Time Code Generators & Readers

Time Code Generators & Readers

Time Code keeps audio, video, lighting, and control systems perfectly synchronized across complex workflows. Pro broadcasts, live events, and film production require every camera, switcher, audio recorder, mixing console, and playback system to run on a single, precise schedule. This frame-accurate sync speeds up post-production and reduces costly errors, especially on multi-camera shoots, distributed audio rigs, or hybrid workflows. Time code improves accuracy, repeatability, and operational confidence, even as productions become more technically demanding.

What's The Difference?
Time Code Generators assign each frame of audio and video a metadata timestamp, most commonly in SMPTE or LTC format. Having every device on the same clock aligns media and trigger events and locks playback across multiple sources with surgical accuracy. Time Code Readers work in reverse: they let you navigate footage by timestamp, making it easy to locate the right frames. Time Code coordinates cameras and audio recorders seamlessly, facilitates editing, triggers lighting changes and video playback, all with frame-accurate precision. Broadcast News and Live Sports rely on these systems to keep playback synced for reliable on-air performance, and in corporate AV, houses of worship, and immersive installations, it keeps multiple sources running consistently.

Only The Best!
Whether you're setting-up small studio or outfitting a full production facility Markertek's selection of Time Code Generators and Readers feature only top brands like Brainstrorm Electronics, Plura Broadcast, Telestream, Horita and ESE. Not sure which unit is right for you? Markertek's team of A/V specialists can walk you through the options and help you find the right gear to get the job done, whether that's a multi-camera shoot, a live event rig, or a broadcast installation!

FAQ

What time code format should I use, SMPTE or LTC?
The right format depends on your application. SMPTE time code is the broader standard and covers several frame rate options (24, 25, 29.97, 30fps), and LTC, or Longitudinal Time Code, is an audio-based signal that travels over standard cables, making it a practical choice for routing time code through existing audio infrastructure. Many productions use both SMPTE as the standard and LTC as the distribution method.

Do I need a time code generator if my camera has a built-in clock?
Yes. A built-in camera clock and a proper time code generator are not the same thing. Built-in clocks drift over time and have no way to sync with other devices on set, which creates alignment headaches in post-production.

Doesn't editing software automatically sync everything for me?
Modern editing software like Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and Avid Media Composer do have auto-sync features that can match clips using audio waveforms or embedded metadata, but these tools work backward, trying to reconstruct sync after the fact. If your devices weren't running on the same time code during the shoot, software sync can fail on long recordings, drift over time, or struggle with clips that have similar-sounding audio.