Comparison

Protern Clock vs Timecode Gen

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Protern Clock

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Protern Clock puts a precise time of day on every clip you film with a video camera, from the phone you already carry. A camera stamps each clip with its own clock: set once, drifting since, and only ever to the whole second. That is fine for watching. It is not enough to line the clip up with anything else: an athlete's sensor data, a second camera, or the phone footage from the top of the course. Protern Clock gives the camera a time it can trust, accurate to a hundredth of a second. TWO WAYS TO PUT THE TIME ON THE CAMERA LTC Audio. Plug the phone into the camera's mic input with a 3.5 mm cable, press Start, set the phone down beside the camera, and film. The phone sends the time as an audio timecode signal (linear timecode, or LTC, the broadcast standard) and the camera records it on the audio track. The timecode keeps running with the screen off. QR Clock. For a camera with no mic input. The phone shows the time as a QR code that refreshes every frame. Film the phone screen for a few seconds at the start of each clip, then the athlete. Protern Video reads the time from those frames. WHAT PROTERN VIDEO DOES WITH IT Import the clips and they behave like clips filmed on a phone. Each one sorts into the right session on the right day. It lines up with the athlete's Protern Sensor data to a hundredth of a second, so speed, time, and line sit on the frame they belong to. The run names itself when the athlete wore a sensor. And it joins other cameras and phones in one multi-cam run: a single feed that switches from camera to camera at the right instant, or angles side by side, in sync. PROTERN CLOCK AND TIMELINK TimeLink is Protern's LTC generator as a dedicated device, for the camera that films all day. Protern Clock puts the same timecode on the camera from your phone. Most teams use both: TimeLink on the main camera, Protern Clock on the second camera, the borrowed camera, or the camera with no mic input. SETTINGS Frame rate of 24, 25, 29.97, or 30. Timecode on the left, right, or both audio channels. The date embedded in the timecode. The time shows on screen while it runs, so you can check it against the camera. BEYOND PROTERN Any app that reads SMPTE linear timecode can use the signal, including Dartfish and Telemetry Overlay, so the same clip lines up with other sensor data in other analysis and overlay tools. REQUIREMENTS LTC Audio needs a wired 3.5 mm audio connection from the phone to the camera's mic input. An adapter may be needed depending on the phone. Bluetooth audio does not carry the timecode. QR Clock needs no cable. Reading QR Clock needs Protern Video 2.3.15 or later.

About

Timecode Gen

This app generates linear timecode (LTC) with support for various frame rates and audio output. It can create audio files with embedded timecode, operate in real-time using the device's current time, and manage cue playlists. It also allows for synchronized start/stop commands between devices via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Highlights
  • LTC SMPTE timecode generation (PAL, SECAM, 24-30 FPS)
  • Audio file creation with embedded timecode (AAC/.m4a)
  • Real-time generation using device's system time
  • CUE timecode playlist creation and management
  • Synchronized start/stop commands via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi
  • Sync TX/RX modes for device command transmission
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Main Features: - Generate linear timecode support LTC SMPTE PAL SECAM 24, 25, 29.97DF, 30 FPS with audio output. - Creating audio files with timecode in compressed aac/.m4a(44,1kHz) format. - RealTime mode - generation timecode of current system time of device. (supported Sync Mode) - CUE timecode playlist. Can create CUEs with start time and end time.  Creating sequecies with CUE's, using two modes "Auto Play Next" and "Stop At End". - Sync devices with TC app, synchronously start/stop commands with connected nearby devices using Bluetooth or WIFI(on same network). Sync TX mode - Transmitter mode, device send commands to another device with RX mode. Sync RX mode - Reciever mode, device get commands: start, stop, set timecode from TX device. Always welcome for criticism and suggestions: royalblue.dev@gmail.com

Screenshots

Protern Clock4 screens
Timecode Gen4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Timecode Gen at every 5 days against Protern Clock's every 10 months. Timecode Gen also leads on price ($4.99 vs $9.99) and device support (4 vs 2). On ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Protern Clock costs $9.99 and Timecode Gen $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Protern Clock ships an update every 10 months, Timecode Gen every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Protern Clock versus Timecode Gen: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterProtern ClockTimecode Gen
Price$9.99$4.99 — better
Rating—4.5 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—83.3% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperProskidaAnna Koynova

In-app purchases

None

Protern Clock

No in-app purchases

None

Timecode Gen

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Protern Clock free?
Protern Clock costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Timecode Gen free?
Timecode Gen costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Protern Clock or Timecode Gen have ads?
Neither Protern Clock nor Timecode Gen shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Protern Clock or Timecode Gen?
Protern Clock ships an update every 10 months, and Timecode Gen every 5 days. Most recently, Protern Clock was updated on September 24, 2026 and Timecode Gen on October 1, 2026.

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