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This is a tutorial that I thought would be simple, but it's not as simple as it appears. The tough part is the fact that an odometer pauses at each number while the tenths and all the numbers behind it move. Doesn't sound tough, does it.

So, I tried, unsuccesfully to create an expression to take care of the problem, but it wouldn't work properly with the "offset" filter.

Let me finish by saying that there are several ways to do this. Another way would be to create a single loop of the 10 numbers and then render a quicktime movie of the numbers. Then, interpret the footage to loop, then use time remap to space out the timing. I tried that, but I thought that this was a little more elegant. This is a fairly simple method to doing this without third party plug-ins.

I've never been very eloquent with explaning procedures, so please follow along at your own risk. It's a little confusing, I know. Kinda like quantum physics. ;-)

Notes: If you have the Profound Effects Useful Things plug-in for AE, you can automate this procedure quite a bit. Check out the project here.

Instructions

Create your numbers

1. Create your numbers in Photoshop, Illustrator, or a similar program. They'll be vertical (see the pict file in the zipped file.) I set it up at 50x500 pixels with the numbers spaced approprately. Make it black and white like an odometer, or colored if you're feeling creative. Make sure it's on a background (no alpha channel), so if you're creating it in Illustrator, place a solid rectangle behind your numbers. Don't forget to center it so you have equal amounts at the top and bottom, equal amounts that are equivalent to the space between the numbers. It's not hard really. You can eyeball it. Save it as "numbers.pct".
2. Import the file into AE.

Making the numbers roll

1. Create a comp in AE that's wide enough to hold 5 numbers and give you a little extra space for a border and space between the numbers. I called mine "5 numbers" and made it 262x54 pixels. My background is black and it's 1 minute long (the sample on this site is much shorter).
2. Create a solid and make it black. It should be the same size as the comp. This is the background layer.
3. Place the "numbers.pct" file in the comp 5 times, evenly spaced vertically.
4. You can rename your "numbers.pct" layers as "10ths", "1s", "10s", "100s" and "1000s" if it helps you keep them straight. Rename them by clicking the "source name/layer name" tab thing in your time layout window. When it says "layer name", select the layer you want to name and hit return or enter. Then, rename it.
5. Let's start with the 10ths position. Apply offset to the layer (effect > Distort > Offset). You only want to move the Y axis, so keyframe it so it spins completely 10 times (0-9, 0-9, etc), and start at 0 and end at 9 to make things easy.
6. Now, onto the 1s position. Apply offset to this layer and keyframe the first frame at 0 and the last frame at 9. (By the way, make sure your numbers are rolling in the right direction! Boy, wouldn't that be embarassing!)
7. Here's where it get's tricky... go to the point on the timeline where the 1 is full in the frame. Add a keyframe. Move the keyframe 4 frames back. Duplicate the keyframe and move it 5 frames forward. Do this for 2-9. The numbers will stop for 9 frames total then continue rolling. You can start the roll at any number you like, just make sure you pause the scrolling at each number. If you can figure out how to do this with an expression, please share it with us and we'll add your smart stuff to the tutorial. Right now, it's a wee bit tedious, but not too bad, since you're only doing it 10 times.
8. Now, the 10s spot. Scroll to any number you like. When the 1s spot gets to 9, keyframe offset so the 10s spot rolls to the next number. Match up the keyframes so that the 1s and 10s spot rolls at the same time.
9. Continue step 8 for the 100s or 1000s spot if they will roll.
10. Create a new layer that is the same size as the comp. It will be the border. Call it "border" and make it black and place it on top. Use the marquee tool to create a mask around the layer that's the exact size as the comp. Apply the stroke filter (Effect > Render > Stroke). Make the stroke black, Brush size 3, and Brush hardness 100%. Set the paint style to "On Transparent".
11. Select the 10ths spot and apply invert (Effect > Channel > Invert) to reverse the black and white.

The Final Steps!

1. Create a new comp called "Final Odometer". I made mine 320x150 pixels and a lovely shade of blue.
2. Place the "5 numbers" comp into this comp.
3. Apply bevel alpha to the 5 numbers layer. (Effect > Perspective > Bevel Alpha. I set the edge thickness to 11.7 and the light angle to -3. The light intensity is 0.36. The color is a peachy hue.
4. Apply Bulge to the layer. (Effects > Distort > Bulge). I set the horizontal radius to 272 and the vertical radius to 50. The bulge height is .3. It will give it that little rounded look