Comskip Playback for v7

[mangriotis]

I guess I need to revisit this, as I haven't cracked it yet.

I actually started from scratch on the client machine this time. I loaded Win 7, requisite chipset and video drivers, WHS connector software, and SageClient (7.1.9). That's it.

Once I rebooted the server and was able input the client license again, I installed the comskip playback plugin.

Same results. I see all the files, but no CS icon, and no commercial skip markings on the shows.

Again, I have tried both SMB and mapping the drive letter the same as on the server. Neither makes a difference. I can access the .edl files either way from windows explorer, and the time stamps are in the files when I open them with notepad.

The plugin is there, because when I turn on the option to show the timebar below each show in the recordings listing, they show up, but never any CS icon and the commercials are not marked. It seems like it just can't see the .edl files and/or won't associate them.

I am at a loss. Anything else I can try?

[HelenWeathers]

You have to use UNC paths for recording folders for SageTV client software to pick up edl files for comskip playback.

[element33]

Comskip does a great job (thanks!) but about 10-20% of the time it marks as a "commercial" part of the actual show. I have autoskip on at all times, but in these rare cases I'd like to have a trick/keyboard combo/hotkey that would briefly toggle autoskip off, so that I can actually maneuver into that inaccessible part of the show. I know I can always go into the "Options -> Autoskip enabled/disabled" menu, but I'd prefer something that works right there on the timeline. Is there such a trick? I searched the forums for "comskip temporarily disable", but the results point either to this 15-page long, "generic" Comskip thread, or to a thread that seems to be about Phoenix only.

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57217

[JREkiwi]

Use the Left arrow key to skip back to the start of the commercial block and temporaily disable autoskip.

John

[element33]

Use the Left arrow key to skip back to the start of the commercial block

Left in my case means a jump of ~3 sec. By hitting Left at the end of the block to "skip back to the start" am I supposed to be a) taken straight to the start of the block or b) allowed by autoskip to step back just inside the commercial block? If it's a) then it doesn't work for me, I move back into the block, but only by ~3 sec; if it's b) then there really must be a better way to get to the start of the block than having to hit Left 50 times.

In more detail: the part of the show wrongly marked as a commercial occurs right before an actual commercial. On the timeline, the first 10% of the "commercial" block is the show, the rest is an actual commercial. If I hit Left when I'm at the end of the block, I step back slightly into the block, near its end. How do I get to the start of the block without undue effort? If I use the convenient "Skip Bkwd #2" function (skip over a bigger chunk, ~60 secs in my case), I can get near the start within 3-4 clicks.

But... if I land near the start of the block but still within it, I can watch the show from that point on, but then I'd always be missing the small part between the start of the block and and the point where I landed. If my 60 sec jumps take me before the start of the block, then autoskip kicks in as soon as I hit the block and I'm back where the problem began. Trying to get to the start by a combination of the two, i.e, first by 60 sec jumps and then by smaller 3 sec jumps seems implausible because it's very easy to overshoot with 60 sec jumps, plus I'd have to spend an inordinate amount of concentration trying to get things just right.

Is there a way to get things exactly right, i.e. be transported exactly to the start of the block, without having to do any tedious finger gymnastics and without autoskip's kicking in?

[Fuzzy]

In my many years of using sage, I've just decided to keep auto-skip turned off. I then can use a right arrow to skip to the end of a block.

[mangriotis]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

You have to use UNC paths for recording folders for SageTV client software to pick up edl files for comskip playback.

Yes. Sorry, that's what I meant by SMB (got my acronyms mixed up). I have tried both ways, and can't get the client PC to show marked commercials.

I do notice that when I switch from G:\Sage (i.e. a mapped drive) to UNC path \\sageserver\sage, the diskbar behavior changes. I am not sure if it's related or not, but maybe it'll shed some light.

When using a mapped drive, the diskbar seems to be the entire drive space, with green being "used" and yellow being the next 72 hours of shows to be recorded, leaving a gray empty space at the far right.

When I change to UNC path, the diskbar (on all clients) now shows what appears to be only the open space, it's green for some portion on the left, and red on the right (i.e. no empty space, and doesn't seem to reflect the entire drive, only what's not recorded yet).

Note: The drive is a 1.5TB drive, and mostly full. If it would help, I can try to get screen shots...

Anything else I can try?

[KarylFStein]

Originally Posted by element33

Left in my case means a jump of ~3 sec. By hitting Left at the end of the block to "skip back to the start" am I supposed to be a) taken straight to the start of the block or b) allowed by autoskip to step back just inside the commercial block? If it's a) then it doesn't work for me, I move back into the block, but only by ~3 sec; if it's b) then there really must be a better way to get to the start of the block than having to hit Left 50 times.

