Sync footage from different cameras by timestamp (or timecode).
Phones, action cams and consumer cameras have no timecode, but every file has a recording timestamp. Use it to place everything on one timeline at the time of day it was shot, and add real timecode for the pro cameras. One click, inside Premiere Pro.
Put each camera or recorder on its own track, then run Timebomb. It reads the recording timestamp in each file (or embedded timecode and recorded LTC when a pro camera has them) and places every clip at the time it was actually shot, with the real gaps between them. Mixed consumer and professional cameras land in the right order in seconds.
Real shoots never share one clock.
Premiere's Synchronize command works when every source has matching timecode or clean overlapping audio. In practice the phone has no timecode, the action cam counts from zero, the cinema camera has time-of-day, and the recorder's audio never overlaps the B-roll. Timebomb uses whichever clock each source has and puts them all on one timeline.
Timebomb reads whatever timing your media has.
| Source | What Timebomb reads | Typical devices | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded timecode | Time-of-day timecode in the file metadata | Cinema cameras, mirrorless with TC, jam-synced rigs | Frame-close |
| Recorded LTC | Linear timecode recorded as an audio track | Cameras fed by Tentacle, UltraSync or similar | Frame-close |
| Recording timestamp | The file's recording date and time | Phones, action cams, consumer cameras, audio recorders | Close enough to start cutting |
Load. Choose. Timebomb.
One source, one track.
Drop each camera or recorder's footage onto its own track. Linked camera audio follows its video. Standalone recorders get their own track.
Launch Timebomb.
Window → Extensions → Timebomb. It scans the sequence and detects which clocks each track has.
Use the clocks you have.
Real file timecode or LTC when present, recording timestamps otherwise. Turn on ignore date when only time-of-day matters.
Press it.
Every clip lands at the time it was shot. Keep recording gaps preserves real spacing; close gaps removes only intervals where every track is empty, so offsets stay aligned.
Fix a wrong clock.
Camera a minute fast? Add a positive or negative offset to that track (seconds or HH:MM:SS) and run again. Offsets never accumulate.
Fine-tune and edit.
Timestamp placement is close-enough alignment, not frame-accurate sync. Nudge the few clips that need it and start cutting.
What it is, and what it is not.
It is
A way to turn a pile of mixed-camera footage into an organized, time-ordered timeline in seconds, and to know exactly when everything was shot.
It is not
Waveform sync, drift correction, or a guarantee of frame accuracy. Camera clock settings and metadata quality decide how close the result is.
Record-run timecode
Timecode that counts from zero does not reveal the shoot time. Those tracks need an offset or fall back to timestamps.
Everything stays local
Footage, audio and sequence analysis never leave your Mac. Media is never uploaded.
Placed. Now switch it.
Timebomb is the first step. Once cameras are placed, Video Follows Audio can switch a conversation by speaker and Edimatic can switch a performance on timing rules, both inside Premiere Pro.
Questions editors ask first.
Is this frame-accurate or sound synchronization?
No. Timebomb places recordings using timestamps and timecode. It does not match waveforms, correct clock drift, or guarantee frame accuracy.
What happens when a camera clock is wrong?
Apply a positive or negative offset to that track, entered as seconds or HH:MM:SS. Ignore date compares time-of-day only.
Does it handle audio recorders and extracted copies?
Standalone audio gets its own track controls; linked audio follows video. Recognized extracted copies can use their original recording's timing. Different-length renders are marked "Source estimate" and may need an offset.
What do I need to run it?
A Mac running Adobe Premiere Pro with CEP extension support, Premiere Pro 2023 or later. Apple silicon and Intel media tools are included. No separate FFmpeg installation.
How does the license work?
$49 USD once. One person may activate two installations. Key and download delivered by Payhip. Up to seven days offline after a successful check.
Timebomb
Every camera. In its time. Sync by timestamp, plus timecode for pro cameras. All in one.
$49 USD · one-time purchase · one person, two installations · no subscription