Utility: Comskip

[bcjenkins]

Dirmon supports excluding certain channels using the web server.

B

[toricred]

I believe it is SA that uses the web server not Dirmon.

[bcjenkins]

You're probably right, I never used the feature

[TallMomof2]

I have comskip monitor installed, that took a little research to get it to run the latest beta. In SageMC I have the option of setting channels for comskip to ignore. I've tried that and can even see in the sage properties file where it is added but comskip is not ignoring the channels I've entered. I'm also not seeing any indication, isn't there supposed to a comskip symbol added to the recording, that any of my recordings have been processed *but* I can go to the recording directories and see .edl and .txt files so I know that some of my files have been processed.

I'd really like to get the movie channels ignored because I'm wasting a lot of processor cycles on files that don't have commercials. I'll look at SageJobQue but it'll have to wait.

[Djc208]

I've never seen SageMC use the little CS icons like the add-on for the stock STV. I do know that supposedly SageMC can call comskip itself, hence the settings in SageMC. However the settings in SageMC don't have much affect on how comskip is called if you're using comskip monitor.

[TallMomof2]

Thanks, it's confusing trying to sort it all out. There's no option in comskip monitor to exclude channels.

[Djc208]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

Thanks, it's confusing trying to sort it all out. There's no option in comskip monitor to exclude channels.

Correct, comskip monitor just looks for files that don't have corresponding comskip files and triggers the program. It doesn't know where the file came from.

You'll have to look into how to call comskip from within SageMC to get that functionality instead of using comskip monitor.

[erik]

The h.264 version is only available in the early access area

From the changelog

Changes in 0.80.011
- New parameter: added_recording=7 ; amount of minutes that are added before and the actual show in the recording.
Changes in 0.80.010
- When before_logo or after_logo are set to 999 then a hard cutpoint will be inserted where the logo (dis)appears
- Improved again the robustness of the h.264 decoder (was lost in build 0.80.009)
Changes in 0.80.009
- Bug solved: Sometime the audio decoding stops
- Added the output format for iPod chapter skipping, enable by setting output_ipodchap=1 this will generate a .chap file with a chapter marker before and after each commercial.
- Removed the very small commercial found at the end of many recordings.
- Bug solved: Sometime Comskip crashes when output_smi or output_srt where enabled
- Bug solved: Comskip crashes on a h.264 recording that changes resolution
Changes in 0.80.008
- Doubled the speed of h.284 decoding. Only available in early access area. YOu MUST copy all the DLL's inside the zip file next you comskip.exe and comskipGUI.exe.
Changes in 0.80.007
- The non h.264 version is now again available outside the donator area.
- Solved a very generic cause of crashing. You MUST use the new libavcodec.dll that comes with this release.
- Made some experimental improvements in determining the audio type.
Changes in 0.80.006
- Implemented a major robustness improvement in libavcodec.dll. YOu MUST use the libavcodec.dll included in this distribution Zip file.
Changes in 0.80.005
- Dumping a cutscene with the 'C' key is working again, was broken since build 0.79.140
- Improved the demuxing of TS recordings with corrupt PMT info
Changes in 0.80.004
- Changed the video detection for TS files to enable processing of clear QAM recordings.
- Changed the default detect_method to 43 as the CC decoding sometimes causes Comskip to crash
Changes in 0.80.003
- Increased the robustness of the h.264 decoder
- Increased the robustness of the CC extractor
- Removed the "_1" filename postfix for CC output files.
Changes in 0.80.002
- Removed the embedded manifest as for some reason there is a crash on certain systems
Changes in 0.80.001
- Added h.264/AAC decoding on TS recordings. Not working yet on converted h.264 files. Do set max_volume=0 as the volume level is not normalized yet. AAC decoding still fails on certain recordings. No preview of .h264 yet

[Peter_h]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

Thanks, it's confusing trying to sort it all out. There's no option in comskip monitor to exclude channels.

Definately take a look at Sage Job Queue.

There is a learning curve but once you get it, it's super easy and very powerful. A prerequisite is neilms web server but most people already have that up and running.

I would say, dedicate about 2 hours to sit down, install, and read through the wiki and you should be good to go.

This is speaking from someone who tried out comskip monitor, then dirmon, and now SJQ and I recommend to just go straight to SJQ, you will end up there anyway. Dirmon still might have a place to be used but not really with comskip.

