Difference between revisions of "Commercial detection in the UK"

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(ShowAnalyzer)
(ShowAnalyzer)
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==== ShowAnalyzer ====
 
==== ShowAnalyzer ====
  
Place config files here...
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From [http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15051]
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<pre><nowiki>Longest Possible Commercial Segment = 400
 +
Longest Possible Individual Commercial = 120
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Shortest Possible Commercial Segment = 18
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Shortest Possible Show Segment = 57
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[Score Modifiers]
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Length Too Long = 0.1
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Low Probability Length = 1.8
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Length Too Short = 1
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Medium Probability Length If Combined = 1.2
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Medium Probability Length = 1.5
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High Probability Length If Combined = 2
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High Probability Length = 2
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Edge Profile Positive Match = 0.1
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Edge Profile Negative Match = 1
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Edge Profile Unknown Match = 1
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[Options]
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Aggressive Segmentation = 0</nowiki></pre>
  
  
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[[Category:Knowledge Base]]
 
[[Category:Knowledge Base]]
 
[[Category:Commflagging]]
 
[[Category:Commflagging]]
 
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==

Revision as of 11:35, 1 April 2008


Contents

Introduction

This page is to collect users' efforts at detecting commercials (adverts/ads in UK speak) on UK channels.

Ad breaks on UK channels don't follow the same pattern as those in the US, so existing commflagging programs frequently fail to detect breaks.


Ad break patterns

(Put any general info regarding ad break patterns here) Ad breaks on UK channels are usually shorter than in the US, and are usually separated by at least 10 mins of actual programme. (We don't have the same habit of showing a few "teaser" minutes at the start, followed by an ad break).

Ad breaks usually last around 4-5mins on the old "traditional" channels (ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5). (These are sometimes known as "terrestrial" or "analogue" channels as they are the only commercial channels you get on the standard analogue terrestrial service). On "non-terrestrial"/"satellite"/"cable" channels the ad breaks can be much longer (and on some stations LOUDER!).

OFCOM has set general standards for how adverts should be separated from programmes [1] and how much advertising there should be [2] Particulary interesting are the rules in section 5 which are enforced for channels 3-5 (i.e. ITV1,Channel4 and Five).

Approach

There doesn't seem to be any set pattern regarding fading to black, blank pictures, use of logos etc across all the channels. However, analysis of individual channels may reveal patterns that may allow commflagging of that individual channel. For example, Sky One is said succumb to Logo Detection as it doesn't show its logo in ad breaks.

Therefore, this page serves to collect user's successfull settings, observations of patterns, suggestions for potential detection methods ON A CHANNEL BY CHANNEL BASIS.

Commflagging Tools

There are a number of tools available which might be used to provide commflagging.

Mythcommflag

mythcommflag is MythTV's built in commercial flagging program.

The key advantage of mythcommflag is that it is integrated with MythTV and so can insert the detected breaks into the database automatically.

Comskip

Comskip is a Windows based program (originally based on mythcommflag?) used by a number of Windows based PVRs (e.g. GB-PVR) It includes a couple of extra detection methods not provided by mythcommflag. Experiences of Windows users can also be applied to Myth commflagging.

Comskip reportedly will work on Linux under Wine.

ShowAnalyzer

ShowAnalyzer or SA is a commercial/shareware Windows based program. Cost 28/3/08 is US$19.95. SA's author has made attempts at specifically producing UK detection methods and there are a number of user's config files posted on SAs support forum.

ShowAnalyzer reportedly will work on Linux under Wine.


Potential Methods for Ad Break Detection

Put any general methods that might be used here.

Silence Detection

Reportedly there is a UK requirement for a 120ms silence before and after each ad break.

Louder Adverts

According to [3] advertisers often increase the percieved volume of adverts by increasing the compression levels. So a 4-5 min loud section with low dynamic range would be an ad break indicator.

Channel By Channel

ITV Group

ITV 1

Observations of Patterns

With a couple of the ITV channels (can't remember which ones) they have a huge amount of programs sponsored by one or two sponsors (an Insurance Company with a Heavy Blue Logo and an Indian Bottled Beer spring to mind), these sponsors are segwayed (spelling?) as the entry and exit points into the adverts. If we can spot those specific ads they'd be good markers.

Live TV recordings (News, sporting events) provide a black & white box in the top right of the screen to indicate a upcoming break. This is accordingly for syncing regions for adverts. This icon disappears 5 seconds before the channel identity is shown.

ITV1's identity between commercial breaks are silent, Comskip's silence detection should pick up easily on these.

Methods that MIGHT work

Methods that have some success

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Place config files here...

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

Place config files here...

ITV 2

Observations of Patterns

All ITV2 ITV3 and ITV4 remove their coloured logo during commercial breaks, however for promos they leave in place a greyscale semi transparent logo.

