Accurate skipping forward and backward

[venger]

This feature request is based on existing GBPVR functions. I find that they are very intuitive and provide very accurate skipping/seeking control during playback. I think these functions will be especially useful for current MP since comskip is yet to be implemented

(1) use skip or rewind buttons (in MCE remote 2005) to skip by a specified number of seconds (forward or back). The specified value to skip is defined in MP setup - and forward/backward skips can each be specified with different values.
I understand that in MP these buttons are already used. Can we then allocate this function to the up/down buttons instead?
This function allows users to skip commercials - typically i set the forward skip to 180sec (or 3 min) and the backward skip to 30 sec.

(2) using the same buttons above, allow users to skip by a runtime specified number of minutes.
ie, user only have to press a numerical value (eg, 5) and then press the skip button (eg down) and playback will skip forward by 5 minutes.
This function allows users to seek thru the playback quite easily. Not super accurate.. but good enuff

any takers?

[mzemina]

When the developer(s) start to look at commercial skipping - they may want to look at the work done by babgVant (also Charliedurrant - maybe same person) on the green button. There is a standalone set of tools (source included) called DVRMSToolbox (was GraphRenderer): Automated commercial removal, convert to mpg/wmv. You can check it here:
http://www.thegreenbutton.com/commun...ssageid=113435

[HappyTalk]

Yer I also found the MediaPortal method of skipping initally looks nice but in practice is not very useable and is slow and awkward. I see there is also a big jump (up key) that seems to jump 10 minutes.

My solution which would leave things as intact as they are:-

1) In MediaPortal Setup add a second tab to General | Skip Steps The first one being as it is for small steps (L/R keys) and the second one being for that big jump (U/D) keys.

2) I would change the fixed value radio button boxes to allow the values to be changed (I use 4 minutes for adverts as in UK). They dont have to be numerically ascending either, so I could set the first one as 4 minutes then the second one as 20 seconds if I wished. Values would need to be entered in EITHER seconds OR minutes from 1 - 999 or 0 to turn that step off (or continue to use radio buttons to turn on/off)

3) Lastly I would set it that if only a single value is turned on then it jumps immediately, allowing fast multiple presses. If 2 or more are on then leave the behaviour exactly as it currently is.

In My case I would set small to 10 seconds and large to 4 minutes. The current implementation makes it very awkward to skip ads, I currently have to do a 3 minute one, then a 1 minute one then maybe a 15 second one = a lot of key pressing. The above method would allow me to jog shuttle around a lot more easily but would leave users who like the current method unaffected.

In the short term is there a way to change the big jump value to 4 minutes in some config file?

[Lyxalig]

GREAT idea... I second this. Currently I have to juggle between 5.30min and 6.30min jumps three or four times an hour..

This would be a great improvement...

BTW: Maybe you could specify jumptime for each channel, as they have different lengths of commercials/selfcommercials?

[mzemina]

HappyTalk - Interesting method but it seems a bit complicated and seems even harder to describe to newbies.

[Elf]

Is there some technical reason to do with directshow/mpeg formats etc. why fast forward/rewind can't behave like a VCR and actually speed up/reverse the playback or is the lack of this feature just preference?

I ask because I for one would like to see this behaviour! I have always found the skip by x seconds/minutes thing a bit unintuitive, but I suppose that's because I grew up with old-style VCR machines..

Just my 2 cents...
:wink:

[Topher5000]

I had a DirecTV R10 Tivo & I could press a button & it would skip 30 sec. for each press & then I could press a back button & it would skip back 8 sec. It worked great at skipping commercials. The amount of button presses wasn't a big deal because it was the same button.

[HappyTalk]

Originally Posted by mzemina

HappyTalk - Interesting method but it seems a bit complicated and seems even harder to describe to newbies.

Well it's basically no different to how it already is. It would look exactly the same, except the numbers of secs/mins instead of being fixed text could be typed in.

The immediate jump if only 1 step is selected, rather than waiting is something I thought it would already do, as there is no other option why wait. Holding down the button would make it rapidly repeat the jump.

Adding a second tab for the up/down jump, well it would look exactly the same as the other tab.

I agree however that it needs to be uncomplicated but I'm sure the GUI could look almost identical to how it currently is. Ideally though I'd have a simple grid of the 16 available steps for ALL four keys as I tend to set small_jump back to 7 seconds (action replay) and small_forward to 15 so would want different for each direction.

Left Key
[ ] [005] [sec]
[x] [015] [sec]
[x] [030] [sec]
[ ] [045] [sec]
[x] [001] [min]
[x] [003] [min]
[x] [005] [min]
[ ] [007] [min]
[x] [010] [min]
[x] [015] [min]
[x] [030] [min]
[ ] [045] [min]
[x] [060] [min]
[ ] [090] [min]
[x] [120] [min]
[ ] [180] [min]

+ with Right Key, Up Key, Down Key in adjacent columns + the default button

So you can turn a row on/off with button, type in a value, or toggle between minuts and seconds by clicking on it (hour not really needed). This is in config anyway where there is other complex stuff not in main program and would look pretty self explanatory.

I have tried the 2x/4x/8x method, the mouse wheel method, the MP method and ultimately have found jogging it back/fwd the fastest and easiest (as long as keys repeat jump when held down). The other ways all require a lot more thinking and patience than simply bashing fwd/back til you get to right point. This way it leaves the current method totally intact it just provides an alternative.

MP has best HTPC U.I I've seen but I've never encountered a FF/RW method like this and have found it very finicky when ad skipping.


If no one wants to code it, I'll have a go myself, though maybe someone can advise if there is some reason why fast repeated jumping is impractical in the way MP is coded.

[ASiDiE]

I have talked to RTV about this and his current upgrade the this skip system. He told me that in the future he might add the feature to type in your skip steps. I would also like to see an option to set different skip steps for forwards and backwards. For me I would like my first forward skip step to be 30 seconds, but my first backwards skip step to be around 7 seconds. I would also like to see additional keys added for those who use different remotes. I have a remote that has the keys for a quick 30 skip ahead and a replay key. It would be nice to be able to use these to jump ahead 30 seconds with NO small pause.

[EMKO]

for me i got used to the way i could skip with xbmc

left/right would skip 2%
up/down would skip 10%

and you wouldnt have to press left many times you can hold it and it would keep skipping untill you want to stop.

i tryed to do this but if u remove all the skips but leave one it still will wait 2 seconds befor u can skip again