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How to get correct (actual - not import) date/time stamp to a clip in iMovie.

I just learned how to add date/time stamp in iMovie. I own a surveillance company and must have video with date/time stamps, so I have always converted my video to analog (elgato) to get the date/time stamp on it. This feature in iMovie would be extremely helpful as it would save the conversion process and produce better quality video.

However, every time I drag date/time stamp onto an event or an edited clip, it displays the date/time I imported the video rather than the date/time the actual video was shot. I've tried to import the video from both my computer and the camcorder itself, but I still only get the import date/time. I've tried this with 2 camcorders - a new Sony ACHVD camcorder and a year old digital camcorder - but get the same issue.


Also, when I attempt to 'Adjust Clip Date and Time...', it will only allow me to change the 'TO:' (bottom half), not the 'From:' (top half).


I'm using iMovie '11 (9.0.6) and OS X 10.7.4, so both are up to date. Any thoughts? Thanks.

iMovie '11, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jun 20, 2012 10:36 AM

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Posted on Jun 20, 2012 1:16 PM

Normally when you import a clip from a camcorder, it will have a name in the form clip-yyyy-mm-dd hh;mm;ss.ext where hh is hours in 24 hour time, and ext is the file extension given by the camcorder or by iMovie (e.g. .mov).


This is the starting time for the clip.


If you change the name of the clip, this information is lost., although you can add it back with the Adjust Clip Date and Time command.


Is it possible that you renamed your clips?

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Jun 20, 2012 1:16 PM in response to Stueagle

Normally when you import a clip from a camcorder, it will have a name in the form clip-yyyy-mm-dd hh;mm;ss.ext where hh is hours in 24 hour time, and ext is the file extension given by the camcorder or by iMovie (e.g. .mov).


This is the starting time for the clip.


If you change the name of the clip, this information is lost., although you can add it back with the Adjust Clip Date and Time command.


Is it possible that you renamed your clips?

Jun 20, 2012 2:39 PM in response to AppleMan1958

Appleman. Thanks - this helped. But...


I imported video taken on my camcorder at 8:29 on 6/14. I did not change the name, as suggested.

Once imported, I dragged a clip up to my project and then dragged the date & time effect on the clip.

Here's the strang part: the hover box over the clip shows the correct time of 8:29 on 6/14, however, the stamp in the lower left corner of the clip shows an incorrect time of 12:29 on 6/14. When I select 'Adjust Clip Date & Time', it shows the correct time of 8:29 on 6/14.

Weird!?!? Any thoughts?

User uploaded file

Jul 4, 2012 4:44 AM in response to paulapp

I concur that it's a bug. With 9.0.6 my timestamps were off by hours. I just downgraded to 9.0.4 and the timestamps are showing correctly.


(To downgrade, throw away iMovie 9.0.6. Open the iLife '11 installer with Pacifist, and drag the 9.0 version to the Applications folder. Finally, download the 9.0.4 updater, and run it.)

Jul 11, 2012 3:27 AM in response to Stueagle

Stueagle for the same reason as you I need the date and times to be the same as the playhead.


Today mine started showing a 10 hour time difference, long story short I deleted imovie and reinstalled it from the ilife disc and the problem was solved.


However in doing a software update the time difference reappeared.


The fault would appear to be in the update,


1/2 day I cant charge to the insurer ;-)

Sep 19, 2012 10:18 PM in response to Stueagle

I have 2 macs. I ran into this time stamp bug on both. Rolled a copy back to 9.0.4 and the issue went away. So I rolled back the other copy also. This issue of incorrect time stamp may not be a feature used often but for one who use it, it's a critical feature. And the issue is easily reproduceable and I'm assuming the fix should be pretty as well. Looks like someone just forgot to calculate time zone properly.


I've stayed with iMovie 9.0.4 to avoid the time stamp bug. Has anyone tried upgrading to iMovie 9.0.8 by any chance? Did the bug get fixed?

Sep 20, 2012 5:59 AM in response to paulapp

paulapp wrote:

I've stayed with iMovie 9.0.4 to avoid the time stamp bug. Has anyone tried upgrading to iMovie 9.0.8 by any chance? Did the bug get fixed?