With a couple of the ITV channels (can't remember which ones) they have a huge amount of programs sponsored by one or two sponsors (an Insurance Company with a Heavy Blue Logo and an Indian Bottled Beer spring to mind), these sponsors are segwayed (spelling?) as the entry and exit points into the adverts. If we can spot those specific ads they'd be good markers.

Methods that MIGHT work

Methods that have some success

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Place config files here...

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

Place config files here...

ITV 3

Observations of Patterns

All ITV2 ITV3 and ITV4 remove their coloured logo during commercial breaks, however for promos they leave in place a greyscale semi transparent logo.

With a couple of the ITV channels (can't remember which ones) they have a huge amount of programs sponsored by one or two sponsors (an Insurance Company with a Heavy Blue Logo and an Indian Bottled Beer spring to mind), these sponsors are segwayed (spelling?) as the entry and exit points into the adverts. If we can spot those specific ads they'd be good markers.

Methods that MIGHT work

Methods that have some success

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Place config files here...

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

Place config files here...

ITV 4

Observations of Patterns

All ITV2 ITV3 and ITV4 remove their coloured logo during commercial breaks, however for promos they leave in place a greyscale semi transparent logo.

With a couple of the ITV channels (can't remember which ones) they have a huge amount of programs sponsored by one or two sponsors (an Insurance Company with a Heavy Blue Logo and an Indian Bottled Beer spring to mind), these sponsors are segwayed (spelling?) as the entry and exit points into the adverts. If we can spot those specific ads they'd be good markers.

Methods that MIGHT work

Methods that have some success

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Place config files here...

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

Place config files here...



Channel 4 Group

Channel 4

Observations of Patterns

Channel ident at the beginning of commercial breaks is silent for at least a second. Adverts usually have a short silence between them. Promos are shown after the silent channel ident before returning to the program.

Methods that MIGHT work

Early morning programs e.g. Frasier at 8.30am contain a clock in the top left. Could this be used as a logo?

Methods that have some success

  • After several runs with the various flagging methods available in MythTV, simply put, none of them work correctly. The best is Blank Scene detection which can usually pick out a few adverts out of the break.

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Change commmethod on the channel to 1

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

The following settings were posted are from [4]


Longest Possible Commercial Segment = 420
Longest Possible Individual Commercial = 120
Shortest Possible Commercial Segment = 74
Shortest Possible Show Segment = 33
[Score Modifiers]
Length Too Long = 1
Low Probability Length = 1.4
Length Too Short = 1
Medium Probability Length If Combined = 1.4
Medium Probability Length = 1
High Probability Length If Combined = 1.5
High Probability Length = 1.5	
Edge Profile Positive Match = 0.5
Edge Profile Negative Match = 1
Edge Profile Unknown Match = 1
[Options]
Aggressive Segmentation = 1

"This doesnt mark any bits of show as commercial, but doesnt detect all commercial segments or all individual commercials."

E4

Observations of Patterns

Methods that MIGHT work

Early morning programs e.g. Frasier at 8.30am contain a clock in the top left. Could this be used as a logo?

Methods that have some success

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Place config files here...

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

Place config files here...

More4

Observations of Patterns

Most shows have a More4 logo always displayed in the top left which disappears during the ad breaks. The logo is semi-transparent and unfortunately doesn't get detected :(

Methods that MIGHT work

Early morning programs e.g. Frasier at 8.30am contain a clock in the top left. Could this be used as a logo?

Methods that have some success

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Place config files here...

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

Place config files here...

FilmFour

Observations of Patterns

Methods that MIGHT work

Early morning programs e.g. Frasier at 8.30am contain a clock in the top left. Could this be used as a logo?

Methods that have some success

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Place config files here...

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

Place config files here...


Channel 5 Group

Channel 5

Observations of Patterns

Methods that MIGHT work

Methods that have some success

Configurations

Mythcommflag

Place config files here...

Comskip

Place config files here...

ShowAnalyzer

From [5]

Longest Possible Commercial Segment = 400
Longest Possible Individual Commercial = 120
Shortest Possible Commercial Segment = 18
Shortest Possible Show Segment = 57
[Score Modifiers]
Length Too Long = 0.1
Low Probability Length = 1.8
Length Too Short = 1
Medium Probability Length If Combined = 1.2
Medium Probability Length = 1.5
High Probability Length If Combined = 2
High Probability Length = 2
Edge Profile Positive Match = 0.1
Edge Profile Negative Match = 1
Edge Profile Unknown Match = 1
[Options]
Aggressive Segmentation = 0

Links

Commflagging - mythcommflag
[http://www.kaashoek.com/comskip/ ] - Comskip
[http://www.dragonglobal.org/showanalyzer.html ] - ShowAnalyzer