TVE channels with smart ad detection - 2024 update

[mjitkop]

I noticed this update:

DVR Pre-Release Notes

v2024.02.23.1705 IMPROVED: Smart ad detect for TVE channels

Any specific channels?

That also got me wondering: as of today, which TVE channels have smart ad detection?

It would be interesting to have a list.

[Helios2]

What exactly is Smart Ad Detection. Is this just normal comskip that has been tweaked?

[racameron]

@Helios2

What exactly is Smart Ad Detection.

For certain TVE channels, it detects when the site injects the ad streams versus the actual content. That way the detection of commercials happens in real-time, and does not require the running of the external Comskip program.

(You can see if this "smart" detection is used on recordings in logs: smart detection is noted by [ADS], and the regular Comskip detection will be a [DVR] entry.)

[Helios2]

Very nice, thank you for the details. Sounds like a great improvement when available. It would be nice to see somewhere on the channel list if it supports Smart Ad Detection.

[racameron]

I believe it works for Discovery Networks (I'm not sure if all WBD, but previous Discovery channels like Food, HGTV, TLC, etc. have it), A+E Networks (A&E, History, etc.), and I believe Hallmark.

I don't recall if previous Warner Media channels have it, but I think Paramount (previously ViacomCBS) channels have it, too.

To check, you could always just do a brief record of a program and see what the logs show.

[mjitkop]

@racameron

To check, you could always just do a brief record of a program and see what the logs show.

Great minds think alike.
I had the same thought.

[rccoleman]

Comedy Central seems to get no ad detection/skipping right now, at least for The Daily Show. And I'm pretty sure it used to.

[chDVRuser]

IIRC there is no list of channels it works on.
If the stream (TVE, M3U) meets the criteria it will use it.

@tmm1

The detector is not based on any channel number. It is part of the streaming code and will kick in whenever any of the ad-detect patterns match.

The stream would have to be recorded long enough to include some ad breaks.
There is a block-list (somewhere internally, unpublished) that keeps it from being used on known problem channels.

[Edwin_Perez]

On some TVE Channels the regular comskip does a better job for ex WETV. TNT etc ...They do not have those BRB banners.

[racameron]

@Edwin_Perez

They do not have those BRB banners.

What do you mean here?

If you are referencing the full-screen placards inserted where local ads would be inserted, then I think you are incorrect. I have seen those used when "smart" detection was also used. (My personal use-case with channels using those placards is with Discovery Networks, but they all use "smart" detection and are quite accurate: Food, HGTV, TLC)

[jaidenc]

That's odd. I've had no issues using comskip with channels for The Daily Show, albeit with my cablecard/HDHR prime.

[chDVRuser]

You missed the topic title.

BETA: Smart Commercial Detection for TVE & Pluto

With v2021.12.22.0148 we are testing a new smarter commercial detector, which works on some streaming channels. Instead of using comskip to scan video, this new detector uses a more traditional approach similar to how Pi-hole works. We can detect patterns on some channels where the advertising content comes from a different place. I have tested this with some Discovery channels on TVE, and some of the channels on Pluto. Share your own experiences below. Log output for traditional comskip: 2…

[Edwin_Perez]

BETA: Smart Commercial Detection for TVE & Pluto

I did some recordings on TVE WETV in some instances it Identified the commercial as a show and the Show as a commercial... Rerunning Comskip through the Web UI was spot on all correct. Is there a way to dsiable smart detection ? on some channels.

I want to make sure if it is enabled for all Channels and if it is ... is there a cli to disable it on certain channels.

[Edwin_Perez]

BETA: Smart Commercial Detection for TVE & Pluto

Disabled for WETV

[GTFan]

Works great for CNN. Not 100% reliable but pretty close.

[Fofer]

@Edwin_Perez

On some TVE Channels the regular comskip does a better job for ex WETV. TNT etc ...They do not have those BRB banners.

Is there a setting in Channels DVR where we can manually assign season passes or recordings to use comskip vs. smart ad detection? Or it it automatic and we can just manually run comskip on recordings a second time afterwards?

[racameron]

@Fofer

Or it it automatic and we can just manually run comskip on recordings a second time afterwards?

It is automatic, and cannot be disabled. The channels it runs on is set within the DVR by an internal list, and it is neither user-facing nor editable.

If you are dissatisfied with the commercial markers it provides, you can manually run Comskip on the recording afterwards, but beware that Comskip's detection may be worse, and there is no way to restore the previous "smart" detected commercials after you run Comskip.

[Edwin_Perez]

So the disable Comskip from this channel will not work either ?

[racameron]

You can disable Comskip manually for the channel, but it is unnecessary. If the channel uses the smart detection, Comskip is not run after a recording finishes.

Channels with smart detection essentially have Comskip disabled for them, with the added benefit of a lightweight commercial detection that happens in real-time.

Just like with Channels that you have manually disabled Comskip for, manually choosing to detect commercials on a recording will still run Comskip, regardless of whether it was disabled or not.

[Edwin_Perez]

TVE WETV used the regular comskip not smart ad detection ... It must still be on the do not run list.

Recording for job 1708894926-ch6089 from TVE-Comcast_SSO ch6089 into "TV\S.W.A.T\S.W.A.T. S04E07 2021-01-13 Under Fire 2024-02-25-1302.mpg" for 58m53.2039596s

Running commercial detection on file 6160 (TV\S.W.A.T\S.W.A.T. S04E07 2021-01-13 Under Fire 2024-02-25-1302.mpg)

Commercial detection is perfect no errors marking commercials. This is why I would like to see an OPTION excluding certain Channels from Smart detection which is not always smart.