A simple way to remove commercials from recorded DVD's????

[Tiribulus]

Hi Folks,
Maybe I'm missing something, but the only guides I can find are a couple years old and not what I'm looking for. Does anyone know a reasonably simple and fast way to remove commercials/edit DVD videos recorded on a DVD recorder and end up with basically the same disc with the commercials removed? The ones that record DVD's directly to a disc? I don't mean 6 or 8 programs and 20 steps. If it's much more involved than just importing into some program and clipping them out it's more effort than I have the time or inclination for. It's just not worth the hoop jumping of what I've seen in the guides I can find. I want DVD compatible discs recorded from TV with an ILO DVD recorder (05/ZU) minus the commercials. If it's not possible than it's not, but I can't commit a 40 hour week to this. If it's not quick and simple I'll just put up with the commercials.
Thanks,
>>>--Tiribulus->

[yoda313]

Well you could rip the dvd to the computer and use tmpgenc dvd author. With that you could open the dvd folder. From their you can at least insert chapter points to skip ahead of the commercials. It would spit out a new video_ts folder for you to burn with the chapters in place so you can skip them.

I think that would be the fastest.

Or you could rip it the computer and convert to mpg. Then use something like mpg2cut2 and make a new mpg file without commercials and reauthor that.

[Noahtuck]

You can actually use TDA to transfer to .mpg.

And you can use it to cut out unwanted material.

[Tiribulus]

Another fan of my beloved Red Wings. I'm in Redford, as you know also a suburb of Hockeytown Bud.
I'd really like to remove them if possible to free up the space. I've done plenty of work with digital video in general and have done tons of ripping, capturing and editing, but have just bought this set top recorder with which I have zero experience. Also I have never authored a disc in my life just because I never really had a reason to. I know what it does, but not how to do it. Does what you're saying mean clip the vob files and run the results through a program that reprocesses everything so that the ifo/bup files match the vob files again? Usually I've been able to just rename the vob extension to .mpg and most editors work.
Thanks again,
>>>--Tiribulus->

[redwudz]

Another method you might try is the freeware program Comskip. It can work with a video editor like Cuttermaran, also freeware, to somewhat automatically locate commercials and use a video editor to remove them. It requires some setup, but if you can get it to work for you, it might save a lot of time.

EDIT: Renaming a VOB to MPEG will work some of the time, but realize VOBs contain much more than just MPEGs. They can have multiple languages, subtitles, and formatting information for the DVD. You can use a program like VOB2MPG to extract the MPEG component.

[Noahtuck]

All you have to do is rip the dvd you made on your standalone recorder with DVD Decrypter in file mode so you have all the IFO's, VOB's & BUO's in a folder on your hard drive.

You can then open the whole thing in TDA, edit/cut out the ad's, make menu's, set chapter points ect.

Then reauthor it in TDA to a diff. folder on your HDD, then burn back to a new dvdr.

Does not get any easier than that. 8)

[lordsmurf]

Maybe I'm missing something, but the only guides I can find are a couple years old and not what I'm looking for.

The technology on removing commercials (MPEG editors) remains unchanged since 2003. It's a solid method, nothing to be updated. DVD Decrypter rip in IFO mode, edit in Womble or VideoReDo, re-author in your favorite authorware. Easy.

Does anyone know a reasonably simple and fast way to remove commercials/edit DVD videos recorded on a DVD recorder and end up with basically the same disc with the commercials removed?

Read the manual that came with your DVD recorder, if that's what you want. But this ability depends on the recorder, and in all honesty it's sloppy and imprecise.

If it's much more involved than just importing into some program and clipping them out it's more effort than I have the time or inclination for.

Quit now. Just use the FF or >> button on the remote when you hit a commercial. It does not get any lazier than that. We all do it at least part of the time.

[rkr1958]

I do this all the time with some of my TIVO captures. Write to DVD, rip to my PC using DVD Decrypter, open up in TDA, edit out commericals, author and burn.

[FulciLives]

VideoRedo is one of the better MPEG editor's out there and has an auto-sensing feature for detecting TV commercials.

Another very good MPEG editor is MPEG-VCR

Both of these programs will give you FRAME ACCURATE editing.

