ABSTRACT
Time code is one of the most widely used synchronization tools in show control, since it is easy to use, allows very precise cueing and accurate repeatability, and makes for easy programming of time-based systems. Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE, pronounced “sim-tee”) Time Code (TC) was created first, and then MIDI Time Code (MTC) was developed to transport SMPTE time code over a MIDI link. While SMPTE TC is (at its lowest level) analog and MTC is digital, they share many common aspects, so we will cover the basics of time code first, and then get into specifics of each type.
