7.1 CONCEPT
AatonCode, Aaton's proprietary in-camera timecode system, is re-
corded in the XTRprod on the edge of the film between the perfora-
tions in both matrix and man-readable form. As recorded in the ca-
mera, AatonCode contains a six digit production ID, a SMPTE-
compatible real time address (full date and time), a camera equip-
ment ID and the running speed of the body.
Timecode is exposed onto the film by means of seven micro-diodes,
which flash rapidly to form the code as the film rolls through the ga-
te. The intensity of the diodes is adjusted to the film's sensitivity by
means of the camera's ASA selection.
The XTRprod can accept timecode information in both ASCII and
SMPTE form, and work with all standard timecode devices.
Because the same time address is running in both the camera and
the sound recorder, a slate is no longer needed for syncing purposes;
synchronization becomes fully automatic during the film/tape trans-
fer or later post-production stages.
An Aaton device called Keylink, which consists of CCD reader
heads and a PC, and which is owned by the telecine house, is desi-
gned to read Keycode and Aatoncode off the film during transfer
and correlate this to the continuous video timecode and all other co-
lorist entries for storage on its hard drive. Keylink can also ingest
scene/take information and notes from the set recorded by means of
Aaton's Script Supervisor software.
The facility can then supply all correlated information in VITC
(vertical interval timecode) and/or burn-in windows on the transfer-
red tape, and also on floppy disk for direct use with non-linear edi-
ting systems, audio workstations and logging programs.
7.2 THE INTERNAL CLOCK
The XTRprod contains an internal clock designed to be initialized
from an outside source and keep accurate time (within a half a fra-
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AATON CODE