Comskip Monitor: Announcement

[Steep]

Originally Posted by AngelofDeth

Yes, this was very easy to get working... Comskip seems a bit more accurate, but I didn't really do a fair comparison. Would be nice if the monitor could do a channel filter like SA does, so shows without commercials can be skipped.

Good suggestion. I'll try to do this soon.
On the plate:
1) Finish network configuration screen.
2) Implement comskip ini configuration screen.
3) Per channel configuration options.
4) Package a playback STV to create an all-in-one download/install process. (for SageTV users).
5) Automatic update options for comskip program.

[AngelofDeth]

One other thing that would be nice, unless I missed it, would be to be able to configure how many instances of comskip you want to run at the same time.

[tmiranda]

If you need a tester for networked drives let me know. I configured it manually using the current version and it seems to be working but it is a bit "flakey".

Edit: If you package it with an STVi please be sure to have an option of NOT installing the STVi. I like the way I have my current STVi's and would not want CSM to change things without my permission.

[AngelofDeth]

Seems to be working fine for network drives here. It is processing files by date (oldest to newest), rather than alphabetically like it did for the local drive.

[Naylia]

When I replaced the older version of Comskip with a newer version in a different directory, I manually modified the .ini file and then stopped and started the service...do I still need run the setup?

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by Steep

Good suggestion. I'll try to do this soon.
On the plate:
1) Finish network configuration screen.
2) Implement comskip ini configuration screen.
3) Per channel configuration options.
4) Package a playback STV to create an all-in-one download/install process. (for SageTV users).
5) Automatic update options for comskip program.

Man I'd pay you if you did all that
That would be the closest to SageTV integration you can get!

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by Naylia

When I replaced the older version of Comskip with a newer version in a different directory, I manually modified the .ini file and then stopped and started the service...do I still need run the setup?

Steeps reply to me was YES rerun setup.bat to repoint the utility to the new comskip directory

[Naylia]

Originally Posted by roxy99

Steeps reply to me was YES rerun setup.bat to repoint the utility to the new comskip directory

That's what I manually modified in the .ini file...but then again I supposse it only takes about 30 seconds to run the setup

[12three45]

Hi, I loaded Comskip and monitor and my MVPs gave jitter on sound and video. This did not happen before. Does anyone know if there is a confuration I needed to do to correcct this? Thanks

Andy

[Steep]

Originally Posted by 12three45

Hi, I loaded Comskip and monitor and my MVPs gave jitter on sound and video. This did not happen before. Does anyone know if there is a confuration I needed to do to correcct this? Thanks
Andy

Comskip can be known to use a lot of your server's resources to process files. Run the setup.bat program and on the time configuration screen try.

1) Setting comskip to only run at night e.g. (1am - 7am).
or
2) Setting comskip to run "slowly" which will make comskip run a little slower. This is helpful for many people.
or
3) Combination of both.

[12three45]

Thanks, but I have already done that. Actually my CPU is not taxed at all. Even when I have comskip off, the videos are all jittery. Though what is throwing me off is I have Mpegs that are in my imported folders that have gone through comskip, there is no jitter when I play these files.

Just today, Sage is having problems playing videos it recorded, the video just get stuck and I can't forward or rewind the video. Windows Media player basically locked up when I tried to open in manually.

For now, I believe I will uninstall comskip and see if it will fix all these problems.

Andy

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by 12three45

Thanks, but I have already done that. Actually my CPU is not taxed at all. Even when I have comskip off, the videos are all jittery. Though what is throwing me off is I have Mpegs that are in my imported folders that have gone through comskip, there is no jitter when I play these files.

Just today, Sage is having problems playing videos it recorded, the video just get stuck and I can't forward or rewind the video. Windows Media player basically locked up when I tried to open in manually.

For now, I believe I will uninstall comskip and see if it will fix all these problems.

Andy

Maybe the STVi is giving you grief? I don't think comskip monitor really talks to Sage directly so its not Steep's utility that's causing the problem.

[AngelofDeth]

If you are getting skipping when comskip isn't running, you must have other problems... comskip / com monitor doesn't even interact with Sage, and the MPGs are unchanged (as far as I know) after comskip runs through them. Uninstalling comskip or monitor I don't think will help, maybe try uninstalling the comskip stvi if you think it started when you did that.

