burnt-in time code (video) (BITC)
In video technology, time codes are used for electronic editing and post-production. The Burnt-In Time Code (BITC) is such a time code that is used in camcorders and video recorders. It is composed of the synchronization signal and the video signal and is inserted into the video image as a time insert.
The BITC code is inserted in a window, it is readable and can be interpreted directly. They have the form: Hours: Minutes: Seconds: Full frames.
The BITC time code is a combination of the Vertical Interval Time Code( VITC) and the Longitudinal Time Code( LTC). It is very often used in video copies, as they are common in the home. For example, in the VHS system.
The BITC time code is not machine readable. In professional video tape recorders( VTR), a video signal with BITC time code can be output on one of the composite video outputs for preview.