Video Timecode Calculator
Convert between SMPTE timecode, total frames, and seconds at any frame rate — 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 60 fps and more.
About the Video Timecode Calculator
The Video Timecode Calculator converts between SMPTE-style timecode (HH:MM:SS:FF), a total frame count, and real-time seconds at whatever frame rate you're working in. Editors, colorists, animators, and motion designers reach for this constantly: to find the exact frame at a given timecode, to turn a frame number from a render log back into a readable timecode, or to check how many real seconds a shot actually runs. Pick a mode, choose your fps, type your numbers, and the answer appears the instant you stop typing.
Everything runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded, there's no sign-up, and once the page has loaded the calculator keeps working even without an internet connection. Blank or invalid fields show a short, friendly prompt instead of a confusing "NaN", and it guards common mistakes — minutes and seconds are kept in the 0–59 range, and the frame field (FF) is checked so it can't exceed the frames available at your chosen rate.
How to use
- Pick a mode: "Timecode → frames" if you know the timecode, or "Frames → timecode" if you have a raw frame count.
- Choose your frame rate from the dropdown — 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94, or 60 fps.
- Enter your values. In timecode mode, fill the HH, MM, SS, and FF fields. In frames mode, type a single frame count.
- Read the highlighted result box. You'll get the total frame count, the real-time duration in seconds, and the normalized timecode, all at once.
- Change the frame rate anytime to see how the same timecode or frame count lands at a different rate.
How frame rates and timecode fit together
Timecode counts whole frames, so the HH:MM:SS:FF format buckets frames using the nearest whole number of frames per second — 24 for 23.976, 30 for 29.97, and 60 for 59.94. That's why the frame field runs from 0 up to one less than that whole rate. Real-world time, though, uses the exact frame rate: at 29.97 fps a clip of 1800 frames is 60 timecode "seconds" but about 60.06 real seconds, because 29.97 frames genuinely take slightly longer than one second to play. This tool shows both, so you can line up an edit by frame while still knowing the true running time. It treats all rates as non-drop-frame; drop-frame timecode (which skips frame numbers to keep 29.97 and 59.94 broadcast clocks accurate) is not applied.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a timecode to a frame number?
Choose "Timecode → frames", set your frame rate, and enter HH:MM:SS:FF. The tool multiplies the hours, minutes, and seconds into frames at the whole-number rate, adds the FF field, and shows the total frame count along with the real-time duration.
How do I convert frames back to timecode?
Switch to "Frames → timecode", pick the frame rate, and type the frame count. You'll get the normalized HH:MM:SS:FF timecode plus the running time in seconds.
Why do the seconds not exactly match the timecode at 29.97 or 23.976 fps?
Timecode buckets frames at the nearest whole rate (30 or 24), but real time uses the exact fractional rate. Because 29.97 frames take a hair longer than one second to play, the real duration drifts slightly from the timecode "seconds" — this tool reports both so nothing is hidden.
What is the FF field, and why is it capped?
FF is the frame within the current second, numbered from 0. At 30 fps it runs 0 to 29, and at 24 fps it runs 0 to 23, so entering a value equal to or above the rate is invalid — the calculator flags it instead of producing a wrong timecode.
Is my data private, and does this work offline?
Yes on both counts. Every conversion happens locally in your browser — no timecodes, frame counts, or settings are uploaded or tracked. After the page loads once, the calculator keeps working with no internet connection at all.