Automated Cutting and Transcoding Guide Using Mencoder

[jam_zhou]

The two scripts are very similar. Their implementations are a bit different.

I designed my script so that you don't mess around with the code - just the config files and profiles.

My script also has a bit more control over the resolution, and audio and video bitrate for each show. The control however isn't that big of a deal. I find that I don't really change them that much.

I guess the biggest difference is that stattik's script relies on comskip running while my script does not. For GBPVR usage however that difference is very slight. The other thing is I think stattik's script is easier to use than mine - only one file needed.

In the end, if you are happy with your script then stick with it. Which ever one that might be. I wonder sometimes if I had discovered stattik's script first if I would have written my own script.

[-stattik-]

I guess the biggest difference is that stattik's script relies on comskip running while my script does not.

Just to clarify, my script dosen't need Comskip to run. If you want to cut out commercials then an EDL file is needed and both Comskip and ShowAnalyzer can do that. If no EDL file is found, the script runs anyway without a problem. Some people don't even use Dirmon. Jam_zhou's right though, from what I see the scripts are similiar. Find one you like and stick with it. I created this scipt to take the guesswork out of making a "high quality" file. Of course, everyone has a different opinion of what high quality is. I was running out of HD space and I wanted to save shows to watch during rerun season. For some series, I watch the shows right away, the other series get cut and transcoded for later. Right now I have 21 episodes of a program and it only takes up 6.5gig instead of 65 gig. I have no plans to archive either. The original script was the culmination of lots of trial and error and I figured that people could benefit from it. Reading through this thread you'll find that others have contributed from their own experiences as well. I sure Jam_shou has a similiar story.

So the scirpt has grown and I'm still smoothing out some rough areas. Any suggestions are welcome.

[JackTheMan18]

Is there some sort of parameter in the comskip.ini file that causes the *.edl file to be created?
I call comskip, and then the bat file produces the following:
C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr>set name="test.mpg"

C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr>copy "C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\test.edl" "C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\test.ptl"
The system cannot find the file specified.
:eek:

[erik]

In your comskip.ini change
output_edl=0
into
output_edl=1

[wtg]

JackTheMan18,

If you've already run comskip but didn't have it configured to produce the output you wanted, instead of running comskip over again from scratch, turn on your output options in comskip.ini and run it in it's manual mode.

Running on it's own commercial cutpoint file, "comskip myshow.txt", launches comskip in a mode that lets you manually change commercial marks. The W tells it to re-write the new cutpoint, and it reproduces the other output options as well. So, launch it, hit W, and ESC to exit and you should get your edl file created for you without re-running.

[JackTheMan18]

Please excuse my ignorance (or lack of knowledge about bat files), but I seem to be having trouble getting the script to run.
For example, I seem to be getting an error on the following statement, because it is not using the fully qualified "long file name":
C:\PROGRA~1\devnz\gbpvr>start /low /wait "C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\FFmpeg\ffmpeg.exe" -y -i "c:\program files\devnz\gbp
vr\t1.mpg" -f psp -title "t1" -b 768 -qmin 2 -qmax 9 -croptop 4 -s 320x240 -r 29.97 -acodec aac -ac 2 -ar 24000 -ab 64 "c:\Program File
s\devnz\gbpvr\t1.mp4"
The system cannot find the file -y.

C:\PROGRA~1\devnz\gbpvr>start /low /wait "C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\FFmpeg\ffmpeg.exe" -y -i "c:\program files\devnz\gbp
vr\t1.mpg" -f image2 -ss 5 -vframes 1 -s 160x120 -an "c:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\t1.THM"
The system cannot find the file -y.

[jam_zhou]

yeah, I struggled a long time with this...basically when you use start, it executes each string as a command not as parameters. You'll have to use the ~1 ending.

[JackTheMan18]

"you will have to use the ~1 ending"
sorry, could you please be a little more specific. What do I have to do?
(and, please again excuse my ignorance. I have a basic understanding of bat files.)

[jam_zhou]

this means that the directory string cannot be more than 8 characters long...so "program files" becomes progra~1...the thing I haven't been able to figure out is "third party" which has a space in the string and is considered an illegal operation. I've looked on the web for the solution, but I haven't been able to figure this out. It's easier if you just move ffmpeg to a different directory

If anyone else knows the answer I'd like to know as well. It's been bugging me for a while.

EDIT: after a search I found the answer. "Third Party" --> thirdp~1 (leave out the space)

for the exact name use dir /x on the directory. The second colum will give you the short name ~1, ~2...

[-stattik-]

Yeah, basically you use the first six letters/numbers while removing spaces and then add a ~1 to the end.

IE: /Program Files/ becomes /progra~1/
IE: /Some Program Name/ becomes /somepr~1

If there's two directories/files with the same six beginning letters, you'll have to keep incrementing the ~1 to ~2,~3,etc


IE: /Program Files/
/Program Manager/
/Program Zone/


becomes

/Progra~1/
/Progra~2/
/Progra~3/

So to answer your question JackTheMan18 This should be your path for ffmpeg in the script.

C:\Progra~1\devnz\gbpvr\ThirdP~1\FFmpeg\ffmpeg.exe

It's the same path as the default in the script, you just have to change the drive letter from D to C.