There are a few of us that are going to help out a bit on the documentation side to get it a little clearer.

Also, check out the SJQ thread, it's pretty active right now and responses are coming fast from a lot of people.

[Peter_h]

Originally Posted by erik

The h.264 version is only available in the early access area

From the changelog

Changes in 0.80.011
- New parameter: added_recording=7 ; amount of minutes that are added before and the actual show in the recording.
Changes in 0.80.010
- When before_logo or after_logo are set to 999 then a hard cutpoint will be inserted where the logo (dis)appears
- Improved again the robustness of the h.264 decoder (was lost in build 0.80.009)
Changes in 0.80.009
- Bug solved: Sometime the audio decoding stops
- Added the output format for iPod chapter skipping, enable by setting output_ipodchap=1 this will generate a .chap file with a chapter marker before and after each commercial.
- Removed the very small commercial found at the end of many recordings.
- Bug solved: Sometime Comskip crashes when output_smi or output_srt where enabled
- Bug solved: Comskip crashes on a h.264 recording that changes resolution
Changes in 0.80.008
- Doubled the speed of h.284 decoding. Only available in early access area. YOu MUST copy all the DLL's inside the zip file next you comskip.exe and comskipGUI.exe.
Changes in 0.80.007
- The non h.264 version is now again available outside the donator area.
- Solved a very generic cause of crashing. You MUST use the new libavcodec.dll that comes with this release.
- Made some experimental improvements in determining the audio type.
Changes in 0.80.006
- Implemented a major robustness improvement in libavcodec.dll. YOu MUST use the libavcodec.dll included in this distribution Zip file.
Changes in 0.80.005
- Dumping a cutscene with the 'C' key is working again, was broken since build 0.79.140
- Improved the demuxing of TS recordings with corrupt PMT info
Changes in 0.80.004
- Changed the video detection for TS files to enable processing of clear QAM recordings.
- Changed the default detect_method to 43 as the CC decoding sometimes causes Comskip to crash
Changes in 0.80.003
- Increased the robustness of the h.264 decoder
- Increased the robustness of the CC extractor
- Removed the "_1" filename postfix for CC output files.
Changes in 0.80.002
- Removed the embedded manifest as for some reason there is a crash on certain systems
Changes in 0.80.001
- Added h.264/AAC decoding on TS recordings. Not working yet on converted h.264 files. Do set max_volume=0 as the volume level is not normalized yet. AAC decoding still fails on certain recordings. No preview of .h264 yet

Hi erik,

Can you clarify the new feature? Is this in a sense padding, ie, the minutes set are not analyzed? I'm not understanding where this new feature would be used.

Thanks,
Peter

[CollinR]

I too recomend SJQ, extremely powerful add-on.

[Slugger]

Originally Posted by Peter_h

Definately take a look at Sage Job Queue.

A prerequisite is neilms web server but most people already have that up and running.

This is not necessary. Only the Jetty plugin is required for SJQ as that's the platform the SJQ server runs on. The nielm web server is not required to run SJQ.

[erik]

Originally Posted by Peter_h

Hi erik,

Can you clarify the new feature? Is this in a sense padding, ie, the minutes set are not analyzed? I'm not understanding where this new feature would be used.

Thanks,
Peter

It is the amount of minutes pre and post padding of a recording so comskip knows how much at most to remove when doing a remove_prev_or_next_show
or a delete_show_before or after the first or last commercial
This used to be fix but some people record with huge pre and post padding.

[erik]

Build 0.80.012 is available

[TallMomof2]

Originally Posted by Peter_h

Definately take a look at Sage Job Queue.

There is a learning curve but once you get it, it's super easy and very powerful. A prerequisite is neilms web server but most people already have that up and running.

I would say, dedicate about 2 hours to sit down, install, and read through the wiki and you should be good to go.

This is speaking from someone who tried out comskip monitor, then dirmon, and now SJQ and I recommend to just go straight to SJQ, you will end up there anyway. Dirmon still might have a place to be used but not really with comskip.

There are a few of us that are going to help out a bit on the documentation side to get it a little clearer.

Also, check out the SJQ thread, it's pretty active right now and responses are coming fast from a lot of people.

I ended up installing SJQ after I built a WHS box for Sage. Thanks, it works well.

