NOTE: Several of the non-alphanumeric characters do not copy and paste correctly.  If you have any problems (especially with the RunExternal actions), check that the quotes and dashes are correct.  Thanks to Steve for pointing that out in the comments.

Tools Used

• SageTV: records TV shows
• DVRMSToolbox: monitors recording folder and orchestrates conversion
  • SageTV Web Interface: provides metadata to DVRMSToolbox
  • ComSkip or ShowAnalyzer: finds commercials in TV show files for DTb
• mencoder (bundled with mplayer): removes commercials
• Handbrake: converts to h.264/aac in mp4 container
• AtomicParsley: writes metadata to mp4
• MoveOut: puts converted files in the “right” place

My Files

• “Convert to Zune/iPod/iPhone” Profile
• “Add to iTunes” Javascript (NOTE: I have tested this as a standalone script, but it is not incorporated into the workflow below)

Step 1: Installation and SageTV

Obviously, you need to have all of the above tools installed and SageTV configured and running and recording shows.  DVRMSToolbox (DTb) should be running and monitoring the SageTV recorded TV folder(s).

Step 2: Setup the DTb Profile

The problem I experienced with mencoder was due to the stdout mucking up DTb.  Turns out DTb has a RunExternalNoStatus action that ignores the output, thus obviating the problem.  Using this action for AtomicParsley sped up that app’s processing by tenfold (due to the huge amount of output of AP).  So, as a general rule, if you have having trouble getting an external app to run well (or at all) in DTb, try RunExternalNoStatus.

Now, for the meat of the process.  DTb orchestrates the various external applications.  The logical flow is:

1. Scan the TV show file for commercials.
2. Use mencoder to create a new TV show file without the commercials.
3. Use Handbrake to convert the file from MPEG to MP4 (h.264/AAC).
4. Use AtomicParsley to write metadata to the MP4 file (e.g., show, episode, air date, etc.).
5. Use DTb to rename the show to a friendly format (e.g., “Fringe – 2008-12-03 – Safe.mp4″).
6. Use MoveOut to move the shows to the correct folders (if necessary).

As implemented, here are the Actions and parameters:

1. FWThrottle: limit the number of files that are processed simultaneously
   1. UseDefaultSettings: <checked>
   2. ContextFile: InputFile
   3. Throttle: Checked
   4. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
2. CreateTimeout: sets a timeout – trust me, the first time mencoder hangs on “Dora the Explorer” and you don’t have “Lost” waiting for you in the morning like you were expecting, you’ll be glad.
   1. Timeout Minutes: 240
   2. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
3. ChangeContextValue: create a new context to store the location of the commercial file created by ComSkip/SA
   1. SourceContext: InputFile
   2. TargetContext: SageEDLFile
   3. CreateNewContext: <checked>
   4. NewContextName: SageEDLFile
   5. FindRegex: ^((.*\\)(.*)\.(.*))\z
   6. ReplaceRegex: $2$3.edl
   7. ContinueOnFail: <checked> (it’s OK to keep going if we fail for some reason – we just won’t get commercials cut out)
4. ChangeContextValue: update OutputFile context to allow for MP4 extension
   1. SourceContext: OutputFile
   2. TargetContext: OutputFile
   3. CreateNewContext: <unchecked>
   4. FindRegex: ^((.*\\)(.*)\.(.*))\z
   5. ReplaceRegex: $2$3.mp4
   6. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
5. ChangeContextValue: create a new context to specify location of the resulting commercial-free MPEG file
   1. SourceContext: OutputFile
   2. TargetContext: CutMpegFile
   3. CreateNewContext: <checked>
   4. NewContextName: CutMpegFile
   5. FindRegex: ^((.*\\)(.*)\.(.*))\z
   6. ReplaceRegex: $2$3.mpg
   7. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
6. FindCommercials: run ComSkip/SA to find commercials and write to EDL file
   1. UseDefaultSettings: <checked>
   2. ContextFile: InputFile
   3. ContinueOnFail: <checked> (again, worst case is we have commercials in the final MP4 file)
7. RunExternalNoStatus: run mencoder to cut out commercials
   1. ProcessName: <fullpath>\mencoder.exe
   2. ReadError: <unchecked>
   3. ArgumentsContext: “%InputFile%” -edl “%SageEDLFile%” -oac copy -ovc copy -of mpeg -o “%CutMpegFile%.mpg” -mpegopts muxrate=36000 -quiet
   4. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
8. RunExternalNoStatus: run Handbrake to convert to MP4
   1. ProcessName: <fullpath\handbrakeCLI.exe
   2. ReadError: <unchecked>
   3. ArgumentsContext: <experiment with the Handbrake GUI using a sample file to get the settings you want>
   4. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
9. MigrateMetadataToContext: workaround to get a nicely formatted “original air date”
   1. Metadata Pattern: %originalAirDate%
   2. TargetContext: OutputFile
   3. CreateNewContext: <checked>
   4. NewContextName: DateAndEpisode
   5. FindRegex: ((\d+-)+\d+)
   6. ReplaceRegex: $1
   7. ContinueOnFail: <unchecked>
10. RunExternalNoStatus: run AtomicParsley to add basic metadata to MP4
    1. Processname: <fullpath>\AtomicParsley.exe
    2. ReadError: <unchecked>
    3. ArgumentsContext: “%OutputFile%” –genre “TV Shows” –stik “TV Show” –TVNetwork %channelName% –TVShowName “%Title%” –TVEpisode “%episode%” –description “%description%” –category=”%category%”
    4. ContinueOnFail: <checked> (no need to crash just for the metadata)
11. AdvancedFileRename: rename the output file to something meaningful
    1. ContextFile: OutputFile
    2. NamePattern: %Title% – %originalAirDate% – %episode%
    3. WhenFileExists: AppendGuid
12. FileOperation: delete temporary MPEG file
    1. ContextFile: CutMpegFile
    2. DestinationPath: <blank>
    3. WhatOperation: Delete
13. FileOperation: move MP4 to the output directory
    1. ContextFile: OutputFile
    2. DestinationPath: <destination directory>
    3. WhatOperation: Move

