<p><a href="http://www.virtualdub.org/" rel="nofollow">Virtualdub</a> will allow you to do this with the <a href="http://www.hlinke.de/tinc?key=U4rlLOrY&amp;formname=VirtualDub_Filter" rel="nofollow">Add Frame Numbers</a> filter (not just frame numbers, as implied by the name).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-23T12:58:12.737Z
2012-02-23T12:58:12.737Z
Gyan
<p>If you have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressor_%28software%29" rel="nofollow">Compressor</a> installed (comes with the Final Cut 7 Studio) you can <a href="http://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/visible-timecode/1" rel="nofollow">burn-in a timecode</a> to a video. You need to setup a preset at the beginning, but then you can make a droplet for further use. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-05-24T00:19:44.517Z
2012-05-24T00:19:44.517Z
OrangeBox
<p>After Effects has a plugin called Timecode (located under the Text category) that you simply apply to any video layer and it outputs a timecode box over the video that can be rendered out. It includes settings to change the text size, color, position as well as the display format of the timecode (SMPTE, frame numbers, and feet/frames for 35mm or 16mm film).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-25T19:06:53.947Z
2013-01-25T19:06:53.947Z
DJSizzlePuff
<p><a href="https://ffmpeg.org/documentation.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ffmpeg</a> supports this via the drawtext filter (<a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/21905/how-to-set-pts-time-format-when-using-ffmpeg-filter-to-add-timestamp">example</a>).  It's command-line but ultimately has more functionality than anything else I've seen.  If you're a python person, there's a project (<a href="https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/tree/master/examples" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ffmpeg-python</a>) that provides bindings that make the various filters <em>far</em> easier to work with.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-02T14:37:23.993Z
2020-11-02T14:37:23.993Z
ljwobker
<p>In Windows you can do this with the old standard Moviemaker - at least a basic timestamp anyway.</p>

<p>If you are looking for something with a great deal of accuracy Moviemaker probably won't cope.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-24T10:51:13.023Z
2012-01-24T10:51:13.023Z
Dr Mayhem
<p>Is there any script or application that would add a timestamp to a video (avi or mov)?
Does for example <em>mencoder</em> support this function ? I'm using it to join avi files together.</p>

<p>I would be happy for any suggestions.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-22T13:45:09.290Z
What do you mean by "timestamp" ? timecode? You can add it to Quicktime .mov files and a few other formats like .mxf. Or the "Creation time" written by some cameras into the metadata of the files? Or do you want to make a new video with timecode or some other time burned-in?
Please clarify.
mivk
<video><timecode><filter>
Fastest way to add a timestamp to a video
justSaid
# Fastest way to add a timestamp to a video

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-01-19)

Is there any script or application that would add a timestamp to a video (avi or mov)?
Does for example *mencoder* support this function ? I'm using it to join avi files together.

I would be happy for any suggestions.

**Tags:** video, timecode, filter

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What do you mean by "timestamp" ? timecode? You can add it to Quicktime .mov files and a few other formats like .mxf. Or the "Creation time" written by some cameras into the metadata of the files? Or do you want to make a new video with timecode or some other time burned-in? Please clarify.  

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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-02-23. Score: 1

[Virtualdub](http://www.virtualdub.org/) will allow you to do this with the [Add Frame Numbers](http://www.hlinke.de/tinc?key=U4rlLOrY&formname=VirtualDub_Filter) filter (not just frame numbers, as implied by the name).


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### Answer by username_3 on 2012-05-24. Score: 1

If you have [Compressor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressor_%28software%29) installed (comes with the Final Cut 7 Studio) you can [burn-in a timecode](http://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/visible-timecode/1) to a video. You need to setup a preset at the beginning, but then you can make a droplet for further use.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2013-01-25. Score: 1

After Effects has a plugin called Timecode (located under the Text category) that you simply apply to any video layer and it outputs a timecode box over the video that can be rendered out. It includes settings to change the text size, color, position as well as the display format of the timecode (SMPTE, frame numbers, and feet/frames for 35mm or 16mm film).


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### Answer by username_5 on 2020-11-02. Score: 0

[ffmpeg](https://ffmpeg.org/documentation.html) supports this via the drawtext filter ([example](https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/21905/how-to-set-pts-time-format-when-using-ffmpeg-filter-to-add-timestamp)). It's command-line but ultimately has more functionality than anything else I've seen. If you're a python person, there's a project ([ffmpeg-python](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/tree/master/examples)) that provides bindings that make the various filters *far* easier to work with.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2012-01-24. Score: 0

In Windows you can do this with the old standard Moviemaker - at least a basic timestamp anyway.

If you are looking for something with a great deal of accuracy Moviemaker probably won't cope.


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