The JVC cameras I use (HM-750U) record in mp4 format. The camera generates SMPTE time code and is recorded in the footage.

Mike

For the OP as name: Aiki - 1) Timecode features begin with the camera - your camera has to be of a design that equipped with the proper tech will record timecode. Most consumer cameras DO NOT -although a familiar runtime code feature may be there - PLEASE please dive into the camera!

2) Timecode display will be affected by the format of the recording - hence an mp4 file or a .mov file (and consider re-wrap container options) may or MAY NOT offer access to the embedded timecode.

3) Based largely on point (2) there can be various issues for a software NLE like VegasPro. VegasPro is not able to display .mov container timecode natively - but can access it thru third-party apps. A lot depends on points (1) and (2) and (3) to be met for you to achieve work with timecode.

I forgot to specify that files come from a Canon XA-20.
Maybe MP4 files from a Sony camera has a TC which can be read by SVPR 12

The XA20 has a timecode menu, check your settings there. I owned a HF G30 which is basically the same camera and looking at those files, they all contain the time code. Use the Vegas build in script "Add timecode to all media" to make the timecode visible.

See my earlier post in this thread.

The XA20 has definite timecode mechanics aboard the camera head. Generally the output should not be MP4 from this camera - so the first question is where did you get the MP4?

Recall that timecode generated from a camera head shows up in first generation encoding - if you later transcode footage - the likely result is that timecode is stripped from the succeeding gens of the original.

@VideoITguy
The XA20 does output MP4 at max. 35Mbps.

General

Complete name                            : E:\Personal\Raw Footage\HF_G30\Vienna_2013\MVI_0002.MP4

Format                                   : MPEG-4

Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2

Codec ID                                 : mp42 (mp42/avc1/CAEP)

File size                                : 69.0 MiB

Duration                                 : 16s 517ms

Overall bit rate                         : 35.1 Mbps

Encoded date                             : UTC 2013-12-23 09:41:24

Tagged date                              : UTC 2013-12-23 09:41:24



Video

ID                                       : 1

Format                                   : AVC

Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec

Format profile                           : High@L4.2

Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes

Format settings, ReFrames                : 2 frames

Format settings, GOP                     : M=3, N=30

Codec ID                                 : avc1

Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding

Duration                                 : 16s 517ms

Bit rate                                 : 34.7 Mbps

Width                                    : 1 920 pixels

Height                                   : 1 080 pixels

Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9

Frame rate mode                          : Constant

Frame rate                               : 59.940 (60000/1001) fps

Color space                              : YUV

Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0

Bit depth                                : 8 bits

Scan type                                : Progressive

Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.279

Stream size                              : 68.4 MiB (99%)

Language                                 : English

Encoded date                             : UTC 2013-12-23 09:41:24

Tagged date                              : UTC 2013-12-23 09:41:24

Color range                              : Limited

Color primaries                          : BT.709

Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709

Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709

MP4 is the container, AVC is the codec....

VegasPro is not able to display .mov container timecode natively ...

This is not actually true anymore. Sony added the feature about at the moment I stopped needing it.

I've never seen timecode in an MP4 but rs170a says it can happen so I'll believe it.

Rob

only a more recent build of Version 13...

BUT, The question here is ..if an MP4 container of an AVC codec file (that is not transcoded from the original recording) can actually be re-wrapped in a .mov container such that VegasPro or other app will show the original timecode.

Vegas Pro 12, b563, but who's counting, right?
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/showmessage.asp?messageid=855642

The question here is whether an MP4 container can contain timecode that Vegas can read. The answer was a conditional "Yes, sometimes". So the course of action is to first confirm that the timecode is present in the media, and if it's there then confirm whether Vegas sees it. There's no switch I know of to make Vegas see or not see timecode. It either does or doesn't.

<edit>There's also the question of *which* version and build of Vegas can read timecode in an MP4 container. The OP is using Vegas 12. </edit>

If the timecode exists but Vegas can't see it then rewrapping it in a quicktime container might be a fallback proposal.

Rob

[I]The question here is whether an MP4 container can contain timecode that Vegas can read.[/I]

Not a question anymore in my opinion. I am very certain the XA20 has identical file and timecode format as my HF G30 had and Vegas can read the timecode in those files.