The bug is still evident in the 9.0.8 version of iMovie '11 (at least on my MacBook Pro - late 2008/early 2009). In my case, the time stamp (using the Date/Time title) shows a time nine and a half hours prior to the actual time recorded by the camera. For example, the Date/Time title shows 5:15 AM but actual recorded time is 2:45 PM for the same day.


I updated to Mountain Lion OS X 10.8.2 today (from 10.8.1) and the problem persists, so it does appear to be an iMovie problem. Hopefully we will see an update to iMovie '11 soon - although it doesn't affect me much, as I rarely use the Date/Time title.


John

Mar 22, 2013 6:49 PM in response to AppleMan1958

Hi AppleMan,


I see that you deleted the text from your post, but I was able to read it in the email sent from Apple. It may make sense after all.


You may be onto something there. The time zone in Adelaide is exactly 9 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time when we are on Standard Time. Currently, we are on Daylight Saving Time (Central Daylight Time) which is 10 and a half hours ahead of GMT. I did my test when we were on Standard Time. See this re Adelaide time zones etc:


http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=5


The title in iMovie may be deducting the time zone difference from the time recorded by the camera's time stamp (and therefore showing GMT in the title).


I haven't thought this through carefully, as I'm in a rush to get ready to go out, so will leave it there for now.


Perhaps you could give it some more thought in the meantime. Or even better, run a quick test on your iMac with iMovie '11 (9.0.8).


John

Mar 23, 2013 12:09 AM in response to John Cogdell

I've just done another test using the Date/Time title in iMovie '11 (version 9.0.8).


Unfortunately, there is no real consistency with my first test (see my earlier post here).


I tested on a clip shot on 13 January 2013 at 10:55 am. I applied the title to the clip. The title showed 12 January 2013 11:25 pm. The time difference is 11.5 hours, whereas my previous test showed a difference of 9.5 hours (being the standard time difference between Adelaide and GMT).


My camera was set correctly for daylight saving, which is one hour ahead of standard time. And I know the clip time is correct because I shot the clip shortly after the function commenced not long after 10:30 am. Also, there is consistency with this test as we are currently still in daylight saving time.


Possibly there is some connection with Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), but something may have gone awry with the change to daylighht saving. During daylight saving time, Adelaide time is 10.5 hours ahead of GMT (not 11.5 hours).


However, all this is pretty academic. The GMT connection may be purely coincidental.


My camcorder (Sony HDR-SR7E) has a setting for local time zones, which allows quick adjustments to the clock settings. I think that most camcorders have this function. Checking my camera settings revealed that it shows Adelaide (GMT + 9.5 hours). So, I'm thinking that the Date/Time title in iMovie is picking up GMT from the clips and not the actual time zone details. But I can't explain the 11.5 hours difference that I mentioned above (my brain's hurting)!


None of this bothers me much because I don't recall ever using the Date/Time title, other than for testing. If I want to show the date on a clip I simply use a lower thirds title and type in the day and date (but I don't worry about the time details). I understand, of course, the importance of this feature for people doing surveillance work and so forth. Hopefully, Apple will fix this in a future update (but mustn't speculate).


John

Mar 23, 2013 12:30 AM in response to Robert Vancouver

Robert Vancouver wrote:


To Stueagle. Pardon my ignorance, as I am somewhat new to this. How did you expose and drag the "date and time effect".

Hi Robert,


As Stueagle hasn't responded as yet, I thought I'd explain this for you.


The Date/Time title is one of the titles listed in the Title browser. In iMovie '11 it's slotted between Ticker and Clouds. Like other titles, just drag it directly onto a clip and it will show the (probably incorrect) date and time that the clip was recorded. It will appear in the lower left of the clip.


If you want the title to appear on a background (rather than on one of your video clips), drag it in front of, after, or between clips. As you do this you will see a green vertical line, indicating where it will be positioned. As you drop it, a panel will pop-up where you can choose a coloured or textured background.


The Title browser can be accessed by clicking on the T shaped icon at the far right in the centre toolbar, in between the Photo browser and the Transition browser icons.


John

How to get correct (actual - not import) date/time stamp to a clip in iMovie.

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