "evidence" (in at least my state and surrounding states) although in criminal cases the attorney like to treat it like that.
not impeachable... inadmissible.
I don't think there is an "original" video played in any court.... most all videos (in this day n age) are transfered to DVD, to be played. (AC130: Solid state --> to DVD. I don't file SD cards with the court.)

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And I too think the OP is not doing this for legal video. I can't think anyone would take an 8 hour video and add another 16 hours to the job so the time date stamp will appear.
 
ELN614 said:
And I too think the OP is not doing this for legal video. I can't think anyone would take an 8 hour video and add another 16 hours to the job so the time date stamp will appear.
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Yes, you are correct ELN614. I was only testing the software to see if it did in fact work as advertised. I do appreciate everyone's imputs. Doing so will hopefully be of value to other owners or possible owners of the AC90 in regards to the "no date time stamp availability" on the AC90. As well as touching on the aspects, just a little, about video criteria for legal uses.

Also, the software has versions available to work with other video formats as well, not only mts files. Cheers!
 
A deposition is put into evidence as it relates to statements. ....... Especially to impeach a witness who changed a story under previous oath. It can also be used for "Brady Material" as well for the defense. When the police video a statement (with time code/date), those statements are admitted in evidence at which time a statement or confession can be subject to a pre-trial hearing. The time/date/length and manner of how statement was taken is evaluated by the court. That is why time and date are very important. Some legal videographer's set a clock in the background as well.



Testimony prior (deposition), documents, records, objects are all considered as evidence.


Also...the "day in the life" hospital statements on video can not be altered afterwards. All must be BEST EVIDENCE subject to no manipulation.

One must ALWAYS produce original documents if ordered by the court or attorneys. And YES...it varies from state to state.

ELN614 said:
Depositions are not "evidence" (in at least my state and surrounding states) although in criminal cases the attorney like to treat it like that.
not impeachable... inadmissible.
I don't think there is an "original" video played in any court.... most all videos (in this day n age) are transfered to DVD, to be played. (AC130: Solid state --> to DVD. I don't file SD cards with the court.)

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And I too think the OP is not doing this for legal video. I can't think anyone would take an 8 hour video and add another 16 hours to the job so the time date stamp will appear.
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I tried the trial of the vATS software and it batch-converts the original AVCHD files to new .mts files with the timecode overlayed from the metadata in the file. The video is not modified/edited for content/length in any way, and the overlay is directly from data contained within the original file. The new filename even matches the original. I'm certainly not a lawyer, but I would think that as long as the camera ORIGINAL video files are backed up and available IN CASE the authenticity of the time/date overlay versions ever comes into question, how would that not pass legal muster? Just produce the original file on demand as proof. You're not adding the timecode, you are simply making it visible. As mentioned earlier, a DVD is a copy and that is what is normally used. How is that different than making a copy with the overlay visible?

Thanks

Jeff Pulera
 
Lou, a little off the original subject, but you're talking two different things. deposition vs taping for evidence or a confession.
Any deposition testimony that is recorded can made as evidence but is not always considered evidence - rather it is testimony.
All admitted evidence goes back to a jury for deliberations.
NEVER EVER is a video deposition which is played to a jury in lieu of a live witness, is given to a jury in & during deliberation. Video deposition is treated like live testimony. Although testimony is a form of evidence, in these cases the testimony is not considered evidence which would get an exhibit sticker.
One of probably a many exceptions is when a deposition is brought in part and not whole (as your example impeach) ... then YES YOU ARE CORRECT it is treated like evidence.
My discovery videos are usually always used as evidence and follow the ruled of evidence. My trial depos in my state are not presented as evidence.

(this is my last reply to this subject matter because this could go on and on and on... )
 
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Perhaps further questions on this subject should be directed to http://www.ncra.org/. That's the website of the National Court Reporters Association, and they're the ones who train and certify Certified Legal Video Specialists (CLVS).

I've never done legal video, so take this with the biggest grain of salt you can find, but it was my understanding that deposition evidence needs the time/date stamped into the original footage, and it cannot be edited in any way whatsoever. And just based on that, I'd say adding a time/date stamp in post would render the video inadmissable.
 
Okay, I don't know how official this is, but it appears to be the standards the NCRA enforces.
http://www.actionvideoproductionsinc.com/home/index.php/the-news/26-ncra-standards

Look specifically at #16, which says "The video portion of the deposition shall be recorded with a display that continuously shows date and time." i.e., it gets recorded that way, in the first place. Not in post.

And, far more importantly, look at #53, which says "The videographer shall sign and date a certification document. This document will accompany the original recording and state the following: (a) The accompanying video deposition is the complete original master recording. (b) The recording has not been altered in any way while in the videographer’s possession. (c) The recording is fair, true, accurate and complete. (d) The videographer has no interest in the matter whatsoever and is not a relative of any attorney or party involved in the action. (e) The total number of media units." (emphasis added)

Based on that, I'd say there's no way you can add time/date info in post, and have it still meet the NCRA standards.

If you want to do legal deposition videos, you have to buy a camera that has the time/date stamp function built-in.
 
There are plenty of "certified" video deposition pros shooting video depositions in HD 16:9 now and then cropping off the sides in post to make it 4:3 which is still the industry standard. They insist, though I don't agree, that the video has not been altered and can still be considered the original when sent out. I don't see how adding the time/date stamp is any worse than deleting 15% (I'm estimating) of the video image in post.
 
Barry those standards came out when VHS was used for depos. I don't think there is more than 5% of the community still records on VHS. All my VHS cameras are not trustworthy enough to use. I had to move to MiniDV and then solid state (HMC80 and then AC130). Other thing many videos are converted for computer media players and synced with the transcript and the courts permit it. Just played a depo from my laptop in Federal Court a few months back (court room is all high tech now) The file was .wmv. The court can only accpet a computer RGB signal (plus audio)... all the other connectors don't work correctly.

When I got that list in the mail I had a pretty good chuckle. I feels like it was written by a court reporter not a videographer.
 
Well, yeah, like I said, I've never done one... I was just going by what google says, so ... are there up to date standards that say editing to add time/date in post is acceptable?
 
Could you include a clock with the date and time in the shot, say beside the person? Would that work?
 
Thanks for all the information here. I guess the bottom line is not to alter original material as the court may request the original material and utilize a camera with time/date.



ELN614 said:
Barry those standards came out when VHS was used for depos. I don't think there is more than 5% of the community still records on VHS. All my VHS cameras are not trustworthy enough to use. I had to move to MiniDV and then solid state (HMC80 and then AC130). Other thing many videos are converted for computer media players and synced with the transcript and the courts permit it. Just played a depo from my laptop in Federal Court a few months back (court room is all high tech now) The file was .wmv. The court can only accpet a computer RGB signal (plus audio)... all the other connectors don't work correctly.

When I got that list in the mail I had a pretty good chuckle. I feels like it was written by a court reporter not a videographer.
Click to expand...
 
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