Comskip Configuration: How To for V15 (1 Viewer)

[Gary_Francis]

Folks sorry if this a repeat.

V15 Comskip configuration. Where do I go to actually configure Comskip to do its job? Bugged me for ages that it has not worked correctly for me from around V9. Put up with it for ages, but no having down a clean V15 from scratch am prepared to give it another go. The only issue is however I can't see where you now actually configure it.

It has been selected and tic'ed on as a plugin in in the MP configuration panel, but apart from that I can't discover where too next?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[mm1352000]

V15 Comskip configuration.

Ummmm, when you say "V15" (and "V9"), would I be right to assume you mean MediaPortal 1.15 (and 1.9)?
If yes, in future please use the full version numbers to avoid confusion.
If no, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Bugged me for ages that it has not worked correctly for me from around V9.

What exactly do you mean by "not worked correctly"?

The only issue is however I can't see where you now actually configure it.

From a MediaPortal perspective nothing has changed since MediaPortal 1.9, which was when we added support for Comskip with active recordings. The details of those changes are here:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_MEDIAPORTAL_1/0_What's_New/1.9.x/Live_Commercial_Skip

Nothing else has changed.

Where do I go to actually configure Comskip to do its job?

There's [minimal] configuration in TV Server Configuration -> "plugins" section -> ComSkip Launcher plugin. The only purpose of this configuration is to trigger Comskip to process recordings.

Everything else comes down to Comskip's own configuration, which is completely independent of MediaPortal. That configuration is stored in comskip.ini and configured using ComskipINIEditor.exe. Both comskip.ini and ComskipINIEditor.exe come with Comskip.

 

[Gary_Francis]

Ummmm, when you say "V15" (and "V9"), would I be right to assume you mean MediaPortal 1.15 (and 1.9)?

Yep sorry, wasn't trying to cause any confusion.

What exactly do you mean by "not worked correctly"?

Previously I had pointed the command line via the GUI in MP Configuration, to the correct path and .EXE, but it never actually trigger ComSkip to fire up and cut out the ads.

From a MediaPortal perspective...

Thanks, I have now gone the extra step Download it again separately and am currently running a test as I key this reply. I will set it to magically cut the ads out at the end of a recording, monitor its operation and circle back if needed. Which I hope is not
--- Post updated ---
The only command line instruction used out of the box is "{0}", should I have more for the .TS files -T? If I do would you be kind enough to copy into your reply how my command line instruction should look to Comskip from the MP Configuration panel?
--- Post updated ---
Just ran a test on a pre recorded item with that command line. It read the file fine, but didn't strip the ads. Suspect I am missing some command line switch or ....?

 

[mm1352000]

Previously I had pointed the command line via the GUI in MP Configuration...

When you say "MP Configuration" I assume you actually mean TV Server Configuration.

...to the correct path and .EXE, but it never actually trigger ComSkip to fire up and cut out the ads.

There's not much that can go wrong with the triggering side of things.
I strongly recommend you thoroughly review the wiki's ComSkip Launcher plugin troubleshooting section:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...n/13_Plugins/ComSkip_Launcher#Troubleshooting

The only command line instruction used out of the box is "{0}", should I have more for the .TS files -T?

I don't use Comskip, so I'm not sure. I had assumed that you only needed to set the location of Comskip.exe.

If I do would you be kind enough to copy into your reply how my command line instruction should look to Comskip from the MP Configuration panel?

Hypothetically if I did use Comskip (which I don't), any customisation would presumably be specific to my setup.
In other words: I think you need to decide what is appropriate for your own setup.

 

[mm1352000]

Just ran a test on a pre recorded item with that command line. It read the file fine, but didn't strip the ads. Suspect I am missing some command line switch or ....?

Doubt it.

Once again I suggest you review the wiki. The following points seem particularly relevant:

• If not skipping at all ensure there is a .txt file located in the same location as the recording. If there is not, then Comskip is not configured correctly or failed. Check the parameters field for correct settings. Note: You have to restart the TvService after enabling the plugin or changing the settings!
• If not detecting the commercials correctly, Comskip tuning may need to be refined. Please visit the Comskip Site and view the manual and tuning guide there.

If you'd like further help, you're going to need to at least supply log files.

 

[mm1352000]

Oh, and in case you're confused...

It read the file fine, but didn't strip the ads.

Comskip does not strip ads. It marks the position of the ads so they can be skipped either manually or automatically.
After processing a recording, Comskip should have created either/both a TXT or/and EDL file which contain the location of the ads. Those files can be opened and checked in any text editor (notepad etc.).

 

[Gary_Francis]

Thanks folks for your assistance. Received gratefully.

Way back at maybe .1.5 or 1.6, I thought Comskip did actually strip out of the recordings. I remember something di so. Watched many programs without ads which was just fantastic. If not Comskip is there another tool that does this perhaps? I know that the functionality was around way back when.

 

[mm1352000]

To the best of my knowledge Comskip has never removed the ads from recordings. You might have assumed that it did because MP can automatically skip the ad sections (ie. Comskip does enable you to watch recordings as if there were no ads). However the original recordings are never modified.

Comclean (available from the same website as Comskip) does strip out the ads. You need to be aware that Comclean permanently modifies the recording. If it makes a mistake figuring out where ads start or stop, you can't fix it. Even if it correctly figures out where the ads start and stop (a huge assumption!!!), it won't cut in/out at exactly the start/end of the ads... and it can also introduce stutters at the cuts/joins.

I understand the attraction of completely removing the ads, but if I were you I would avoid Comclean and stick with Comskip... at least to begin with. As mentioned above: MP can automatically skip ads marked by Comskip, and you don't have to worry about cut/join accuracy or permanently damaging the recording file (as you do with Comclean). At the end of the day the choice is yours though.

P.S. I'm also not sure if Comclean is compatible with the ComSkip Launcher plugin.

 

[Gary_Francis]

Where is the setting in MP that enables this?

"MP can automatically skip ads marked by Comskip, and you don't have to worry about cut/join accuracy or permanently damaging the recording file (as you do with Comclean)."

thanks

 

[mm1352000]

Where is the setting in MP that enables this?

MediaPortal Configuration -> "videos" section -> "general" tab -> "automatically skip commercials for videos with ComSkip data available" setting.
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...figuration/MediaPortal_Configuration/2_Videos

Obviously this will only work if Comskip has successfully processed your recordings.

All of this information and more can be found in the wiki (manual)...
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_..._Record_TV/4_Watch_Recorded_TV/3_Skipping_Ads