Step 3: Move the files

I use MoveOut to then put some files in the kids’ directory, some in the wife’s Zune directory, and some in my directory.  You could do this all with DTb, but I find it easier to use a separate app.

What’s Next?

Zune users are all set – the ZMP automatically monitors folders, so the next time you sync your Zune, it will pick up the new MP4 files.  iPod/iPhone users, however, have to manually import the folder prior to each sync.  There are two options for getting around this.  First, you can add an extra “RunExternal” action that runs a Javascript to import the files into iTunes (available in the linked download, courtesy of Coyote).  Second, you can try to get the iTunes Library Updater to work, although there are mixed results with iTunes 7+.  I don’t have iTunes installed on my SageTV server, so this isn’t really an issue for me.

jelwood is working on an alternate approach using Quicktime chapters instead of actually cutting out the commercials.  Because not every medium I am watching these on supports Quicktime chapters (including SageTV and the Zune), I am sticking with the mencoder route.  However, this is a better option if storage space is not an issue or you have problems with ComSkip/SA getting the commercials “not quite right”.

Also, jelwood has created a patched version of AtomicParsley that allows you to set the sort order to the original air date.  I include the air date in my titles out of preference, so this is not necessary for me, but incorporating this is trivial.

Anything else?

EDIT (2009-03-18): DTb 1.2.1.6 added the MigrateMetadataToContext, which makes it easier to format the original air date to a friendlier format.

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FindRegex: ^((.*\\)(.*)\.(.*))\z

ReplaceRegex:

• $1 = E:\Recorded TV\subdir\another one\Dirty Sexy Money_WJLA-DT_10_10_2007_22_00_01.dvr-ms
• $2 = E:\Recorded TV\subdir\another one\
• $3 = Dirty Sexy Money_WJLA-DT_10_10_2007_22_00_01
• $4 = dvr-ms

So, if you want to change the extension, the ReplaceRegex value would be:

$2$3.wmv

If you want to change the path, the ReplaceRegex would be:

C:\New Path\$3.$4

I don’t suggest using this to change the filename (use the AdvancedFileRename Action instead). However, if you insist, the ReplaceRegex would be:

$2$3 (FIXED).$4

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Profiles are the brains behind the DVR-MS processing and conversion performed by DTb. Profiles are stored as individual files in the C:\Program Files\DVRMSToolbox\Profiles directory.

This tutorial will walk you through the building and executing a basic Profile that renames the input file. The screenshots are from Windows XP, but apply equally to Windows Media Center 2005 and Windows Vista.

First, open DVRMStoMPEGGUI from the Start menu.

Select Tools then Settings from the menu to bring up the DVRMSToolboxSettings window (you can also run this directly from the Start menu).

Click the New Profile button to bring up the Profile dialog.

Enter a short name with no spaces in Name and a longer description (spaces OK) in Description.

· The Name field is used to set the filename. Make sure the value you use here is not already in use in the C:\Program Files\DVRMSToolbox\Profiles directory. If you use a value that is the same as a file name (minus the “dpc” extension), it will overwrite the existing file.

· The Description field is displayed in the DVRMSToolboxSettings window. Duplicates are OK, but it makes it very hard to tell which Profile you are executing.

Click the Add button to bring up the NewPlugin (Action selection) window.

Select Durrant.Plugins.AdvancedFileRename, and then click the Select button to bring up the Configure dialog.

Set the ContextFile field to InputFile, and click the OK button.

Click the Save button in the Profile dialog.

Click the Save button in the DVRMSToolboxSettings window.

In the DVRMSToolboxGUI window, double click in the Input File textbox to bring up the File dialog. Select a DVR-MS file.

Enter any valid path and any filename in the Output File textbox (it doesn’t matter for this Profile, because it only modifies the input file).

Select your new Profile from the Profile drop-down listbox.

Click the Run button. The output will be displayed in the window, and, when the Profile is done executing, a confirmation dialog will display asking if you want to save the output to a log file.

Now, when you check the filename of the InputFile, you will see the Title – Episode – Air Date, instead of the default Windows Media Center filename.

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