current build before revised methodology to decode live

decode_ltc.py

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import subprocess
+import time
+import shutil
+
+# Check tools
+if not shutil.which("ltcdump") or not shutil.which("ffmpeg"):
+    print("❌ Required tools not found. Please ensure ffmpeg and ltcdump are installed.")
+    exit(1)
+
+print("🕰️  Starting LTC timecode reader (refreshes every second)...\n")
+
+try:
+    while True:
+        # Capture 1 second of audio and pipe into ltcdump
+        ffmpeg = subprocess.Popen(
+            ["ffmpeg", "-f", "alsa", "-i", "hw:1", "-t", "1", "-f", "s16le", "-ac", "1", "-ar", "48000", "-"],
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL
+        )
+        ltcdump = subprocess.Popen(
+            ["ltcdump", "-f", "-"],
+            stdin=ffmpeg.stdout,
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL
+        )
+        ffmpeg.stdout.close()
+        output, _ = ltcdump.communicate()
+
+        # Extract and print LTC timecode
+        lines = output.decode().splitlines()
+        if lines:
+            print(f"\r⏱️  LTC: {lines[-1]}", end="")
+        else:
+            print("\r⚠️  No LTC decoded...", end="")
+
+        time.sleep(1)
+
+except KeyboardInterrupt:
+    print("\n🛑 Stopped by user.")