TMPGEnc DVD Author is a great program and I use it to author my stuff but it can only edit on what is called "I" frames. Each video frame in a MPEG file can be a "I" ... "B" ... or "P" frame ... the "I" frames only happen about once every 15 frames. So TMPGEnc DVD Author is NOT frame accurate editing.

With VideoRedo and MPEG-VCR you can edit at ANY point.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Tiribulus]

Lemme play with Tmpegenc Author for a little while. Everybody keeps mentioning authoring with it as if it's self explanatory which it may be. I'll take a look.
>>>--Tiribulus->

[Tiribulus]

Great, first shot gives me "illegal dolby digital audio stream"

[Denvers Dawgs]

you can just ignore that. I get that sometimes as well, and just ignore it. Dvds play fine in al my dvdplayers and the audio isn't affected on the dvd.

[Tiribulus]

I think the error was because of a long blank spot on a tape to DVD recording I was testing this with. Not actually commercials but editing is editing. I wasn't put off by the idea of having to edit the files, I've been doing that forever. I just didn't want to have to study for a month to get them to work again as a compliant formatted disc. Tmpeg DVD Author IS pretty much idoit proof and fast. I think I've got the hang of it already and it should do the trick.
Thanks for all your help guys.
>>>--Tiribulus->

[FulciLives]

I think the error was because of a long blank spot on a tape to DVD recording I was testing this with. Not actually commercials but editing is editing. I wasn't put off by the idea of having to edit the files, I've been doing that forever. I just didn't want to have to study for a month to get them to work again as a compliant formatted disc. Tmpeg DVD Author IS pretty much idoit proof and fast. I think I've got the hang of it already and it should do the trick.
Thanks for all your help guys.
>>>--Tiribulus->

I totally agree that TMPGEnc DVD Author is a great program and the editing it can do is a very nice "plus" since it is afterall a DVD authoring program and technically does not need to offer editing.

I just wanted to point out that if you need more frame accurate editing then look into VideoRedo and MPEG-VCR as both are easy-to-use and both allow for editing at any frame. Remember that since TMPGEnc DVD Author only allows for "I" frame edits that you are restricted as to where you can edit as "I" frames only happen about once every 15 frames thus making your editing less than frame accurate.

You will find after a while that the "I" frame only editing in TMPGEnc DVD Author becomes "frustrating" when you want to put an edit somewhere but cannot because there is no "I" frame there. VideoRedo and MPEG-VCR are free of such restrictions.

One thing I should note ... and this really isn't a big deal ... but VideoRedo and MPEG-VCR will re-encode a few frames around any "edit points" unless they did happen to be on "I" frames. This is unavoidable and not a big deal as the entire file is not re-encoded ... just a few frames at edit points. Since TMPGEnc DVD Author only allows edits on "I" frames there is absolutely no re-encoding going on at all.

One last thing to note ...

If you capture direct-to-MPEG format there is a very delicate balance there when it comes to A/V sync due to the way direct-to-MPEG capture works (be it software or hardware). Any captured MPEG file should be "processed" first before demuxing or editing. The best way to do this "processing" I speak of is to run the captured file through a function in VideoRedo called "QuickStream Fix" ... after doing that you can safetly edit and/or demux without A/V sync issues.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Beavis]

This discussion highlights one beauty of the console DVD recorders that contain hard drives. On my Pioneer, I can quickly edit out commercials (frame accurate editing as well as I-frame only is available) all while laying on the couch with the remote control. Then you burn only the commercial free stuff. For routine stuff that doesn't require a fancy menu, I never have to go near the computer.

[Tiribulus]

VideoReDo and Tmpg DVD author have turned out to be just what the doctor ordered so far. VideoReDo took me about 2 minutes to pick up. I've used Tmpgenc quite a bit and noticed that the TDA interface is patterened after tmpgenc. I should've played around with authoring before this. I guess the early stints with Maestro and Scenarist left a bad taste in my mouth.
>>>--Tiribulus->

[ktnwin]

Don't know how others do this but I have a DMR_E85H (with HDD), all programs are recorded to HDD first. From there, I can remove commercials, and put chapter points wherever I want. Then watch it (without commercial of course) and burn it to DVD disc.
It's not an automatic process, I have to fast forward to the start/end of commercial and put chapter points there, and later remove all chapters that are commercials.
When I watch it (from HDD), I can also hit CHAPTER button and a chapter point is inserted right at the place that is currently played.
I used to capture TV programs to PC and use PS8 to edit out commercial. Then encode / author the DVD which takes a lot longer.

