How-To use Comskip to cut out commercials via MediaPortal

Ralph · 2006-02-05, 16:23

This is a How-To for those who want to use Comskip to cut commercials out of recordings (mpeg2).
Just select the file with your remote within Media Portal you want to get rid of commercials and Comskip will do the rest.

--> Please visit Comskip Forum for further information to Comskip, tips and tricks optimizing Comskip results and the latest updates.

This How-To should be a work-around until there will be an integrated Plugin for Media Portal.
Because Erik (the maintainer of Comskip) won't support dvr-ms files we will need to wait for a Comskip integration until
MediaPortal will switch to the new record engine using ts and ps files.
Until then I thought some people would find this work-around helpful, too.

This Plugin uses several Open Source and Freeware programs, to detect and cut out commercials.
These programs are Comskip, Comclean and Mpgtx.

I put them all together in one folder and made some default settings.

Let's get started:

1. Download and unzip the following file.

Mirror 1: Comskip.zip

2. Open comclean.bat (in the first lines you will see this):

@echo off
Rem comclean.bat Version 0.0.6
Rem Adapt to your framerate times 100 (PAL=2500/NTSC=2997)
set framerate=2500
Rem Adapt to where mpgtx.exe can be found
set mpgtx="C:\Programme\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\plugins\Comskip\mpgtx.exe"

- Set your framerate
- Set the path of mpgtx.exe

Save your settings and close comclean.bat.

3. Open MediaPortal-Setup and go to ->Plugins -> my Programs, enable and Setup My Programs.

- Add Child -> create a new Directory-Browser
- Launching Application: set the path to PostProcessing.bat
- Startup Directory: set the path to the Comskip folder
- File Directory: set the path where your recordings are stored
- File-Extensions: .mpg,.mpeg

It should look something like this:

Close My Programs and close MediaPortal Setup by clicking OK.

Note: This Plugin cannot handle dvr-ms files!
I recommend to convert your recordings to Mpeg2-files!
TS-files may work, but I've never tested.

5. Start Media Portal, My Programs

go to Comskip,

select your file, press enter and lay back.

A dos prompt comes up and gives you some information what it's going on.
First Comskip will detect commercials and Comclean will cut them out using Mpgtx.

Once finished dos prompt will disappear and your original file will have "_original" added to the file name.

A 1 hour recording took about 20 minutes to detect and cut out commercials on my machine.

That's all...
For me it works quit good and it's an easy way preparing my recordings before burning them to DVD.

Special Thanks to Erik1958 and all developers worked on Comskip!

Enjoy and have fun
Ralph

Brocklander · 2006-02-05, 21:34

Nice work - and you can automatically create MPEG versions of your recordings (and delete the DVR-MS origional if you want to) with AutoDVRConvert.

Koschel · 2006-02-05, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brocklander

Nice work - and you can automatically create MPEG versions of your recordings (and delete the DVR-MS origional if you want to) with AutoDVRConvert.

Does MyBurner this not automaticly, if you want to?

infinityloop · 2006-02-06, 04:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brocklander

Nice work - and you can automatically create MPEG versions of your recordings (and delete the DVR-MS origional if you want to) with AutoDVRConvert.

Mediaportal can also auto compress your recordings ind the backround

Thanks for the tutorial!!!

erik1958 · 2006-02-06, 08:27

Before you write to a dvd and even before you actually cut out the commercials it would be usefull to review the output of comskip.

This can be done by invoking Comskip with a single parameter being the .txt file generated by a previous run of comskip analyzing an mpeg file.

My suggestion would be:

Convert to mpeg
Run comskip to generate the .txt file describing where the commercials are.
Run comskip on the generated .txt file to review/edit the cutpoints.
If happy, write the new cutpoints ('W'), exit comskip and start comclean.

