Timecode is a running numbers generator, based on Blenders Geometry Nodes.

It comes with five individual generators to either get an adaptive real-time numbers read-out of the current scene or to easily apply customizable running numbers wherever needed (e.g. radio alarm clocks, car stereo, sci-fi interfaces and -displays, time-bombs, timers, professional equipment, ….).

TI:ME:CO:DE - Animated Trailer:

The initial idea for this project came up, when I was working on the official advertorial video series “Nuendo |  Exclusive Features for…” for Steinberg's post-production DAW Nuendo.

For the intro animation, I had created a hyper realistic version of Nuendos transport panel, with the typical timecode and Bars & Beats displays. But instead of taking hi-res screen captures of the actual displays, to use them as textures, I had chosen to jump in at the deep end of Blenders Geometry Nodes.

Timecode is a running numbers generator, based on Blenders Geometry Nodes.

It comes with five individual generators to either get an adaptive real-time numbers read-out of the current scene or to easily apply customizable running numbers wherever needed (e.g. radio alarm clocks, car stereo, sci-fi interfaces and -displays, time-bombs, timers, professional equipment, ….).

Adaptivity

The numbers for Timecode's dynamic and flexible time displays come from five different source generators that automatically adapt to many of Blender’s playback preferences:

• The scene frame rate

• The first and last frame of the current scene as well as the resulting  frame range

• The first and last frame, as well as the frame range and current state of Preview Range

• All of the above also work seamlessly in combination with various user inputs

  
  

User Input

Timecode gives you an effective set of customizable parameters at hand. The target of each parameter can be identified by short labels in brackets:

Custom Start- and Stop-Positions

You can determine specific frames where the timers should start counting from  their relative 0-values and where they should stop running, while keeping their last value.
The Custom Timer Start frame number only has an effect, if it’s greater than the first frame of the scene or preview range (if activated). Accordingly the Custom Timer Stop frame number only comes into play, when the custom value is less than the last frame of the scene or preview range (if activated).

Base-Clock Multiplier

If the timers are running too slow for your needs, you can use the Base-Clock Multiplier to speed-up time up to factor 10,000 (!).

Tooltips

While all of Timecode’s parameter names are somewhat self-explanatory, each one of them also holds  a tooltip with an informative short-description. Just hover above the input field.

Default- and Min-/Max- Values

Every customizable parameter has a helpful default value to which you can reset it to, at any time. Additionally, the minimum and maximum values.

You can hot-switch between three different digit-looks that you can customize further to your needs. 

Global Parameters

These parameters apply to all visual styles / sources:

7 Material Slots

Just basic colors to maintain overview

These materials are shared among all generators and styles.You can use these basic materials that are set as default for each slot or link your own materials. To find out which slots are used by a certain style, please check each section's specs table.

Style Specific Parameters

Each style is created from an integrated specific base object but it can be replaced by a custom object from the outliner. Any adjustments to your custom object - including modifiers - apply to the currently selected digit display at runtime.
To link a Custom Object from your outliner, just use the eyedropper or drag & drop it onto the corresponding modifier input field and check the box below.
This replaces the standard objects, or  populates it as instances on the text-curve points.

Style 1 | Cube Arrays

Numbers are being displayed by toggling materials from material slot #1 to material slot #3. Apply custom materials for both highlighted and non-highlighted elements.

Style 2 | LED Digits

The displayed numbers are generated at runtime, by toggling the visibility of seven, pre-layouted mirrored trapezoid curve objects, according to the input values.

Style 3 | Monotype Font

Compared to the other visual styles, this one seems to be a bit simple. It’s basically just “values to strings to curves” but when populating a Custom Object as instances on its curve points, you can get quite abstract and playful results. If you are familiar with Geometry Nodes, it’s easy to replace the font for curve generation with any other font you have installed.

In the first input field you can easily toggle between all five Source Generators by numeric input (1-5).This works independently from the currently active visual style. 