[fvfv]

Originally Posted by erik

The h.264 version is only available in the early access area

From the changelog

Changes in 0.80.011
- New parameter: added_recording=7 ; amount of minutes that are added before and the actual show in the recording.
Changes in 0.80.010
- When before_logo or after_logo are set to 999 then a hard cutpoint will be inserted where the logo (dis)appears
- Improved again the robustness of the h.264 decoder (was lost in build 0.80.009)
Changes in 0.80.009
- Bug solved: Sometime the audio decoding stops
- Added the output format for iPod chapter skipping, enable by setting output_ipodchap=1 this will generate a .chap file with a chapter marker before and after each commercial.
- Removed the very small commercial found at the end of many recordings.
- Bug solved: Sometime Comskip crashes when output_smi or output_srt where enabled
- Bug solved: Comskip crashes on a h.264 recording that changes resolution
Changes in 0.80.008
- Doubled the speed of h.284 decoding. Only available in early access area. YOu MUST copy all the DLL's inside the zip file next you comskip.exe and comskipGUI.exe.
Changes in 0.80.007
- The non h.264 version is now again available outside the donator area.
- Solved a very generic cause of crashing. You MUST use the new libavcodec.dll that comes with this release.
- Made some experimental improvements in determining the audio type.
Changes in 0.80.006
- Implemented a major robustness improvement in libavcodec.dll. YOu MUST use the libavcodec.dll included in this distribution Zip file.
Changes in 0.80.005
- Dumping a cutscene with the 'C' key is working again, was broken since build 0.79.140
- Improved the demuxing of TS recordings with corrupt PMT info
Changes in 0.80.004
- Changed the video detection for TS files to enable processing of clear QAM recordings.
- Changed the default detect_method to 43 as the CC decoding sometimes causes Comskip to crash
Changes in 0.80.003
- Increased the robustness of the h.264 decoder
- Increased the robustness of the CC extractor
- Removed the "_1" filename postfix for CC output files.
Changes in 0.80.002
- Removed the embedded manifest as for some reason there is a crash on certain systems
Changes in 0.80.001
- Added h.264/AAC decoding on TS recordings. Not working yet on converted h.264 files. Do set max_volume=0 as the volume level is not normalized yet. AAC decoding still fails on certain recordings. No preview of .h264 yet

Erik. Sorry if this has been posted before. I just donated to comskip so that I can download the h.264 version. Have you been able to implement CC decoding in h.264 streams ?

I contacted the ccextractor author and he says he is still working on it. I do not know if CC is part of the Video stream like it is on MPG files or if it is a separate stream all together.

[erik]

Originally Posted by fvfv

Erik. Sorry if this has been posted before. I just donated to comskip so that I can download the h.264 version. Have you been able to implement CC decoding in h.264 streams ?

I contacted the ccextractor author and he says he is still working on it. I do not know if CC is part of the Video stream like it is on MPG files or if it is a separate stream all together.

Not yet, I will have to switch to another demux to enable this. Is planned anyway as my current demux is causing problems.
Its a big change however and I do need to find time.

[Eckwell]

Originally Posted by erik

Not yet, I will have to switch to another demux to enable this. Is planned anyway as my current demux is causing problems.
Its a big change however and I do need to find time.

Do we know if the HD-PVR H.264 recordings include the CC Data at all? I doubt it does if it is receiving the signal from an STB (cable or Digital) as it would not have been in the original data received. Unless it is passed to the HD-PVR then it will not be in resulting H.264 file for decoding.

[fvfv]

Originally Posted by Eckwell

Do we know if the HD-PVR H.264 recordings include the CC Data at all? I doubt it does if it is receiving the signal from an STB (cable or Digital) as it would not have been in the original data received. Unless it is passed to the HD-PVR then it will not be in resulting H.264 file for decoding.

I know for a fact that CC is present on the H.264 streams, at least on the ones from DishNetwork as my HD receiver has the option to turn on/off CC and tyey come crisp and clear. What I still do not know is if they are part of the stream or if they are a separate stream.

[fvfv]

Originally Posted by erik

Not yet, I will have to switch to another demux to enable this. Is planned anyway as my current demux is causing problems.
Its a big change however and I do need to find time.

While there is progress on this field, Do you know of a program that can do what videoredo can with mpg files.

comskip and videoredo has been the perfect combination for cutting and cleaning commercials out of mpg files . But videoredo is quite far from implementing h.264 support. Is there anything else that can do what videoredo did and can be automated (Command Line) ?