[12three45]

When you say, uninstall? Do you mean selecting the original SVT file?

I did uninstall Comskip and the MVPs are now playing ok. Even when they have the SVTi installed.

Andy

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by 12three45

When you say, uninstall? Do you mean selecting the original SVT file?

I did uninstall Comskip and the MVPs are now playing ok. Even when they have the SVTi installed.

Andy

Then you should set comskip to run off-hours because its cpu intensive when running. If you've already done that and still have skipping playback, then probably Java is affecting your system.

[Steep]

Originally Posted by roxy99

... then probably Java is affecting your system.

Highly unlikely that Java has anything to do with his symptoms. The wrapper is windows code, Comskip is windows code. The Java code isn't doing anything intensive.

12three45,

We just don't have enough information to diagnose the problem.

When you first install Comskip Monitor, it may take a long time to initially run Comskip on your entire library of video files. This could be several hours. Just install the program and let it run for a day and then see if you still experience unresponsiveness from your server.

Second, what is your configuration specificly. Paste the contents of your csm.properties file or email them to me. When you re-ran the setup.bat program to alter your configuration did you click "Finish Configuration" or did you just close down the window?

What are the details of your server? disk, cpu, ram, sage version? I have seen other conversations in the forums relating to Commercial skipping STV's not working too well in the 6.0 version of Sage.

What is your client? You mentioned an MVP. Is it wireless or wired? what STV is it running?

The more details you provide, the easier it is for people to help you.

[12three45]

Thanks for helping Steep

This was what was in the CSM file

#csm.properties
#Sat Dec 02 22:32:01 EST 2006
time.between.checks=15
comskip.config=../comskip79_62/comskip.ini
process.file.extensions=.mpg
execute.during.record=no
slow.hours=14, 15, 12, 8, 17, 9, 10, 11, 16, 13
related.file.extensions=
comskip.parameters=
exclude.hours=20, 21, 23, 19, 18, 22
file.directories=F\:\\Recorded TV
cleanup.file.extensions=.txt,.log,.edl
comskip.location=../comskip79_62/comskip.exe

Yes, I did click on the finish button when I finished the setup.bat

My Server is as follows:

AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3500+
Version: x86 Family 15 Model 47 Stepping 2
Speed: 2264 MHz

Memory (RAM)
Capacity: 2 GB

Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version: 5.1.2600
Service Pack: 2.0
Location: C:\WINDOWS
PID: 76487-OEM-0081237-13973
Hot Fix: KB924496

Video Card
Model: NVIDIA GeForce 6600
Driver: nv4_mini.sys
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Supported


Total Capacity: 633.45 GB
Sum of Hard Disks: (C: F: I: )
Used: 216.33 GB
Free: 417.11 GB

Network Card
Model: NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller - Packet Scheduler Miniport
Driver: nvenetfd.sys
Friday, July 07, 2006
Supported

SaageTV Ver 6.015

My MVP is wired from Hauppage and it is running the same SVT has the Media Server.

[Steep]

Originally Posted by 12three45

---12three45's system specs---

Thanks for the detailed information. I wish I had some great advice to suggest from having read it, but I don't.

I just read the forum thread that you posted in here:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...t=21515&page=3

And I don't know what to add that those people haven't already said. I'm sorry that you are having such difficulties with your setup.

[JREkiwi]

Originally Posted by 12three45

I did uninstall Comskip and the MVPs are now playing ok. Even when they have the SVTi installed.

Hi Andy, I'm wondering if it's a HDD transfer issue. When you formatted your drive that your recordings are on, did you specify a block size of 64K?

Are the videos that work when comskip is installed on a different drive from your recordings that are jittery?

John

[Russ]

I recently installed comskip monitor and noticed that the ComSkip log shows that it is processing all 29 of my videos. I was wondering if it's processing one at a time or all of them at once.

After several hours I noticed that no commercial skip files were generated in my video directory. Also, I didn't notice a ComSkip process being active in Task Manager. My fear is that possibly ComSkip is not actually working in exporting commercial skip files. Another possible indication to this is my cpu usage is minimal.

Are there any settings I need to modify? By the way I am using ComSkip version 79_63. I modified comskip.ini output_edl to = 1.

Thanks in advance for any assistance on this!