PS
I saw you made a new distribution combining comskip and comclean.
No problem, but make sure someone follows my forum to ensure regular updates.

mzemina · 2006-02-06, 12:21

erik1958 - You said in the PS

Quote:

"...make sure someone follows my forum to ensure regular updates."

Could you supply the URL to your forum, so we could be insured of regular updates?

Mike

Ralph · 2006-02-06, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by mzemina

erik1958 - You said in the PS

Quote:

"...make sure someone follows my forum to ensure regular updates."

Could you supply the URL to your forum, so we could be insured of regular updates?

Mike

Hi Mike,

it's in the 3rd line of this tutorial.

Regards
Ralph

ASiDiE · 2006-02-06, 14:39

Going through the setup right now. I am downloading the file and noticed you need to put in a code and wait 45 seconds. WHO HAS THE TIME FOR THAT?!?! Here is a direct link:

The File below contains Comskip .79 build 23 and and comclean 0.0.6

DIRECT LINK UPDATED COMSKIP.ZIP

Also I found that you left something out. When setting up my programs a user will need to Set the start up directory. You have something in there in your screen shot but you never tell us to add it in there. I was getting errors without the comskip directory in there.

Everything else looks good. I think after I run one test and I know it's working, I am going to go back in there and turn the window-style to Hidden. Nobody really wants to see a dos window!

erik1958 · 2006-02-06, 14:57

The comskip.zip contains version 0.79 build 8, the newest build is at 23
Why don't you download from the source? in that way you always can find the latest version

Comskip and comclean can be found at
http://mk.kaashoek.com/gbpvr/

Download the latest comskip....zip and the latest comclean.....zip

Current versions
http://mk.kaashoek.com/gbpvr/comskip79_23.zip
http://mk.kaashoek.com/gbpvr/comclean_0_0_6.zip

aggi · 2006-02-06, 15:18

Also I found that you left something out. When setting up my programs a user will need to Set the start up directory. You have something in there in your screen shot but you never tell us to add it in there. I was getting errors without the comskip directory in there.

i think thats the directory, where the comskip.exe is in!
cause of his definition: set mpgtx="C:\Programme\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\plugins\Comskip\mpgtx.exe"

i will try it this evening!

2006-02-05, 16:23	#1 (permalink)
Ralph Retired Team Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 688 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts Country: My System	How-To use Comskip to cut out commercials via MediaPortal This is a How-To for those who want to use Comskip to cut commercials out of recordings (mpeg2). Just select the file with your remote within Media Portal you want to get rid of commercials and Comskip will do the rest. --> Please visit Comskip Forum for further information to Comskip, tips and tricks optimizing Comskip results and the latest updates. This How-To should be a work-around until there will be an integrated Plugin for Media Portal. Because Erik (the maintainer of Comskip) won't support dvr-ms files we will need to wait for a Comskip integration until MediaPortal will switch to the new record engine using ts and ps files. Until then I thought some people would find this work-around helpful, too. This Plugin uses several Open Source and Freeware programs, to detect and cut out commercials. These programs are Comskip, Comclean and Mpgtx. I put them all together in one folder and made some default settings. Let's get started: 1. Download and unzip the following file. Mirror 1: Comskip.zip 2. Open comclean.bat (in the first lines you will see this): @echo off Rem comclean.bat Version 0.0.6 Rem Adapt to your framerate times 100 (PAL=2500/NTSC=2997) set framerate=2500 Rem Adapt to where mpgtx.exe can be found set mpgtx="C:\Programme\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\plugins\Comskip\mpgtx.exe" - Set your framerate - Set the path of mpgtx.exe Save your settings and close comclean.bat. 3. Open MediaPortal-Setup and go to ->Plugins -> my Programs, enable and Setup My Programs. - Add Child -> create a new Directory-Browser - Launching Application: set the path to PostProcessing.bat - Startup Directory: set the path to the Comskip folder - File Directory: set the path where your recordings are stored - File-Extensions: .mpg,.mpeg It should look something like this: Close My Programs and close MediaPortal Setup by clicking OK. Note: This Plugin cannot handle dvr-ms files! I recommend to convert your recordings to Mpeg2-files! TS-files may work, but I've never tested. 5. Start Media Portal, My Programs go to Comskip, select your file, press enter and lay back. A dos prompt comes up and gives you some information what it's going on. First Comskip will detect commercials and Comclean will cut them out using Mpgtx. Once finished dos prompt will disappear and your original file will have "_original" added to the file name. A 1 hour recording took about 20 minutes to detect and cut out commercials on my machine. That's all... For me it works quit good and it's an easy way preparing my recordings before burning them to DVD. Special Thanks to Erik1958 and all developers worked on Comskip! Enjoy and have fun Ralph __________________ MP: 0.2.3.0 latest SVN Case: Silverstone LC03 Celeron 2,4 GHz ,512MB memory, NVidia FX5200, 1x160GB, 1x250GB, 1x500GB, Asus P4P deluxe OS: Window MCE SP2 TVcard: Hauppauge PVR 350 Remote: MCE 2005 Last edited by Ralph; 2007-02-06 at 18:15.

