Channels DVR EDL file not recognized in Plex

Channels DVR Server
#1

Apologies if this was discussed previously. I searched around and found others talking about it, but just wanted clarification.

I’ve enabled EDL file creation and the file gets added next to the video file just fine. However, when playing this video in Plex, Plex does not seem to recognize the EDL file and does not create chapters.

I’ve used MCEBuddy for years and recently enabled its feature to automatically create an EDL file based off comskip’s commercial markers. Plex sees this file and creates chapter markers to easily skip past commercials.

So when I enabled this in Channels DVR, I was surprised that Plex does not utilize it.

I would have figured an EDL file is pretty standard and both Channels DVR and MCEBuddy are creating this file with comskip.

What am I missing or doing wrong?

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#2

Plex does not recognized EDL.

#3

Sure it does. Like I said, I use MCEBuddy that generates an EDL and Plex shows me chapters based on where the commercials are from comskip.

#4

Do the two edl files look the same in a text editor?

#5

I’ll check. But I think I realized what MCEBuddy is possibly doing. It’s creating the EDL file from comskip and then “baking” that into the mp4 file as chapters. Much like DVD files have chapters right in the single file.

So, yes, Plex doesn’t look at the EDL file at all after MCEBuddy is done with it.

#6

Sounds right. Plex doesn't support EDL.

#7

Thanks. I’m trying to reproduce my Windows setup to eventually switch to a Mac and it is appearing replacing the one-stop MCEBuddy isn’t as easy as I would have hoped. Getting comskip to work on Mac hasn’t worked (just building the file with ffmpeg 5 not working). I’m still looking at other software/scripts.

#8

Maybe slightly off topic but still somewhat related...

Too bad Channels doesn't have an option to put the videos in an MKV container instead of MPG, and create XML chapter files. :wink:

There is this utility to convert EDL to XML for mkvmerge: https://github.com/Channels-DVR-Goodies/edl2mkvchapters

mkvmerge could be used to add the chapters to the MKV files.

I find that MKV is much more flexible and easier to work with than MPG.

I "convert" all my MPG recordings to MKV after removing commercials, and move them to my PLEX drives.

#9

Channels records to MPEGTS because that's how most streams come in. We simply save to disk, to avoid complexity and reduce the number of places where the recording can get messed up.

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#10

Understood. Fair enough. :slightly_smiling_face:

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