[time-nuts] Timestamps in audio files?

[Chris Caudle]

On Mon, December 21, 2015 5:19 am, Tim Shoppa wrote:
> Are there any standard consumer-type audio file formats, that support
> absolute time time/datestamps?

Broadcast WAV file (BWF) is probably the closest.  I'm not sure what
different timecode formats are possible, but this description of how Avid
and Final Cut import time code from BWF files probably indicates what is
commonly used.  I think the usual timecode roles over every 24 hours, I'm
not sure there is a standard way to attach calendar date.  Could be a way
that just isn't decribed here:

BWF Time Code
The recorded files generated by Sound Devices 7-Series recorders and the
552 mixer contain extensive metadata describing their contents. This
metadata is stored in the BeXT and iXML chunks within the Broadcast Wave
format. To represent time code the primary metadata parameters include:

    Start TC:  stored in both the bEXT and iXML chunks as a ‘Samples Since
Midnight’ value.
    TC frame rate:  This is the frames per second rate. It is also used to
convert the HH:MM:SS:FF time code value to a ‘Samples Since Midnight’
value and visa versa. It is stored in the bEXT chunk as the ‘SPEED’
parameter and in iXML as the ‘TIMECODE_RATE’ parameter.
    Sampling Rate:  This is stored in the ‘fmt’ (format) and iXML chunks.
This tells the playback device at what speed to playback the file,
typically 48 kHz in sound-for-picture applications.

-- 
Chris Caudle