Comskip for Dummies

[pinarphan]

I have been reading about comskip but before I install it I was wondering if someone would take the time to explain how it works, the front end not the backend.

What I mean is...

I see that it processes a file (recording) and generates a text file. But, does it also delete the commercials from the recording? How does the user utilize the functionality?

P.S. This is probably for a new post but...Is the CDK scheduler better than the built in version? Often my recordings are ending about 4 mins early and several times my whole list of pending and recurring recordings mysteriously disappears.

Thanks ahead for any help!

[jimh]

Comskip will scan the mpeg file that is passed to it and then create a .txt file that contains the start and end frames of each commercial break it has identified.

It does NOT alter/edit the .mpg file itself.

GBPVR is smart enough (or perhaps it is more accurate to say that its creator is smart enough) that GBPVR will automatically look for a matching .txt file when it plays a recording and will flag those start/end frames listed in the .txt file as "commercial zones".

All you need to do is press the "Play" button on your remote when you are within one of the marked "commercial zones" and GBPVR will instantly forward you to the end of that zone - presumably the end of the commercial break.

[pinarphan]

That sounds really slick!

It is the whole "press play" part that I didn't get.

Thanks for taking the time to explain!

[jimh]

Basically, when you use GBPVR to play back a show that you had previously recorded, when you get to a commercial break, you simply press the "PLAY" button on your remote control and GBPVR will skip to the end of the commercial break.

This way, you can either watch the commercials, or press the button to skip them.

[jsteele]

How about a GB option to automatically just skip the commercials rather than requiring manual intervention?

[rtiangha]

Because some people like commercials.

[reven]

auto skip would be a nice option, however what if a skip is in the wrong position, and you rewind, say 2 seconds before the skip point, it will automatically skip to the end of the commerical, and you could never (well not easily) be able to see the part just after the skip point.

[jsteele]

rtiangha:
We need to find those people and stamp them out :-)

reven:
I don't claim that it would be perfect but I'd be surprised if it missed very often.

[reven]

comskip isnt reliable enough for auto skip, as simple as that. and if it hasnt made it into gbpvr by now, sub probably has a reason for this (like the condition i described above, would just cause dramas).

[jsteele]

You have far more experience with GB than I do so I defer to you ...