Ad Removal (Comskip)

Required

• Media Portal 1.0.2

• 4 The Record 1.3.3

• ComSkip 80_023

This may and probably will work for older and newer versions, but this is what I am using right now.

Overview

When you have 4 the Record installed and managing your recordings, the normal TV Server Comskip plugin does not fire against your recordings. This isn't obvious because it will test fine, your recordings will happen fine, but the extra files required to Media Portal to skip your commercials will never appear.

Required Action

1. Media Portal needs to be installed and functioning.
2. 4 The Record needs to be installed and managing you recordings.
3. Comskip need to be unpacked somewhere that 4 The Record has access to.

Configuration

On your HTPC you need to open the 4 The Record configuration interface. On my machine there is a shortcut on my desktop that points to "C:\Program Files\For The Record\Management Console\ForTheRecord.ManagementConsole.exe".

In 4 The Record's Management Console you need to go under "Administration | Processing Commands". Click on "Create New", and then fill in the following information.

• Name: I just used "Comskip"
• Path: Click browse and browse to where you have Comskip.
• Arguments: '%%FILE%%', Nothing else is needed here.
• When: I use "Run when the recording starts (live)" but I have the extra CPU cycles to spare, you could also choose "Run when the recording ends".

I also checked the box "Automatically assign to all new schedules.", if you do this Comskip will automatically be run against any new recordings.

The last portion of the process is to enable your new processing command in all of your existing recording schedules.

Just simply go under "Schedules | Recordings" and click into each of your recordings.

In the recording you need to click on the "Select..." next to "Processing" near the top, and place a check in the "Run" box next to your Comskip process.

The last step in the process would be to verify that in the Media Portal configuration you have checked the option that tells Media Portal to use the Comskip files if they exist.

Conclusion

As of Media Portal 1.0.2 this process allows both the "My Videos" and 4 The Records "My TV" to automatically skip over commercials in your recordings. It does not remove anything from the recordings so if Comskip ever does make a mistake you can jump backwards or forwards in the recording.

To Do

I haven't been running this process long enough to see what happens when old recordings are automatically removed from the disk or manually deleted. Another process may have to be written to handle clean up.