Uploaded June 2015 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Vertical interval timecode, known by the acronym vitc (pronounced vitsee) is a graphical time code, as opposed to an audio time signal.
It's designed to be invisible, since it's located in the space between the video frames, known as the vertical blanking.
Vertical blanking was designed to hide the raster's retrace. Where the scan moves from lower right back to upper left. The vertical blanking also contains other information like closed-captioning.
VITC is often more accurate than LTC (longitudinal timecode), since it can be read when the tape is running slower than play speed, and even when the tape is stopped!
Vertical interval timecode, known by the acronym vitc (pronounced vitsee) is a graphical time code, as opposed to an audio time signal.
It's designed to be invisible, since it's located in the space between the video frames, known as the vertical blanking.
Vertical blanking was designed to hide the raster's retrace. Where the scan moves from lower right back to upper left. The vertical blanking also contains other information like closed-captioning.
VITC is often more accurate than LTC (longitudinal timecode), since it can be read when the tape is running slower than play speed, and even when the tape is stopped!