[lordsmurf]

Be aware of TDA editing issues. It can cause audio-video sync about 2% of the time, maybe more, maybe less. It's very random, and highly obnoxious. So watch out for it.

[Denvers Dawgs]

hmm.....I have used TDA a few times and haven't notice/never new about the sync problem. Got lucky I guess

[lordsmurf]

hmm.....I have used TDA a few times and haven't notice/never new about the sync problem. Got lucky I guess

Use it 100-200 times, with editing, and you'll probably see it 2-3 times at least.

[christopheramos]

I like Video Redo. It's a nice little program to cut and edit. And it easy to use.

[Nelson37]

Lots of ways to do it manually, this does become tedious after a while.

If you haven't tried ComSkip, give it a shot. Totally automated, let it run and you get an edited file on output. A little minor tweaking on setup and it runs about 99% perfect, about equal to human performance over time.

I set black level down, silence level up, and max commercial length increased, all about 20 - 30%.

[robertazimmerman]

Does TDA re-encode the DVD when using this method to cut out commercials? In other words will there be a loss in quality (assuming I rip a single layer DVD).

roberta

[Tiribulus]

hmm.....I have used TDA a few times and haven't notice/never new about the sync problem. Got lucky I guess

Use it 100-200 times, with editing, and you'll probably see it 2-3 times at least.

I don't obviously know, but maybe it's the source files in these instances.

[ZippyP.]

Does TDA re-encode the DVD when using this method to cut out commercials?

No it does not re-encode and it's fast because of that. The disadvantage is that it cuts only at "I" frames.

[Tiribulus]

Does TDA re-encode the DVD when using this method to cut out commercials?

No it does not re-encode and it's fast because of that. The disadvantage is that it cuts only at "I" frames.

One of the guys above was saying that it does rencode a few frames either side of the cut if it's not cut at an I frame, but that it can cut at B and P frames. I have no personal knowledge either way, but thought I'd mention it. Makes sense though.
>>>--Tiribulus->

[lordsmurf]

I don't obviously know, but maybe it's the source files in these instances.

Nope. Files are fine. They'll author flawlessly in anything else.

[FulciLives]

Does TDA re-encode the DVD when using this method to cut out commercials?

No it does not re-encode and it's fast because of that. The disadvantage is that it cuts only at "I" frames.

One of the guys above was saying that it does rencode a few frames either side of the cut if it's not cut at an I frame, but that it can cut at B and P frames. I have no personal knowledge either way, but thought I'd mention it. Makes sense though.
>>>--Tiribulus->

TMPGEnc DVD Author only cuts on "I" frames so as ZippyP. said there is no re-encoding.

Now the other programs, such as VideoRedo and MPEG-VCR, will do some re-encoding at the edit points if the edit points are not "I" frames but only a few frames at the edit points get re-encoded ... no the whole file ... so it ain't no big deal.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[lacywest]

Or get a DVD Recorder with a Hard Drive ... and edit out the commercials ... and then burn to a DVD.

I use the Panasonic EH50 ... I sit on my bed and snip the commercials out.

Just when the commercial begins ... I hit pause ... move back in slow motion and at the right spot ... I hit the "start" button .... fast forward through the commercial ... hit Pause again ... back up slowly until the last frame of the commercial appears and hit ... "end" ... the screen then ... moves to the "next" button ... hit ... enter ... and I shorten the video.

I do this routine ... until all the commercials all gone.

Takes awhile to do this but ... NO Commercials.

[Tiribulus]

I do understand the advantages of a drive enabled recorder, but for me personally I'd rather just let the recording go and edit it on a computer. It gives me unlimited time and grace if I screw up, lets me record without having to worry about if a commercial is coming up and I'm just used to doing things on a computer. Also for things like hockey games I can use one disc per period and start the authoring on one period while the next period is still being played. I'm not knocking recorders with drives, but for me it wouldn't be an attractive solution especially since my recorder cost me 98 bux.
>>>--Tiribulus->