Clearplay-like (content filter) module exists?

[Vaselinessa]

Does anyone know of a module resembling the following description?

I'm interested in finding a module that adds a feature similar to Clearplay DVD players, to wit, objectionable content is filtered out of the viewing experience. In addition to the media file to be played, the user supplies a filter file, which instructs the media player to skip video or mute the audio for certain segments.

Ideally, users would be able to create their own simple filter files and share them so that a wide audience could view cleaned-up versions of DVDs (or any media) on their computer. (My trouble with the Clearplay company is their limited selection of filters. They make money off of subscriptions to download their filters, so there's no community of people creating and sharing massive filter libraries.)

If you don't know of such a module already in existence? Do you have any suggestions about the creation of such a module+community? Seriously, from a technical standpoint, I need to know where to start. I've gone through a number of the pages in the developer's corner wiki, but I'm at a loss. I don't know what language this is written in. I'm willing to learn, but the only compiled languages I've ever learned are java and actionscript.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

There nothing like that in VLC at the moment. Censoring audio/video signal at specified time would be relatively simple. But you seem to want to seek past some sequences, which is not so straightforward as it probably needs to be deeply integrated with the synchronization code

However, I doubt that the community would very actively work on the boring part, which is to say the per-title filter files.

[rogerdpack]

Related projects you may be interested in:

https://github.com/rdp/sensible-cinema (mine)
http://code.google.com/p/movie-content-editor
Cheers!

[pcnoevil]

I started using PowerDVD 8 a few years ago to create move "Remixes" for DVDs. Now the Remix feature reportedly works with Blu-rays in PowerDVD 12. It would be nice if it also worked with 3D Blu-rays, but I don't know yet- I'm having trouble getting the PowerDVD 12 trial to work myself.

My sister and I have created a number of Remixes for popular movies circa 2009, with a few older titles as well. Those are available for free download on http://pcnoevil.org although I haven't tested them on PowerDVD 12- only older versions. I'm trying to start a community of editors and viewers through that website who can find ways to provide means for one another to watch edited content using any technology, but the main focus at least right now is for watching edited content using a PC. I'd appreciate your input and participation if you're willing! This goes for all posters in this thread.

[rogerdpack]

Related projects you may be interested in:

https://github.com/rdp/sensible-cinema (mine)
http://code.google.com/p/movie-content-editor
Cheers!

Looks like there's also zoomplayer max, and your mentioned powerdvd remixes, xbmc (EDL's), and mplayer/smplayer (with EDL's),

[rogerdpack]

I read here: http://forums.gbpvr.com/showthread.php? ... post425596 that you may be able to convert EDL to CHAP and VLC use that. Anybody know more about this? what is chap? how does vlc use it, et al? Thanks!

[natefp]

Has any work been done on this? Just decoding the subtitles and automatically muting any words in a predetermined list would be invaluable. TV Guardian does this, but only works with closed captions. If people could play their DVD's (that only have SDH subtitles) using VLC with a TVG-like function, that would be awesome!

[Vaselinessa]

By the time these positive replies started coming in, I was already well on my way to building my own filtration system with (I think) better features than I have seen elsewhere. In my upcoming system, a user can use VLC to create a filter file (which can be shared with others), manually designating mutes, seeks, and blackout-rectangles to avoid objectionable content. I hope to be done by the end of the year, then turn some testers loose on it for a little while. If they like it, I'll release it for free, and link to it from here.

I have not, however, make use of EDL's or scanning closed-captions. As for the latter, because CC syncs up as entire lines of speech instead of individual words, I should think that using it to trigger a muted period would entail that entire lines of speech be lost, which is not worth the effort, when all objectionable content can be blocked with user-built filters. Automation would be great, but it would only address what I see as a portion of objectionable content. Thoughts?

[rogerdpack]

By the time these positive replies started coming in, I was already well on my way to building my own filtration system with (I think) better features than I have seen elsewhere. In my upcoming system, a user can use VLC to create a filter file (which can be shared with others), manually designating mutes, seeks, and blackout-rectangles to avoid objectionable content. I hope to be done by the end of the year, then turn some testers loose on it for a little while. If they like it, I'll release it for free, and link to it from here.

Are you using libvlc? http://code.google.com/p/movie-content-editor uses it...

I have not, however, make use of EDL's or scanning closed-captions. As for the latter, because CC syncs up as entire lines of speech instead of individual words, I should think that using it to trigger a muted period would entail that entire lines of speech be lost, which is not worth the effort, when all objectionable content can be blocked with user-built filters. Automation would be great, but it would only address what I see as a portion of objectionable content. Thoughts?

Yeah I started out my system that way--turned out that after awhile, it is sooo convenient to get it to auto-scan the subtitles. It usually only cuts out "one subtitles' worth" which typically doesn't hurt overall flow terribly. You could, for instance, go through and "tighten up" the timings later, after a first pass that's automated. Another idea is to try and mute the "last half" of the subtitle time frame, if the profanity is at the end, etc.

Also I'd be happy to contribute a build of VLC that has DVD timings that are consistent with reality (today's are rather random, based only on DVD sectors, not on wall time at all), if it would help. DVD timings typically differ from actual movie timings by some fixed time at the beginning (typically 0.2 s?) and then by a difference of 29.97 fps to 30 fps, just so you're aware.

[rogerdpack]

See also http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/ticket/3644 maybe we could all pitch in and pay j-b to code it up, I'd be happy to pitch in $150

[atholon]

I am very interested in working on a project like this. I'd like to create a social framework where individuals can create filters and share them with their frieinds that have the same moral standards. If any of you would like help I'm willing.

