Configuration Question Switching To Comskip From Showanalyzer

I am a new user and have a question about configuring MCEBuddy. I have been using DVRMSToolBox and Showanalyzer for 10 years on a Win7 PC/WMC/Xbox and am trying to configure MCEB to mimic my current setup using Comskip.

Right now my Recorded TV files are in 2 folders on 2 hard drives. I am using ShowAnalyzer to identify commercials and create an XML file. These files are output to one single folder that is separate from the folders containing my Recorded TV files. When I watch the shows using WMC, DVRMSTB finds the XML file and commercial skipping occurs. No additional copy of the processed WTV file is created or output with the XML file

I would like to configure MCEB to do the same thing. This would require it to:

  1. Monitor the main Recorded TV default folder
  2. Produce the XML file
  3. Not create a converted WTV file in the Recorded TV folder
  4. Output the XML file to a common folder where DVRMSTB can access it for recordings in my both of my TV folders.

I have been able to configure MCEB to do everything I want except output the XML file to a folder other than the one containing the WTV file that was processed.

Also, is there a setting for the Monitored Folder that would specify the age of the files to be selected for conversion. Something with logic like – do not select files that are older than a certain date for processing?

I can’t believe how well Comskip now works compared to my ancient version of ShowAnalyzer. It is faster, more accurate and causes far less stress on the CPU.

Bering Sea Gold_DSCHD_2020_05_08_22_02_04.wtv-Skip Commercials-Create XML File-2020-05-09T12-03-36.log (810.1 KB)

After spending more time with the program I have solved these 3 issues I had:

  1. Monitor the main Recorded TV default folder
  2. Produce an XML file vs EDL
  3. Output the XML file to a common folder where DVRMSTB can access it for recordings in both of my TV folders.

Is there a way to suppress the creation of converted files? All I need the program to do is generate the XML file for use with DVRMSTB to do the commercial skipping in WMC

Also, is there a setting for the Monitored Folder that would specify the age of the files to be selected for processing? Something with logic like – do not select files that are older than a certain date for processing?

You can enable the option for renaming without converting and use the same original filename and enable commercial detection which will make it run comskip but then the output file is just the same file renamed to itself (you can enable skip copying original in the expert settings page to speed it up).

Thanks Goose. I spent a lot of time walking through the documentation (and trial & error) and this is where I ultimately ended up. The commercial detection works great. MCEB is now not doing any file conversion, the footprint on my system is very light compared to Showanalyzer and the job gets done much faster.

The only issue I had left was moving the XML file to a common folder to be read by DVRMSTB to do the actual commercial skipping. I solved this with a batch file.

Everything is not working fine. Love the program!

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