2006-02-05, 21:34	#2 (permalink)
Brocklander Retired Team Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wellington Posts: 346 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Country: My System	Nice work - and you can automatically create MPEG versions of your recordings (and delete the DVR-MS origional if you want to) with AutoDVRConvert. __________________ My HTPC \| Wiki Page for New Zealanders

2006-02-06, 14:39	#8 (permalink)
ASiDiE Portal Tester Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: USA Age: 32 Posts: 890 Thanks: 6 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts My System	Going through the setup right now. I am downloading the file and noticed you need to put in a code and wait 45 seconds. WHO HAS THE TIME FOR THAT?!?! Here is a direct link: The File below contains Comskip .79 build 23 and and comclean 0.0.6 DIRECT LINK UPDATED COMSKIP.ZIP Also I found that you left something out. When setting up my programs a user will need to Set the start up directory. You have something in there in your screen shot but you never tell us to add it in there. I was getting errors without the comskip directory in there. Everything else looks good. I think after I run one test and I know it's working, I am going to go back in there and turn the window-style to Hidden. Nobody really wants to see a dos window! __________________ I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE!

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2006-02-06, 08:27	#5 (permalink)
erik1958 Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 89 Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	Before you write to a dvd and even before you actually cut out the commercials it would be usefull to review the output of comskip. This can be done by invoking Comskip with a single parameter being the .txt file generated by a previous run of comskip analyzing an mpeg file. My suggestion would be: Convert to mpeg Run comskip to generate the .txt file describing where the commercials are. Run comskip on the generated .txt file to review/edit the cutpoints. If happy, write the new cutpoints ('W'), exit comskip and start comclean. PS I saw you made a new distribution combining comskip and comclean. No problem, but make sure someone follows my forum to ensure regular updates.

2006-02-06, 14:57	#9 (permalink)
erik1958 Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 89 Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	The comskip.zip contains version 0.79 build 8, the newest build is at 23 Why don't you download from the source? in that way you always can find the latest version Comskip and comclean can be found at http://mk.kaashoek.com/gbpvr/ Download the latest comskip....zip and the latest comclean.....zip Current versions http://mk.kaashoek.com/gbpvr/comskip79_23.zip http://mk.kaashoek.com/gbpvr/comclean_0_0_6.zip

2006-02-06, 15:18	#10 (permalink)
aggi Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Berlin Age: 39 Posts: 64 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Also I found that you left something out. When setting up my programs a user will need to Set the start up directory. You have something in there in your screen shot but you never tell us to add it in there. I was getting errors without the comskip directory in there. i think thats the directory, where the comskip.exe is in! cause of his definition: set mpgtx="C:\Programme\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\plugins\Comskip\mpgtx.exe" i will try it this evening!