Originally Posted by element33

Is there a way to get things exactly right, i.e. be transported exactly to the start of the block, without having to do any tedious finger gymnastics and without autoskip's kicking in?

You should be able to set "Rewind Temporarily Disables Comskip" and use "left" to get to the start of the commercial block with one press, (and then one press of "right" to jump to the end when the commercial actually starts). Make sure you're using the directional pad for left/right. That's how it works for me anyway.

[element33]

You should be able to set "Rewind Temporarily Disables Comskip"

WIth "Rewind Temp. Disables Comskip" I get the same behavior: Left moves me be back just a tiny bit into the commercial block, not to the start.

use "left" to get to the start of the commercial block with one press, (and then one press of "right" to jump to the end when the commercial actually starts).

Maybe we don't understand each other. Again: the first 10% of the wrongly marked, solid "commercial" block is the show I want to watch. The remaining 90% is commercials. You say "use left to get to the start" then "Right to where the commercial starts." Even if Left/Right worked as described (which they don't for me), pressing Left would be sufficient because that's where I want to be: the start of the block, so I can watch the final part of the show. Also, you say "jump to [...] where the commercial actually starts". Hold on, if comskip knows where the commercials actually start, then why didn't it mark the block properly in the first place? And if comskip doesn't know where the actual commercials start, how can any keystroke possibly take me to that point automatically? (not that I even want to) I assume that the whole technical problem stems from the fact that (in this case) comskip can't tell the show from commercials apart.

Make sure you're using the directional pad for left/right

I don't think what matters is what key I press, but what specific Sage command will temp. turn autoskip off: "Skip Bkwd", which is what I'm using.

That's how it works for me anyway.

If I could only replicate it here...

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by element33

WIth "Rewind Temp. Disables Comskip" I get the same behavior: Left moves me be back just a tiny bit into the commercial block, not to the start.

That seems to be the problem. Comskip uses the Left and Right commands to move to the beginning or end of marked blocks. It seems you do NOT have your remote mapped this way. You aren't going to effectively use comskip either way without left and right commands (I'm not entirely sure how you navigate menus without a left or right arrow either).

As I mentioned, I don't use auto-skip, and just use the right arrow to skip over commercials when i want to.

[KarylFStein]

Originally Posted by element33

Maybe we don't understand each other. Again: the first 10% of the wrongly marked, solid "commercial" block is the show I want to watch. The remaining 90% is commercials. You say "use left to get to the start" then "Right to where the commercial starts." Even if Left/Right worked as described (which they don't for me), pressing Left would be sufficient because that's where I want to be: the start of the block, so I can watch the final part of the show. Also, you say "jump to [...] where the commercial actually starts". Hold on, if comskip knows where the commercials actually start, then why didn't it mark the block properly in the first place? And if comskip doesn't know where the actual commercials start, how can any keystroke possibly take me to that point automatically? (not that I even want to) I assume that the whole technical problem stems from the fact that (in this case) comskip can't tell the show from commercials apart.

I just meant you press left to get to the start of the block. Watch until the commercials really start and then (optionally, manually) press right to jump to the end of the commercial block. I get what you're saying; it happens here too sometimes.

Go into Detailed Setup / Commands / Show Commands. Press left. It should exit. Just select it again and it should say Left 5915. Then press Right and it should say Right 5913. If not, you'll want to remap what you're using as Left and Right. If those codes are right, then I don't know what's wrong with your setup--it's not acting like it should.

[element33]

Comskip uses the Left and Right commands

Do you mean the specific "Left" and "Right" Sage commands (commands 2/3)? The "Left" & "Right" Sage commands are used for menus, they have no effect on the timeline. The "Skip Bkwd" & "Skip Fwd" Sage commands (commands 8/9, 99/100 and the like), do have an effect on the timeline. I'm debugging this from my PC by assigning specific commands to specific PC keys, so that there's no doubt which Sage command is executed.

You aren't going to effectively use comskip either way

comskip has worked for me for years. On the timeline, if I skip forward in small 3 sec steps and I hit a commercial block it skips to the end. That's not an issue.

I'm not entirely sure how you navigate menus without a left or right arrow either

Well, I hate to throw a wrench into your diagnosis, but my left and right arrow keys work great both on the timeline and in the menus.

it should say Left 5915. Then press Right and it should say Right 5913

I'm debugging it from a PC and (as of right now) the assignments are: Left: "Left/Skip Bkwd", Right: "Right/Skip Fwd". Remote is disabled: Remote Control Config: "None selected". 5913, 5915 are remote IR commands. If they work, which Sage command do they map to?

[Fuzzy]

By default, you are right, "left" and "right" do not affect the timeline. However, the comskip playback UI Mod hooks into those commands to skip to the cut points. The problem is that comskip does not use the "left/skip bkwd" and "right/skip fwd" hooks, because the default timeline functions are already using those for it's short step skip commands.

