We are committed to providing the entertainment industry with reliable, high quality Time Code Equipment. All Dcode ® Time Code Products are high stability, precision products manufactured on premises in Valencia, CA. The Dcode ® product line consists of Time Code Slates, Time Code Readers, Time Code Generators, Audio Accessories, and the Cine Sync ® equipment. The Dcode ® Time Code product line continues to grow as new items are constantly undergoing development. Our goal is to grow with the industry by responding to, as well as anticipating, the needs of the professional.

THE BEGINNING OF TIME:

WHY DENECKE GOT INTO THE SLATE BUSINESS

The first time I heard of a time code slate was in 1985. Ivan Kruglak of Coherent Communications had made a limited number of TC-400A time code slates, but they were not catching on. I was a working sound man and electronic designer at that time. I spoke frequently with Manfred Klemme at Nagra and he showed me the Nagra 4S-TC Stereo time code tape machine. The 4S-TC, now the industry standard, was a beautiful machine but was not being used since a light weight, easy to use slate was not available. Manfred suggested it might be a good time to make a slate. I had recently finished the TC-1 Time Code Reader and decided to try making a time code slate.The TS-1 Time Code Slate was basically the TC-1 Time Code Reader with large 1 inch led's and special drive electronics in a slate form. Since I worked on film sets and saw how the crew used standard slates I knew what was needed in a time code slate. The TS-1 had to be light weight, rugged and easy to use. The features that made the TS-1 an accepted standard on the set were the under cut sticks which allowed the camera assistant to hold the slate with one hand, the "clap stick activated display" which automated slate operation, a very bright display so the numbers could be seen in daylight and a single bright/dim power switch.

The first use of the TS-1 Time Code Slate was filming music videos. The advantages of time code on playback were numerous. Only one playback machine needed to be used on the set. The time code slate eliminated the need to re-record the playback tape with conventional sticks as a marker. The TS-1 eliminated the need to re-transfer all of the takes to mag film to sync the music to picture. A music cue could be started anywhere in the song and the editor would know exactly where he was by the displayed time code numbers. The time code slate sped up the music video process and saved time in post. Telecine transfers were becoming more popular and the negative was transferred to video eliminating the need for a work print. The TS-1 was also a great advantage to multi-camera concert shoots. Multiple slates with the same time code can be used to sync all of the camera starts. Each camera looks at the TS-1 time code at the head of every take. The camera man doesn't need to run a whole reel of film from each bloop light mark as was the convention in pre-time code shoots. Filming close-ups of the performers with playback immediately after a concert shoot is easily accomplished by playing back the time code into the TS-1. Film stock is saved and each camera is slated individually. The editor can sync all of the takes with fewer errors.

Soon commercial and television producers realized that time code could be used on their projects to their advantage. Producers wanted to see their dailies on video as soon as possible. The time code slate sped up the syncing process in telecine by as much as 30%, while eliminating the need for work prints and mag film. The time code slate had sped up the film to video process which saved lab time, sound transfer time and material.The methods of feature post production are now changing. Producers have realized that computer based electronic editing systems can help them save time and meet increasingly tight post production schedules. The TS-1 time code slate is now being used regularly to speed up telecine transfers for these films, putting time code on film without the expense of buying new camera equipment or special readers in post. Film making is slowly changing toward automation but the basic way of working on the set is going to stay the same. The time code slate is a tool that connects conventional film making with the new electronic editing tools.Over the years the Dcode® Time Code Slate has undergone various changes, improvements and modifications.

~ Mike Denecke, 1997