[argentum2f]

This would be great, I've often thought about trying to start a project like this, but I'm not sure I have enough coding experience to accomplish it well. It might be nice if someone could decode the clearplay files as well, so people with a subscription to them could use their filters with vlc. I will be happy to help with testing and creating filters when the time comes.

[cptcam]

enjoymoviesyourway.com is a downloadable movie filtering software that allows you to edit your own movie filters. The community aspect is currently not available for sharing filters, but will be available in the future. It does have a monthly fee for commercial filters and the sharing but it is just what you specified.

[rogerdpack]

enjoymoviesyourway.com is a downloadable movie filtering software that allows you to edit your own movie filters. The community aspect is currently not available for sharing filters, but will be available in the future. It does have a monthly fee for commercial filters and the sharing but it is just what you specified.

Good, I hope there will be a "free" option to just use community driven shared filters someday, and thanks for taking any legal flack for me before I start my own
-roger-

[Vaselinessa]

Sorry for falling off the boards the last several months. Work has been hectic.

Anyway, I finished. Here's the source: https://github.com/Vaselinessa/moviesoap. Just follow the instrucitons in the Readme. (Apply the patch file, then compile.)

I also put up a website which contains instructions on how to make, use, and share filters with this new feature. You should also be able to upload your filters to the website and share them with others. http://moviesoap.org.

Feel free to participate by adding to the project. A few things that remain to be done:
- support for Mac (the current feature is built into the Qt4 interface; i have no counterpart for Cocoa)
- compile a Windows 64-bit version

[argentum2f]

Thanks for doing this, I will test it out and try and make some filters. I'll pass the word on to some others I know who have wanted something like this. We've actually talked about doing are own project like this before. If we could build this into a community project than it would be so much nicer than clearplay and other similar commercial solutions.

[rogerdpack]

Sorry for falling off the boards the last several months. Work has been hectic.

Anyway, I finished. Here's the source: https://github.com/Vaselinessa/moviesoap. Just follow the instrucitons in the Readme. (Apply the patch file, then compile.)

I also put up a website which contains instructions on how to make, use, and share filters with this new feature. You should also be able to upload your filters to the website and share them with others. http://moviesoap.org.

Feel free to participate by adding to the project. A few things that remain to be done:
- support for Mac (the current feature is built into the Qt4 interface; i have no counterpart for Cocoa)
- compile a Windows 64-bit version

Looks nice...nice project!

My initial thought for how to control vlc had been to just "wrap" libvlc and then monitor the current playback time (for instance, if timeframe is between such and such seconds, then "add" a black overlay filter, adjust volume, etc.)

Another option might be a lua plugin that does the same.

Your way might work as well. You might also be able to distribute a dll with appropriate added filters, etc. as well...
also distributing windows vlc binaries would be nice... (update, I see you do have some there already, nice)!

i'd say in general it could be improved with more/better step by step instructions as to what's happening, how to make it work, etc. Maybe even a screencast? Even after reading through it I was a bit confused...

Anyway just some thoughts there.
Also NB that the timing signatures for VLC playing DVD's are off:
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=81879
I hope someday help contribute to some shared library also...
Good luck and best wishes!
-roger-

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Sorry for falling off the boards the last several months. Work has been hectic.

Anyway, I finished. Here's the source: https://github.com/Vaselinessa/moviesoap. Just follow the instrucitons in the Readme. (Apply the patch file, then compile.)

I also put up a website which contains instructions on how to make, use, and share filters with this new feature. You should also be able to upload your filters to the website and share them with others. http://moviesoap.org.

Feel free to participate by adding to the project. A few things that remain to be done:
- support for Mac (the current feature is built into the Qt4 interface; i have no counterpart for Cocoa)
- compile a Windows 64-bit version

Why did you build that inside the Qt4 interface?

[rogerdpack]

OK I found a lua "cutlist" extension mentioned here: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=119310 FWIW

[arrietaeguren]

Just working on a similar project https://github.com/fcinema/vlc-plugin. Basic features are movie auto-recognition, configurable filters and open movie-content database created by users.

All collab is appreciated!

[BASiQ]

So, I was a huge supporter of all your efforts to make a skip/mute/clean/filter solution, but none of them quite did what I wanted. It just so happens that my brother and I are extremely diverse coders as well as graphic artists and web designers. We are usually very, very busy but came into some down time and decided to take a crack at the whole family-filter for backed-up videos.

As a result we bring you the VLClean Player. An advanced video player that skips, jumps and mutes any video type VLC can play. We have really only really stress tested it with AVI, MKV and MP4 as those are most popular today but it should work with most if not all video files. It also works over the network flawlessly in-case you were thinking about building a Raspberry Pi VLClean PC like I am.

Check it out at VLCleanPlayer.com and tell your friends. It's really something we all could use.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Can we merge that?

[BASiQ]

the base functions could probably be used, they are just using the http commands to do most of the work, however all the actual skipping and muting is being done in Autoit and the offset generation is using bass.dll. None of the code is anything you would be able to use verbatim. It would pretty much need to be rebuilt from scratch in whatever autoit is coded in.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

TOo bad.

[methodicjon]

TOo bad.

I agree, this is a shame.

Jean-Baptiste, I'm looking to find a platform independent solution that would allow content filtering on films.

e.g. I'd love to show my son Jurassic Park, with just a few alterations (I count 13) such as removal of soft profanity (d@mn, sh1t, h3ll, g0dd@m1t, b1tch) and a few graphic scenes such as when people are eaten.

I would my solution to center around VLC. Given your position and wisdom, do you have any modern recommendation on this old topic. Several of the packages listed earlier in this thread are well aged.

Ideally, it would be great to leverage a built-in component of VLC player that would work on both Windows, Mac (and the reach... iOS).


Thank you