SkipTool a GUI to enter comskip times

[pastro]

This plugin provides a GUI to manually edit comskip times by visually navigating through an Mpeg file and setting commercial break points.

You can download the installation zip and find information on how to use the plugin from:
http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Plugin/SkipTool

This tool has been designed for the new interface (PVRX2) and will not operate with the older interface (GBPVR).

[cakes]

Looks very promising. I wanted to give it a try but in the requirements section I noticed that you need a higher GBPVR version than the one distributed with 1.0.16 and that it is discussed in the developer forum. Does this mean that it is not ready yet for the masses here?


When it comes to using the tool, it would be great if after entering the comskip times you could put the mpg into a transcodingQ.

[pastro]

Looks very promising. I wanted to give it a try but in the requirements section I noticed that you need a higher GBPVR version than the one distributed with 1.0.16 and that it is discussed in the developer forum. Does this mean that it is not ready yet for the masses here?


When it comes to using the tool, it would be great if after entering the comskip times you could put the mpg into a transcodingQ.

Hmm not sure what you mean. I built and tested with v 1.0.16.
It should work fine with the existing latest distribution.

Do you mean a transcodingQ that would remove the commercials that have been marked? A few tools exists that do that, but in general I think the mess up the timeline.

[cakes]

Hmm not sure what you mean. I built and tested with v 1.0.16.

I'm not sure myself either. :o When checking I swore I saw a different version number for the commongbpvr utilities. I'm gonna test the plugin and let you know.

Do you mean a transcodingQ that would remove the commercials that have been marked?

Yes, but not just cutting, also transcoding to xvid.
Most of the shows/films I just delete after watching, but if I decide to keep it, then I finetune the cutlist with comskip's debugmode, and then cut & transcode to xvid with mencoder. It would be great if I could do this sitting in my couch instead of upstairs in front the PC....

[cakes]

ok, I got it working. Here is some feedback:

- the beginning is confusing. When you enter the plugin, all you see is a File system panel with [..], and it is confusing to navigate to this [..]. Apparently, you have to use the down arrow, while intuitively I was using the right arrow. When you succeed, you have to navigate your way to the recordings directory. It would be good if the plugin could immediately start there.

- in time entry submenu also the navigation is a bit contra intuitive. Again I would expect left & right arrows to work for jumping between the buttons column and the column with the entries.

- it would be great to see the current cutlist visually (like while playing a recording in gbpvr: a green bar with black portions for the commercials)

- it would be handy to be able to navigate to a position in the movie with the buttons on the remote instead of having to select. eg something like:
>| jump to next cutpoint
>> jump x frames
> jump 1 frame

- also handy would be being able to actually play the movie

and finally, if this would be integrated in the main recordings, that would be rally super (an extra button 'edit skip time' in addittion to 'play', 'resume', 'delete', edit comskip)

[dvasco]

- it would be great to see the current cutlist visually (like while playing a recording in gbpvr: a green bar with black portions for the commercials)

- also handy would be being able to actually play the movie

and finally, if this would be integrated in the main recordings, that would be rally super (an extra button 'edit skip time' in addittion to 'play', 'resume', 'delete', edit comskip)

I had asked for something like that not too long ago.

[pastro]

ok, I got it working. Here is some feedback:

- the beginning is confusing. When you enter the plugin, all you see is a File system panel with [..], and it is confusing to navigate to this [..]. Apparently, you have to use the down arrow, while intuitively I was using the right arrow. When you succeed, you have to navigate your way to the recordings directory. It would be good if the plugin could immediately start there.

- in time entry submenu also the navigation is a bit contra intuitive. Again I would expect left & right arrows to work for jumping between the buttons column and the column with the entries.

- it would be great to see the current cutlist visually (like while playing a recording in gbpvr: a green bar with black portions for the commercials)

- it would be handy to be able to navigate to a position in the movie with the buttons on the remote instead of having to select. eg something like:
>| jump to next cutpoint
>> jump x frames
> jump 1 frame

- also handy would be being able to actually play the movie

and finally, if this would be integrated in the main recordings, that would be rally super (an extra button 'edit skip time' in addittion to 'play', 'resume', 'delete', edit comskip)

First off, good comments thanks for that.

The navigation thing is somewhat of a pain. I use the up down arrows to traverse the buttons, but when you are in a list you use the left right arrow to get out.

The version that I am working on has a few of the things you are looking for. It starts in the recordings directory, the left and right arrow buttons navigate through the file as long as you are not on the skip time selector. (you still get to the list by going up or down to it though) and there is a visual bar to indicate the commercial cuts.
I haven't built in a jump to next/previous cut. Instead of a dedicated menu button for that, could this be the >| on the remote for forward and the |< for backward?
Not sure about playing the file. I'll look into that though.
Thanks again for your comments, they are always welcome.

[pastro]

I'm not sure myself either. :o When checking I swore I saw a different version number for the commongbpvr utilities. I'm gonna test the plugin and let you know.


Yes, but not just cutting, also transcoding to xvid.
Most of the shows/films I just delete after watching, but if I decide to keep it, then I finetune the cutlist with comskip's debugmode, and then cut & transcode to xvid with mencoder. It would be great if I could do this sitting in my couch instead of upstairs in front the PC....

It would be good if there was a set of commands already known to work to transcode and/or cut commercials for mencoder. That way I can build in the transcode option into the plugin. If anyone has a set of mencoder commands to transcode to various rates please post.