EDIT: CORRECTION!!
the AVCHD file's timecode will be read correctly in Vegas, the MP4 version will always start from zero. I remembered that I used the HF G30 for an event and enabled it's dual recording capabilities. I also remembered that I sort of synced the timecode with the other cameras too and set it to Free Run. I have put both files on the VP13 timeline and applied the "add timecode to all media" script. The AVCHD (MTS) file starts at 5min something and the MP4 (AVC) file at zero.

I just checked, the camera Canon XA20, I have a TC. but in Vegas Pro 12 00,00,00,00.
That's what it is, as we say here in Québec.

Je viens de vérifier, dans la caméra Canon XA20, j'ai bien un TC. mais dans Vegas Pro 12 00,00,00,00.
C'est ça qui est ça, comme on dit ici au Québec.

Aiki,

can you try and record in AVCHD and see if you get a timecode in VP? I know it is probably not your preferred recording codec but it would at least confirm my findings.

With AVCHD files no timecode problems, it is only with the MP4.
Bizarre, bizarre.


Avec des fichiers AVCHD pas de problèmes de time code, c'est seulement avec le MP4. Bizarre, bizarre.

so what have we learned thus far....

Subject: RE: MP4 time code
Reply by: videoITguy
Date: 8/16/2016 12:59:02 PM

For the OP as name: Aiki - 1) Timecode features begin with the camera - your camera has to be of a design that equipped with the proper tech will record timecode. Most consumer cameras DO NOT -although a familiar runtime code feature may be there - PLEASE please dive into the camera!

2) Timecode display will be affected by the format of the recording - hence an mp4 file or a .mov file (and consider re-wrap container options) may or MAY NOT offer access to the embedded timecode.

3) Based largely on point (2) there can be various issues for a software NLE like VegasPro. VegasPro is not able to display .mov container timecode natively - but can access it thru third-party apps. A lot depends on points (1) and (2) and (3) to be met for you to achieve work with timecode.
This Message last edited on 8/16/2016 1:00:32 PM, by videoITguy in above thread.

All sorts of things could be happening. Maybe Vegas doesn't read timecode in MP4 containers, or maybe it just doesn't read it the way your camera wrote it. For example, it used to be that Vegas could read TC in DV25 files it had captured, but not in DV25 files that were captured via Premiere.

I seem to remember reading here that you could actually just change an MP4 file extension to MOV and it would remain readable. It'd be a stroke of luck if rewrapping your mp4 files were that simple.

Here's a FCPX developer page that has a bunch of related information on the topic:
https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/content/technotes/tn2174/_index.html

<time passes> Well, it IS that simple in as much as Vegas will still read an MP4 file if you change the extension to .mov. But since my own mp4 files definitely do not have timecode in them I can't say more than that.

Vegas may default to it's own decoder for AVC in quicktime wrappers. I'm certainly not seeing any differences in the way Vegas identifies the .mov version of my .mp4 file. Vegas says each of them is "Type: Sony AVC". In comparison, Vegas identifies a different (DVCProHD).mov file as "Type: QuickTime" and vegas sees the timecode in it.

Rob

Here is the lower portion of the file info provided by MediaInfo:

Other

ID                                       : 3

Type                                     : Time code

Format                                   : QuickTime TC

Duration                                 : 5s 5ms

Time code of first frame                 : 00:29:37:36

Time code, striped                       : Yes

Language                                 : English

Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-03-08 15:51:53

Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-03-08 15:51:53

Bit rate mode                            : CBR

Note the timecode format!

Here is a link to short MP4 file from my HF-G30. Maybe earlier versions can read the TC correctly?

@Aiki

Do you have the latest firmware for your XA20? I understand there was a new firmware release in 2014 that mentioned timecode improvements for MP4 files?

The latest is FW 1.0.4.0 but there where changes already in FW 1.0.3.0 that read:

[I]"When recording in the MP4 format [59.94P/50P (35Mbps)], changes have been made in the metadata details so that the time codes can be properly displayed in Apple Final Cut Pro X Version 10.0.9.
Frame Rate = 59.94P"[/I]

It involves FCP X but maybe it also helps with Vegas?

After finding a timecode reference (beginning of video), I have gone into Vegas and manually entered the timecode in the file properties. That then allowed me to match the original file so an editor using Final Cut could use my EDL and have a valid timecode reference.