Timestamps are 23 hours off

[ranbo]

I'm capturing HDV video from miniDV tapes on a Canon HV20 high definition miniDV camcorder; using Final Cut Pro (trial) on a Mac Pro; which saves the MPEG-2 files out wrapped in a Quicktime .mov container. I think I got that right.

Each clip is magically saved with a filename that indicates when it was shot, like 2008-07-31 13_03_17 (id).mov". Very cool. Also, when I use exiftool on the clip, the same timestamp appears there, like "2008:07:31 13:03:18-6:00". Nice. (It shows this both as "Creation Date (und-US)" and "Creation Date". The time zone appears right (UTC-6), as I am in Utah.

So here's the problem. Why is it reporting this date and time, when the camcorder itself displays (on its screen) a time that is 23 hours later (i.e., one day later and one hour earlier)? The camcorder displays "August 1, 2008, 12:03:18pm". Furthermore, any video that happens to include a clock in the shot turns out to agree with what the camcorder is displaying. Why would the metadata have a time that's 23 hours off of what the camera displays (and with what is correct)?

Any ideas?

I can write a script to rename all the files, but it would be nice if the metadata was right, too. I'll see if exiftool can be used to modify that.

[Cornucopia]

I'm guessing you have to change the Time Zone in the setup menu. Maybe a bug in Daylight Savings calculation?

You might need to remove the battery for a while to lose the setting and then reset as if from scratch.

Scott

[hech54]

24 hour clock vs. 12 hour clock - a.k.a. "military time"?

[Budman1]

I believe the setting:

the same timestamp appears there, like "2008:07:31 13:03:18-6:00".

is incorrect since I live in Illinois and I am ...-6:00 hours offset from UTC and I don't think Utah is that close... Also, I believe Cornucopia is correct since there is probably a setting for UTC. In addition to that, Microsoft has always had strange problems displaying the correct UTC/DST times since XP. If you Google "UTC Windows error" you will find tons of entries.

If you have no Daylight Saving Time in Utah then that would explain why the 1 hour off (23 hours) instead of 24.

UPDATE: Looks like the page 24 of the HV20 instruction manual has the settings you need. There are separate settings for Time zones and also for date and time. It also gives a warning:

If you do not use the camcorder for about 3 months, the built-in rechargeable lithium battery may discharge completely and the date and time setting may be lost. In such case, recharge the built-in lithium battery ( 93) and set the time zone, date and time again. You can also change the date format ( 44).