<ol>
<li><p>FFmpeg only supports timecode in a limited set of formats. They are the MOV family (MOV/MP4/3GP..), MXF family, raw DV and Grass Valley GXF.</p></li>
<li><p>How the timecode is stored and flagged is specific to the format. MOV stores a DF flag, integer framerate and the timecode as a rate-adjusted integer frame index. MXF does essentially the same.</p></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-29T05:58:29.973Z
2018-10-29T05:58:29.973Z
Gyan
<p>As a followup to <a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/25082/add-timecode-information-to-file/25115#25115">Add timecode information to file</a></p>
<p>ffmpeg documents the <code>-timecode</code> parameter:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>-timecode hh:mm:ssSEPff</p>
<p>Specify Timecode for writing. SEP is ’:’ for non drop timecode and ’;’ (or ’.’) for drop.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Two questions come up:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Which container formats support the <code>-timecode</code> option? Are there any that don't?</p>
</li>
<li><p>The option to specify DF/NDF timecode implies the ability to store DF flag in the file alongside the framerate. Is that how it works, or does ffmpeg convert DF timecode to a corresponding NDF frame count and stores that?</p>
</li>
</ol>

<ffmpeg><file-formats><timecode>
How does ffmpeg record -timecode in different file formats?
iter
# How does ffmpeg record -timecode in different file formats?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-28)

As a followup to [Add timecode information to file](https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/25082/add-timecode-information-to-file/25115#25115)

ffmpeg documents the `-timecode` parameter:

> -timecode hh:mm:ssSEPff
>
> Specify Timecode for writing. SEP is ’:’ for non drop timecode and ’;’ (or ’.’) for drop.

Two questions come up:

1. Which container formats support the `-timecode` option? Are there any that don't?
2. The option to specify DF/NDF timecode implies the ability to store DF flag in the file alongside the framerate. Is that how it works, or does ffmpeg convert DF timecode to a corresponding NDF frame count and stores that?

**Tags:** ffmpeg, file-formats, timecode


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-10-29. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

1. FFmpeg only supports timecode in a limited set of formats. They are the MOV family (MOV/MP4/3GP..), MXF family, raw DV and Grass Valley GXF.
2. How the timecode is stored and flagged is specific to the format. MOV stores a DF flag, integer framerate and the timecode as a rate-adjusted integer frame index. MXF does essentially the same.


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