[element33]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

By default, you are right, "left" and "right" do not affect the timeline. However, the comskip playback UI Mod hooks into those commands to skip to the cut points.

Ah... we finally got to the bottom of this issue. Thanks. One thing is still unclear. While debugging on my PC, I linked "Shift-Left Arrow" and "Shift-Right Arrow" keystrokes to Sage commands "Left" and "Right" (commands 2/3). However when I watch a comskipped show and hit Shift-Left Arrow or Shift-Right Arrow, I see no effect at all, whether I'm before, after, in the middle, or at the edge of a block. Why does a "Left" command from an RC trigger the right behavior, but a "Left" command from the keyboard doesn't?

[Fuzzy]

Couldn't tell you. there is an option I think the enable the left and right features in the comskip playback options (detailed setup -> customize -> comskip playback options). It is on by default, but you may have messed with it in your troubleshooting.

[Fuzzy]

Do your shift left and shift right keys work for navigating menus?

[element33]

Do your shift left and shift right keys work for navigating menus?

Yes, they work in the menus and "Commands->Show Sage Commands" reports "Left" and "Right" when I hit Shift-Left/Shift-Right.

there is an option I think the enable the left and right features in the comskip playback options

Thanks, I got it working now from PC keyboard. I suspect my commercial block was particularly nasty, but it helped me figure out the exact mechanics of what I want.

Detailed Setup->Comskip Options->Operation:
1. Left/Right Arrow Skip: On - comskip will react to "Left/Right" commands (i.e. Sage commands 2 and 3)
2. Rewind Temp. Disables Autoskip: On - comskip will turn off briefly if you try to back up
3. Disable Autoskip for this long when skipping: 10 - in the case of my nasty commercial block, if the value is lower (say under 5 secs) comskip jumps to the start of the block, starts playing, but then quickly skips back to the end. Giving it a 10 sec delay keeps the playback within the commercial block.
Detailed Setup->Comskip Options->Timebar Options:
4. Change Marker Color for Autoskip: On - so you can monitor the autoskip toggle state

Thanks to all for helping me with this. I dread the day when Google shuts down these forums because your hair may well fall out trying to figure these nuances on your own.

[MitchSchaft]

Originally Posted by mangriotis

I guess I need to revisit this, as I haven't cracked it yet.

I actually started from scratch on the client machine this time. I loaded Win 7, requisite chipset and video drivers, WHS connector software, and SageClient (7.1.9). That's it.

Once I rebooted the server and was able input the client license again, I installed the comskip playback plugin.

Same results. I see all the files, but no CS icon, and no commercial skip markings on the shows.

Again, I have tried both SMB and mapping the drive letter the same as on the server. Neither makes a difference. I can access the .edl files either way from windows explorer, and the time stamps are in the files when I open them with notepad.

The plugin is there, because when I turn on the option to show the timebar below each show in the recordings listing, they show up, but never any CS icon and the commercials are not marked. It seems like it just can't see the .edl files and/or won't associate them.

I am at a loss. Anything else I can try?

I have this guy's same problem. Comskip installed on the client, but no comskip menu options and no markers on the timebar with recordings. The client can see TV recordings and play them no problem. Just no comskip. I have the latest version and have tried uninstall/reinstalling the plugin.

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by MitchSchaft

I have this guy's same problem. Comskip installed on the client, but no comskip menu options and no markers on the timebar with recordings. The client can see TV recordings and play them no problem. Just no comskip. I have the latest version and have tried uninstall/reinstalling the plugin.

answered above.

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

You have to use UNC paths for recording folders for SageTV client software to pick up edl files for comskip playback.

Or, IIRC, you can map the recording drives with the exact same drive letters on your clients and then the client can see the .edl file.

the basic issue is that when the client goes to play a video, the client is told by the server that the file is stored at M:\SageTVrecordings\filename.mpg and the client tries to play that file. But if the client does not have direct access to the M:\SageTVrecordings folder, the server will "stream" the video file to the client. But the server won't stream over the .edl file for comskipping.

So, you need to set it up so the client has direct access to the recording directory so that it can access the .edl file. UNC path recording will do that (don't recall if the existing recordings will change from M:\SageTVrecordings\filename.mpg to \\Server\M\SageTVrecordings\filename.mpg automatically, or if there is a switch in the .properties files that can trigger it. Or, You can share the root of the recording drive, and then map that on the client with the same drive letter, M in this case. That way, the client would have direct access to both the .mpg and .edl file in the same folder.

[MitchSchaft]

Where do I put the UNC path is the problem. If you're talking in general setup, 'media center import directories', I get duplicate show entries when I add a direct path and comskip still doesn't show up.