Many video cameras, while recording, store items of metadata information in special metadata areas of the recorded video file (or in a separate partner file) which are usually inaccessible outside of the camera.
The information is there in the file, but you can't see it when you view the file on your computer because the information is digitally encoded into these special metadata areas. DVMP Pro can read this effectively hidden information and display it on screen as the video file is played, or "burn" the items of metadata as text permanently across the video frames.
This metadata includes the date and time that the recording was made, and the camera exposure settings. And some cameras equipped with built-in GPS units also store the latitude, longitude, speed and altitude as metadata. Each of these is a Metadata Item.
Which items of metadata are stored in these metadata areas depends on the model of the camera. Some models may store just the date and time that the recording was made but no camera exposure details, and some models may store only a limited number of exposure details.
When you play a supported video file type in DVMP Pro, it displays the values of the metadata items in a window pane beneath the video, and these values change as playback progresses. Any metadata items that are not present are displayed as a series of dashes "----".
Probably the most popular use of DVMP Pro is to time-stamp video files, so that the original date and time that the recording was made is permanently written across the video image, and advances in real-time as the file is played - see the Time Stamping Video chapter for more details. The time-stamped video files can then be sent to a colleague or client, or imported into your own video editing or DVD Authoring software. You can also choose to stamp any of the other metadata items onto the video image if you need to.
There are also tools that allow you to export the metadata values to a text file - csv, srt or gpx.
DVMP Pro supports the following items of metadata, provided the camera model actually stores the item.
•Timecode - a unique frame identifier used in professional video production (not to be confused with the date and time of recording)
•User Bits - a unique frame or clip identifier used in professional video production
•Time of Recording - the time of day when the recording was made
•Date of Recording - the date when the recording was made
•Iris - Aperture setting (f-stop)
•Exposure Mode - Automatic, Gain Priority, Shutter Priority, Iris Priority or Manual
•Gain in dB
•Focus Distance in metres
•Focus Mode - Manual or Automatic
•White Balance - Automatic, Hold, 1-Push, Candle, Incandescent Lamp, Fluorescent Lamp (Low Temperature), Fluorescent Lamp (High Temperature), Sunlight or Cloudy
•Image stabilizer - on or off
•Audio details (DV file types only)
For some cameras that have built-in GPS units, the following items of metadata are also stored.
•Latitude
•Longitude
•Altitude
•Speed
•Track
The last 2 items are the speed and the direction of travel of the camera. Track is the direction that the camera is traveling, not the direction that the lens is pointed.
The Time of Recording and Date of Recording items are probably the most important because they are used to time-stamp video files. Together, they are sometimes also referred to as "datecode" or "datacode".
Depending on the type and model of the camera, the items of metadata may be stored within the video file itself, in a separate partner file, or in the filesystem properties. These different storage "places" are called "Metadata Sources" and DVMP Pro reads the metadata values from one of the Metadata Sources. Most of the time DVMP Pro will choose the appropriate Metadata Source automatically, but you can also manually select an alternative Metadata Source if you wish. See the chapter Understanding Metadata Sources for more details.
See Also:
Understanding Metadata Sources
