how to determine if video is DF or NDF

[igor9427]

Hello,

is there any way to determine if a given 29,97 file is DF or not, besides checking burnt-in timecode? I'm looking for a fully automatic way of determining this, especially if there is no TC track embedded in the file metadata. How does media players (ex. Telestream Switch) know if a file is DF/NDF, so they can adjust presented timecode to match on-screen TC?
Any help will be appreciated here

[Cornucopia]

If there is no timecode track or visual burn-in, it doesn't matter. At all. 29.97 is 29.97.
At that point, you could apply (as timecode track or visual burn-in) whichever is to your liking. DF is wall-clock-time-corrected but drops frame counts, NDF is contiguous but gets off-sync with wall clock time (not really noticeable until => 1hr.).

Scott

[igor9427]

it does matter for my workflow because I need to check if file is DF/NDF and provide this info to another production system, for subs creation process. I'm not supposed to add anything to the file, just grab the info and pass it to another team

EDIT: additinally, if there is no BITC on the source file my tool is responsible for burning the timecode on screen, so I need to know if the file is DF or NDF, to properly apply colon or semicolon before frames counter

[Cornucopia]

What is the provenance of the file? Perhaps there might be residual metadata, depending on workflow, format. Check with Mediainfo. Post the text file here.
Barring that, they are identical at this point, so pick one that matches your clients' setup and go with it.

You say you are not supposed to add anything, but if it has no burn-in (bitc) to add some. Contradictory.

Scott