Commercial Advance Beta Release

[stanger89]

Try Mandrake Linux. They've got a really nice installer (I'd say better than Windows) and there's a ton of RPMs for it so installing apps is pretty painless. It's not exactly well thought of by the Linux crowd, probably for the same reasons I like it

And you've got my email if you need it

[Jere_Jones]

Since this tread hasn't been about the Commercial Advance in a while, I guess we can go on a tangent.

First: While a Linux ShowAnalyzer is probably a little ways off, the source code for comskip is freely available and patches have been posted that will get it to complile on Linux. The source for .64 isn't widely available, but I'll be happy to email it to anyone that ask for it.

Second: How compatible are the Linux distributions with each other? What I mean is, will a program that runs on Debian run on Mandrake? I definately don't want to have to install 14 different distributions every time I need to track down a bug!

Third: Is there a linux equivalent to DirectShow? Probably not a version of direct show, but something functionally equivalent?

Jere

[edited to add item 3]

[stanger89]

I'd say that depends on the code, but I'd say if your code is such that it's not hard to port to linux, then you'll probably have no trouble running it on about any linux distro. But you will probably have to specify which kernel you built it against.

[JasonJoel]

Agreed. Although I've used VMS and flavors of UNIX at work for years, I am a Linux idiot.

Tried a few times to get various distros working without success.

Mandrake however was very easy, and worked first try.... If I were going to get into Linux, I would start there. Just my opinion.

Jason Bottjen

Originally Posted by stanger89

Try Mandrake Linux. They've got a really nice installer (I'd say better than Windows) and there's a ton of RPMs for it so installing apps is pretty painless. It's not exactly well thought of by the Linux crowd, probably for the same reasons I like it

And you've got my email if you need it

[Jere_Jones]

It there a prefered kernal? Do people normally upgrade to the latest, or do they just stay at what works? Or is it different for everyone?

Jere

[stanger89]

Now that question is asking a lot, and I'm by no means a Linux expert.

But basically (from my dabbling) as long as you stay in the same minor version (ie 2.6) you're probably fine. Generally they stick to bug fixes with an .x version, changing the second place (2.6.x).

And unless you're messing directly with hardware, or using special calls into the kernel, you'll probably be unaffected by even major changes (like 2.4 to 2.6).

[Jere_Jones]

I appreciate the help. I'll take a look at it this weekend.

Jere

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Now that question is asking a lot, and I'm by no means a Linux expert.

But basically (from my dabbling) as long as you stay in the same minor version (ie 2.6) you're probably fine. Generally they stick to bug fixes with an .x version, changing the second place (2.6.x).

And unless you're messing directly with hardware, or using special calls into the kernel, you'll probably be unaffected by even major changes (like 2.4 to 2.6).

Stanger89 is right. Don't get too wrapped up in kernel revs. Few apps really are affected by internal kernel changes. Your stuff should be fairly portable. Once you get the code into a state you want to release it in, we can show you how to build an RPM package to make it simple to install. Stay with a base distribution that integrates RPM and I think it'll be pretty easy.

There is no equivalent to directshow, but there are existing mpeg libraries that you can link too. Vlc is a linux player that I think calls some mpeg2 libraries as part of it's decoding logic. You should look at that source base for some ideas. I don't think you have to pay a royalty for linking to an existing linux library. :-) Mplayer, xine, etc... all play mpeg2 without any royalties. Isn't open source grand.

Thanks,
mike

[Jere_Jones]

Originally Posted by mikesm

Stanger89 is right. Don't get too wrapped up in kernel revs. Few apps really are affected by internal kernel changes. Your stuff should be fairly portable. Once you get the code into a state you want to release it in, we can show you how to build an RPM package to make it simple to install. Stay with a base distribution that integrates RPM and I think it'll be pretty easy.

Great!

