Timecode in AVI and MPEG files

[walter4h]

Hi, everybody:
I capture with Adobe Premiere 6.0. The capture screen has a counter, which [I assume] represents the timecode, but it runs without any input from me. If I set it to zero and start the capture process, it stays at zero throughout the capture, when I press "Stop", the timecode jumps to some value, which has no relation to my encoding time.
Is it possible to find out if a particular files has a timecode?
Here is an excerpt from Cinema Craft Encoder manual:
"A timecode is normally not included in an AVI file and QuickTime file. Without a timecode in an MPEG stream, however, some decoders may not be able to decode accurately. Therefore Cinema Craft Encoder SP generates a timecode internally and embeds it in the MPEG stream."
And while on this subject, does TMPGEnc generate its own timecode when encoding?
Txh: wh

[BJ_M]

tmpgenc -- it didnt used to , maybe it does now ..

[Rawhead]

I haven't used Premiere in a while but in general, time code (refered to and SMPTE - short for society of motion picture and television engineers) is used to synch up audio to video. sound FX, Musical sountrack etc.

To find out if a file has SMTPE time code in it, you will see it on the video file. It's hidden in an audio track (usually the right) which is the track you use to synch it with other devices. so if you play the file and you see numbers on the screen and in the right speaker hear what sounds like a million birds on crack, then SMTPE time code is burned into the file.

I think the time code cinema craft is talking about is completely different then the one you see in premiere. I think that is more of a timebase code imbededed in the file that has to do with hardward synchronization.

Are you just curious or are you trying to do something in particular with it?

[walter4h]

Thanks for the help, guys:
yes, I am curious, which means I want to get an understanding of it. If I see a counter, which is possibly a timecode, it is reasonable to assume that it is there for a reason. But when I have no obvious ways of controlling it and yet it seems to be an important parameter, then I would like to eliminate that knowledge gap. From what I read, the timecode is important for multiplexing, among other things.
In the process of learning you often end up getting to smth through a back door. This may well be one of those situations.
I think I would have given up a long time ago withouit this forum.
thanks again: walter