SMPTE Timecode

This shows a typical 4-segment SMPTE-Timecode that runs in sync to the scene timeline. It automatically adapts to Scene Frame Rate, Scene Start Frame, Preview Start, -End and -Range, Custom Timer Start- and End-Frame and Base-Clock Multiplier.

When the timecode reaches 23:59:59:29 (at 30 fps), the next frame will reset it to 00:00:00:00.

Manual Timecode- / Clock-Mode

If activated, the timecode won’t run by itself but you can manually input any number for hours, minutes, seconds and frames, in the corresponding fields below, to display the exact timecode you want/need. Of course, you can keyframe each of the three parameters - or just keyframe the seconds, minutes and hours will follow, when it’s time.
This way, you can easily maintain continuity - even with complex time leaps.

All numbers sum up correctly to the next higher unit (e.g. an input of 1900 frames @30fps is displayed as 00:01:03:10). Additional inputs for seconds and/or minutes add up correctly to the calculated numbers.

Adaptive Frame Counter

The Frame Counter shows the current frame, the total frame range and the frames to go till the end. The numbers adapt automatically to the state of the Preview Range and Frame Range, the Frame Rate, Custom Start- and Stop Frame and Custom Frame Offset.

Bars & Beats Counter

If you want to work beat-sync to music, playing in Blender’s Video Sequencer, you can fill in its song tempo (in BPM, Beats per Minute) and time signature, to get several little helpers for timing, rhythm and music related timeline position.

To adjust the Bars & Beats display to your needs, you can apply an offset in bars / full note intervals.

EXTRA: Tempo-, Rhythm-  and  Timing Indicators

16-Step Sequencer

The 16 steps change their material to material slot #3 synchronously to the 16th notes of the numeric counter above, showing the exact 16th note position within the current bar. The accented steps 1, 5, 9 and 13, which represent the quarter notes of each bar, are clearly emphasized.

Musical Timeline Representation

A thin line represents the range of the scene timeline, divided in full-note lengths, showing the total amount of measures/bars, sub-divided in quarter note lengths, based on the determined BPM. Three position-indicators represent bars, quarter notes  and 16th notes.

Digital & Analog Chronometers

The Digital Clock comes in the classic numeric format, showing hours, minutes and seconds separated by colons, flashing once per second. If time is running too slow for you, just turn-up the Base-Clock Multiplier to see hours passing like seconds. 

But what happens once the 12th hour is through? Well, it depends!
You can easily toggle between the 12h- and 24h system. For the 12h-System, an additional AM/PM indicator shows up, to prevent confusion.

Manual Timecode/Clock Mode

In this mode, the clock stands still, even if the animation player is running - only the colon-delimiters keep flashing at one second intervals but it allows you to manually input static values for hours, minutes and seconds, to display the exact time you want/need.

If you still want the clock to run, you can keyframe each of the three parameters - or just keyframe the seconds, minutes and hours will follow, when it’s time. This way, you can easily maintain continuity - even with complex time leaps or go backwards in time. 

All values sum up correctly to the next higher unit (e.g. an input of 125 seconds is displayed as 00:02:05).

EXTRA: Analog Clock Face

Typical clock-face with hands for hours, minutes and seconds as well as an additional time indicator in circles around the clock’s rim. The analog clock also follows the Base-Clock Multiplier and runs in sync with the Digital Clock. Obviously, switching from 12h- to 24h-System has no effect on the analog clock.

Countdown

This is a classic numeric Countdown at one second intervals from any integer up to 9,999. It also “listens” to the Base-Clock Multiplier, thus you can break down the countdown intervals down to tiny fractions of a second, if you like.

Extended Time/Timing Statistics

This is a comprehensive statistics read-out with additional calculations of many important time- and timing-relevant parameters. You can show/hide the time related stats with just one click and add the musical info with another. 

TI:ME:CO:DE in action: