Turning off timestamp in U11

MrG99 · Post by **MrG99** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 9:29 pm

I'm importing a VOB file and editing it with the VideoStudio Editor. When I burn a DVD the time stamp shows up throughout the video.

Interestingly when I view the same VOB file in a media player the time stamp doesn't show up.

Does anyone know how to keep the timestamp from showing up on my DVD?

Thanks.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:01 pm

Where did the .VOB come from? If it was from a Sony DVD camera, then there is apparently something in the camera menu (not/not the VS menu) which allows you to turn on or off the date/time stamp. You would need to consult the camera manual about this.

Otherwise, VS does not normally display the stamp except where you are using video originally sourced from an analogue tape which has had the stamp embedded in the video stream. But it does not do so with digital sourced video, where the stamp is contained in a separate sub-stream -- apart from the Sony exception just mentioned. VS will display the date and time if you hover the mouse over a digital clip, but it will not be embedded in the final video (Sony apart).

mykoalabear · Post by **mykoalabear** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:47 am

Yes, I can confirm that Sony video cameras (like my D8 TRV120E) have a nasty habit of displaying time and date codes by default, you have to turn them off (but you only need to do it once, when setting up the menus.) After that, if you want to briefly display this information while viewing the tape in camera or when dubbing to a VCR or computer, you have 'display' buttons on both the camera and the remote.

For home movies I find it useful to show the date / time for just a second or two at every major change of venue, which gives a permanent record of when you recorded it on your edited movie.

Judging by the number of clips shown on 'Funniest Home Videos' (a poorly named programme if ever there was one!) that have those annoying watermarks all the way through, I'd say most owners don't even know how to disable the function.

Paul

Post by **Ron P.** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:51 am

I'm not the only one that still uses the Sony TRV-120's

. I think they're a nice little camcorder, easy to use, and gives me good video to work with..

mykoalabear · Post by **mykoalabear** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:02 am

Not only does the 'e' (non European) version allow analogue / digital pass-through by default (the Poms disabled it, something to do with VAT) but it is a solid bit of kit, not a feather-light toy, and this allows for a much smoother shoot. I bought mine new in 2000, cost me $1650 AU, but I reckon I got my money's worth!

I was lucky a few years later when I bought a sealed box of 20 DAT 8mm tapes at an auction for $10 (nobody else there knew what they were!) and I've been using them ever since.

Paul

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:10 am

the 'e' (non European) version

I was under the impression that the 'E' in fact indicated European -- or at least PAL -- version of the camera. Among my collection, I too have a Sony Digital 8 DCR-TRV480E which only came onto the market two years ago, when I bought it for A$650 from Hardly Normal...

And my understanding was that the Brits (and some other Europeans) did not block the analogue/digital pass-through but the DV-in function for VAT reasons. This was associated with the fact that with that function enabled, they considered it to be equivalent also to a VCR which for some wonderful reason or other attracted a higher rate of VAT...

mykoalabear · Post by **mykoalabear** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:09 am

All I can tell you about my model is that the manual is printed in English and Russian - a strange combination I thought. 'E' being European makes sense, as a non -'E' would be North American / NTSC.

As for passthrough or DV-in, you may well be right, it was a long time ago. I do remember a lot of forum posts at the time (2000) discussing how to 'hack' the disabled models to make DV-in (or whatever it was) function again. It *was* something to do with using it as a vcr, you are right there - VAT is an incredibly complicated tax and even now a lot of people fall foul of it.

Paul

Post by **Ken Berry** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:15 am

Ah, but it can also have its up-side, I guess. I have just been to Belgium where I bought, at long last, a Canon HV-20 high definition HDV video camera. It was on sale, so I got it for a price a little lower than the lowest price I have seen it for here in Australia. But I filled in the relevant form in the store to get the refund of VAT. And given that it is 21% in Belgium, that is a major reduction in price, even when the refund company takes its share!

So I am a very happy camper!

(And I confess I almost forgot to get the form stamped by Customs as I was leaving Europe ... but I remembered it just before I went through passport control, so all was well...)