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Home: Video University Forums: Teaching Video Production:
How to make digital clock/timer?

Cyrus
Novice

Dec 23, 2005, 6:29 AM

Post #1 of 13 (6458 views)
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How to make digital clock/timer?	Can't Post

Hello
I'm working on one video and I need to add a digital clock/timer to the video, which is always running and shows time from 00:00:00:00 to 50:00:00
Any ideas how to make this?
Thanks

videobear
Veteran

Dec 23, 2005, 10:34 AM

Post #2 of 13 (6458 views)
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Re: [Cyrus] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Easy way: Hook up a time code generator to a video input, and capture 50 minutes of the resulting display over black. Luma key it over other video.

Hard way: 1. Make a transparent graphic of ONLY the numeral separators. 2. Make a series of 10 graphics with the numbers 0-9 in the lowest column. 3. Repeat for the other numeral columns. 4. Combine the graphics on a timeline in your NLE, repeating as necessary to get the number cycling you want. Render to an .avi file.

Regards,
Doug Graham
Panda Productions

Cyrus
Novice

Dec 23, 2005, 6:09 PM

Post #3 of 13 (6446 views)
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Re: [videobear] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi
Thanks for your reply, yes what you said is possible but not easy, I am looking for any software which make digital timer.
Thanks

baldo
Novice

Dec 23, 2005, 7:39 PM

Post #4 of 13 (6442 views)
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Re: [Cyrus] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Are you talking about a timecode display? What software are you using to edit your video?
Baldo Lopez
Canon GL1
G5, Single processor,1.6 Ghz,1gb ram

Cyrus
Novice

Dec 24, 2005, 10:52 AM

Post #5 of 13 (6427 views)
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Re: [baldo] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yes, it could be time code, I am using premiere 6.5, someone recommended me this website, http://www.2writers.com , I found good software there but if you have another proposal, I will be glad to hear.
Thanks

baldo
Novice

Dec 24, 2005, 5:27 PM

Post #6 of 13 (6420 views)
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Re: [Cyrus] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

There are some software that have built-in timecode generators, but I don't think premiere has it. I checked out the link, looks like that is what you are looking for.
Baldo Lopez
Canon GL1
G5, Single processor,1.6 Ghz,1gb ram

Jack_Tripper
Novice

Dec 25, 2005, 1:05 AM

Post #7 of 13 (6415 views)
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Re: [Cyrus] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Do you have after effects?

Cyrus
Novice

Dec 25, 2005, 5:12 PM

Post #8 of 13 (6395 views)
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Re: [Jack_Tripper] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi
Yes, I have after effect, and I used number for making time code but there is shimmering in the time code, how can I remove this shiver? maybe I do something wrong, I create new solid and then use number from effect menu, but time code has movement.
Thanks

Jack_Tripper
Novice

Dec 25, 2005, 10:48 PM

Post #9 of 13 (6390 views)
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Re: [Cyrus] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In After Effects 6.5 it should be as easy as..........

Begin a new composition using your video footage

Apply the timecode effect from EFFECT<VIDEO<TIMECODE
directly to your video layer (no solid layer needed)

Cyrus
Novice

Dec 26, 2005, 3:47 PM

Post #10 of 13 (6357 views)
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Re: [Jack_Tripper] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi
Thanks for your help, I knew this way but I don�t want to use it because it put black rectangle around time code, is there any way to remove this black rectangle?
Thanks

Jack_Tripper
Novice

Dec 26, 2005, 4:38 PM

Post #11 of 13 (6355 views)
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Re: [Cyrus] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I guess you are right it is back to using a solid layer.

Make sure your solid layers color is black (0,0,0)

Apply the timecode effect

Apply the Luma Key effect - Key type= Key out darker
threshold = 1

Cyrus
Novice

Dec 28, 2005, 4:09 PM

Post #12 of 13 (6298 views)
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Re: [Jack_Tripper] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi
Thanks for your help, yes, your proposal was excellent, thank you very much.

DJEDI296
User

Mar 1, 2006, 9:20 PM

Post #13 of 13 (5931 views)
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Re: [Cyrus] How to make digital clock/timer? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hahaha, I should've used this for a local short film I made for a few frat boys at UT (my college): The Hour of Power: 60 Beer Shots in 60 minutes. Doesn't sound like much, but apparently, the average frat boy gets pretty darn intoxicated off approx. 6 beers in an hour...

I used elapsed time for most of it (save for the instances where they said something that they thought was hilarious, laughing violently). They had a digital clock set up which picked up decently, but I would've liked something a little more clear.