Comskip setup question on Client

[phunny]

Can someone help me? I have ShowAnalyzer and DIRMON2 running on my sage server v5 and my client is running the same version. On the server I can watch a show and the commercials are skipped.

I installed comskip only on the client and enabled it.

I then viewed a recording and the commercials are all there almost like its not picking up the txt and edl file from the server. I double checked by going to RUN, \\basement_server\tv recordings they are all there.

I even let it record a new show since making my changes are rebooting still nothing.

What should I be checking and where?

PS I did check my permissions and I do have write and read access to the TV Recordings directory on the server. Both server and client are running Windows XP PRO.

Thanks

[lovingHDTV]

When you say you installed comskip on the client what do you mean? Did you install the comskip STVi or comskip the program?

You should install comskip STVi, ensure that the client can see the .txt/.edl files. It appears that you have used UNC paths, are they the save for both server and client? If so, then that should work if the .txt/.edl files are at that location.

[blade]

Originally Posted by lovingHDTV

It appears that you have used UNC paths, are they the save for both server and client? If so, then that should work if the .txt/.edl files are at that location.

To clarify, the client must be able to access the recordings at the exact same location as the server. For example if you use D:/Recordings on the server the client must also see them at D:/Recordings. If you are going to use UNC paths I believe Sage must be setup to use UNC paths for the recording directory. In other words you can't record to D:/Recordings and have the client access it with a UNC path.

Also there are txt files and edl files for comskip. Last I checked neither import would work with both file types so make sure you're using the correct stvi import for the file type you're using.

[phunny]

WHen I go to Start --> Run -- and type in \\basement_server\tv recordings

The directory shows up and I can see the recordings from the client. I can also see the TXT and EDL files in there. On the server I use Showanalyzer and DIRMON2 to get rid of the commercials. It works fine when I view it from the server.

Originally I had it set up on E:\tv recordings on my server. But I changed it and it has recorded at the server fine. And on the client when I go to recordings it does see all my recordings old and new ones.

Do you have a link to the STV I should be using? I thought I was using the right one.

Any help is apperciated.

[blade]

Originally Posted by phunny

WHen I go to Start --> Run -- and type in \\basement_server\tv recordings

The directory shows up and I can see the recordings from the client. I can also see the TXT and EDL files in there. On the server I use Showanalyzer and DIRMON2 to get rid of the commercials. It works fine when I view it from the server.

Being able to access the files via UNC paths from the client means nothing if you're not using the UNC path for the recording directory. If you playback a recording that was recorded to the directory D:/tv recordings that is where the client will look for the txt or edl file. It won't be looking in \\basement_server\tv recordings.

Originally I had it set up on E:\tv recordings on my server. But I changed it and it has recorded at the server fine. And on the client when I go to recordings it does see all my recordings old and new ones.

Are you using UNC paths for the recording directory now? If so does comskip work on the client for newly recorded and processed shows? It is possible previously recorded and processed won't be seen at the correct location by comskip. I believe when I changed over I had to keep the old path available or reprocess all of my shows for comskip to work at their new "location".

[phunny]

My server is pointing to \\basement_server\Tv Recordings

My client is also

On the server I 'converted' it from a plain old E:\tv Recordsings to the UNC path. I agree the old recordings wouldnt work. But the new ones arent working on the client.

When I view the new recording the server its fine. With this UNC stuff should I just pick a new directory (UNC) and change the server and client to it?

Thanks

[FidgetyRat]

Sage is very fussy about changing paths after the initial install. I had this exact problem a month or two back. Try searching, im sure you will find my thread. They helped me alot.

[stanger89]

Sounds like Sage hasn't updated the paths yet. When you change a recording directory, Sage will start making new recordings to that path, but won't update the path to older ones so long as it can still "see" them there.

Try a search for make_all_media_files_local, that should get you some info on forcing Sage to update the paths of the older recordings.

[LaoChe]

and I'm not sure I understand:

Sage Server records all of it's TV in Video (E:)/TV/Recorded TV
I shared the entire drive as 'Video' and mapped the client E drive to it using the server IP address 192.1681.1.110/Video. After mapping it I renamed it from Video on 192.168.1.110 to just Video so when I look in explorer on the client I see Video (E:)/TV/Recorded TV

It sounds like what you're saying is I would have to change the mapping of the server folder from E to 192.168.1.110/E

Is that right, or am I just missing something?

BTW I am running Sage 6.0 and both machines are Win2K.

Thank you.

[stanger89]

No what I'm saying is that originally sage recorded to a path (eg) \\server\share. Then you change it to just record to drive:\folder, and map the client such that drive:\folder is the visible on the client.

Well all the files recorded before the change are still associated with \\server\share. Sage doesn't "move" them to drive:\folder on it's own. If you go look at the detailed info for the "old" files, you'll see they still have the old path.


I believe the "make_all_media_files_local" property will cause Sage to update the paths (to drive:\folder) for previously recorded files.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I believe the "make_all_media_files_local" property will cause Sage to update the paths (to drive:\folder) for previously recorded files.

I think the make_all_mediafiles_local property is always true now & isn't really used.

If you want to switch to UNC paths and update where SageTV sees the existing recoridngs, then you'll need to use a new recording dir name to get them to be recognized in a new location -- just create a new dir on the same drive, start using it as the recording dir, and move the old recordings to that locastion. This FAQ has several Q&A entries; see the one titled "Can the actual Video Recording Directory location be moved or renamed?" & the one prior to that.

- Andy

[LaoChe]

Thank you... I guess it was working but I didn't realize that it would only work on the new recordings. Ironically I started by checking the older ones since I knew comskip would have already run on them. The other thing that threw me off for anyone else who is trying to get this to work was that the client doesn't show the comskip icons (regardless of whether it is set to or not).

Thanks a lot for your help.

[JREkiwi]

Originally Posted by LaoChe

The other thing that threw me off for anyone else who is trying to get this to work was that the client doesn't show the comskip icons (regardless of whether it is set to or not).

It should show the icons. Are you using a current version of the import?

John