Originally Posted by mikesm

There is no equivalent to directshow, but there are existing mpeg libraries that you can link too. Vlc is a linux player that I think calls some mpeg2 libraries as part of it's decoding logic. You should look at that source base for some ideas. I don't think you have to pay a royalty for linking to an existing linux library. :-) Mplayer, xine, etc... all play mpeg2 without any royalties. Isn't open source grand.

Thanks,
mike

Try going to the Mplayer site. The first thing that pops up is "We're being shut down due to patent infringement. Help us."

Jere

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by Jere_Jones

Great!

Try going to the Mplayer site. The first thing that pops up is "We're being shut down due to patent infringement. Help us."

Jere

Try looking here: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/homepage/design7/news.html

Thanks...

Mike

[Jere_Jones]

I know that FFMPEG is going through the same thing. I wish them both the best in their fight.

Jere

[DFA]

Although I have been aware of ComSkip, I am new to it's usage. I am trying out ToxMox's new Standard STV with ComSkip.

I have done my due diligence and have searched this thread for what my question is but find no reference so here goes:

For excluded channel listing, is it possible to use a hyphon (dash) in addition to commas? This would save a great deal of entries. For example, [60,61,700-799] versus entering every single channel of a long, contiguous or even semi-continuous series.

EDIT: My first impression after reviewing some of the analized mpg files is that comskip seems best suited for the "network" channels where the commercials are fairly predictable and consistant. I've noted for other things like the "Food Network" (a Sandra Lee thing my wife records) there is some trouble. As such, my knee jerk reaction is that comskip should be configurable for the channels you wnat to include rather than exclude. My exclude list is already rather long (and growing) and since going off the end of the GUI input dialog box, I hand enter them in "sage.properties" directly.

I understand this is all a bit of black art and things are adjustable for optimizing detection and am more than a little impressed with the sophistication of comskip.exe. Nevertheless, there is not likely to be 100% success across the board and would like to use comskip only with a handful of channels that are most accurately and reliably detected for commercials.

DFA

[DFA]

Stanger89:

Off topic, but noted some posts back that you are also doing some HD with Sage. What is your source for HD? From what I recall, you were a Sat guy and did not have Firewire option.

DFA

[stanger89]

Nope, I'm analog cable, my HD is OTA (I had some cable HD for a week, apparently a preview week).

[shibbywowdude]

Hey is it possible to get Commercial skip to work with SagetvClient because I have it working on my sage but when i try to watch something through it with sagetvclient. Then i think its because i don't have the commercial skip installed on the sagetvclient so i did that and i have it up and running but i still cant get the commercial skip to work with the client version!! lol so yeah is ther a way to work with sagetvclient.

Thanks,
Shibb Master

P.S. I am using sagetv and sageclient 2.2.8.

[gplasky]

What STV are you using on the client? Commercial skipping is support in the default STV unless you import it. STVs like SageMC and Cayars, as well as others support it at the client too. Just installing comskip isn't going to do it.

Gerry

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by shibbywowdude

Hey is it possible to get Commercial skip to work with SagetvClient because I have it working on my sage but when i try to watch something through it with sagetvclient.

Yes, there are two requirements:
1) You must have a Comskip-enabled STV
2) The client must be able to access your recording directories at the exact same path (UNC paths makes that easy).

You don't actually need comskip.exe on the client, and you probably don't want it. I'd say you only want comskip.exe and comskip control/processing run from one PC (don't want two PCs comskipping the same file).

[Stuntman]

What is, and where is, the latest and greatest version of comskip.exe/ini?? I see a few different versions and most seem to be from last year??

Thanks!

[ajuhawk]

Originally Posted by stanger89

...and you probably don't want it. I'd say you only want comskip.exe and comskip control/processing run from one PC (don't want two PCs comskipping the same file).

Actually I run comskip on 3 computers. By using Dirmon to maintain control of this activity it works out rather nicely with no duplicate processing.

[Jere_Jones]

Originally Posted by Stuntman

What is, and where is, the latest and greatest version of comskip.exe/ini?? I see a few different versions and most seem to be from last year??

Thanks!

The latest version is in post #830 of this thread. Source code is available on request.

Jere