Popcorn Ready - Chrome extension for Kaleidescape users

[OUTATIME]

Yes, I was confused - I meant the Script Writer of course.

I really like to use that for client demos. I like to add cover art to pause the scripts and to explain to the client what comes next and what to look/listen for.
I also like to use "send command to control system" to raise the lighting a bit during my explanations.

That´s awesome. To be honest, this has blocked me somehow from updating a couple of movies yet as I didn´t want to redo my custom demo scenes.

Hm, not really - see screenshot:
View attachment 10282

Oh, interesting. The Trinnov titles do show up in the selection window on the left. I haven't tried adding them to a script though. I'll try to check later why it may show as unavailable in the actual script draft on the right.

Can you explain the "Send Command" feature? I haven't used it. In the webpage, it looks like a simple text box. What are some examples of entries you make in that?

 

[rafaelsmith]

This really makes me wish even more that Kaleidescape offered other ATMOS/DTS/THX demo trailers in addition to the Trinnov ones....even some Loony Tunes type stuff would be cool. While I like the Trinnov demos...they do not seem as authentic to what we used to get in theaters with the Dolby and even THX stuff.

 

[DieZwei]

Can you explain the "Send Command" feature? I haven't used it. In the webpage, it looks like a simple text box. What are some examples of entries you make in that?

Yes, it´s nothing more than the functionality to send an ASCII text to the command system. You can basically define yourself what you sent and then let the command system parse and react on it.
For instance you can use it tell the control system that a script is running and for instance disable some automation you usually run during normal watching. Or you just send "light 40%" to tell the control system to raise the light a bit for explanations inbetween scenes as I mentioned above so that I don´t stand in darkness during my explanations.

 

[Edgar]

Glad it's working for you! I think you're talking about the Script Writer here, correct? I know scripts aren't super popular and I wasn't sure if people use any of those other steps like a blank screen or cover art so I deliberately kept it simple and left them out...at least on V1.

But you mentioned Scenes, so I should probably talk a bit about the Scene Shot List as well. If you have user scenes that you don't want to lose I would recommend coming into this screen and clicking the button to "Fill Missing Timing". This will ask you which player to use and it will briefly start each user scene that doesn't have a start time recorded yet in its metadata. That way, in the future, if that user scene gets removed (most likely during a movie update) then you can come back into the Scene Shot List and you'll see that the scene is now missing. But since we have the start time and duration, we can attempt to reshoot the scene. If you start a scene reshoot and the total runtime of the movie matches the old total runtime of the movie that we observed, then it will recommend an auto reshoot. Popcorn Ready will ask which player to use and it will automate the process of playing the movie and finding the start time and then starting the new scene, playing for the correct duration, and then ending the scene. Then it will rename the scene back to what we had archived in our Scene Shot List.

Then, if you had used that user scene in any scripts, go into the Script Writer and find the script and you should see that step was unavailable. But you can now click Rewrite and it should repair your script and update it to use the new scene that you just reshot in the step above.


All of that being said.....there aren't direct API calls to do this functionality so I'm attempting to do it by automating the player. There are a lot of variables in the Kaleidescape systems and your individual theaters/viewing rooms so this is likely to be somewhat brittle for some of you.

JFC. This is literally my top feature request from Kaleidescape. I'm running this now, reading 56 scenes' start times.

As for Scripts, I do use the cover art as well, it's a unique K feature that gives a bit more of a curated feel to my scripts. I also replace all the art with consistent art based on the original 1-sheets, or in the case of most modern movies, their teasers or IMAX posters, since I strongly dislike the row-of-heads look that started with Sneakers. That's not art, that's contractual marketing. In any event, I'd vote for including the cover art in your Script Writer feature.

 

[Edgar]

This really makes me wish even more that Kaleidescape offered other ATMOS/DTS/THX demo trailers in addition to the Trinnov ones....even some Loony Tunes type stuff would be cool. While I like the Trinnov demos...they do not seem as authentic to what we used to get in theaters with the Dolby and even THX stuff.

I completely agree with this. Additionally I don't have a Trinnov AVR, so it's not authentic to my theater to play them.

I do have the Atmos and THX demo trailers on my Plex, and do play them in special playlists I've created for the theatrical Star Wars cuts. Here's my Jedi playlist for example. I play it through Infuse on my ATV, since it's smoother with the transitions and can play back the 4K file without issues.

 

[rafaelsmith]

I completely agree with this. Additionally I don't have a Trinnov AVR, so it's not authentic to my theater to play them.

I do have the Atmos and THX demo trailers on my Plex, and do play them in special playlists I've created for the theatrical Star Wars cuts. Here's my Jedi playlist for example. I play it through Infuse on my ATV, since it's smoother with the transitions and can play back the 4K file without issues.

View attachment 10285

I also have something similar but on Zidoo.

Just wish it were possible to have pre-rolls on Kaliedescape.

 

[DieZwei]

I just executed the "Fill Missing Timing" on my system.
It reported 54 scenes. After the first run, it still reported 5 scenes missing. With another run, I´m down to 2 scenes now. Both are with "The Greatest Showmen" which seems to cause issues:


The first one "Demo - Intro" starts with timestamp 0:00 right at the beginning of the movie. Might be the issue?

 

[OUTATIME]

I just executed the "Fill Missing Timing" on my system.
It reported 54 scenes. After the first run, it still reported 5 scenes missing. With another run, I´m down to 2 scenes now. Both are with "The Greatest Showmen" which seems to cause issues:
View attachment 10286

The first one "Demo - Intro" starts with timestamp 0:00 right at the beginning of the movie. Might be the issue?

I can try making a zero timestamp start on that movie when I get home tonight.

 

[OUTATIME]

And if that doesn’t work for me to recreate then maybe you can share the scene

 

[OUTATIME]

JFC. This is literally my top feature request from Kaleidescape. I'm running this now, reading 56 scenes' start times.

As for Scripts, I do use the cover art as well, it's a unique K feature that gives a bit more of a curated feel to my scripts. I also replace all the art with consistent art based on the original 1-sheets, or in the case of most modern movies, their teasers or IMAX posters, since I strongly dislike the row-of-heads look that started with Sneakers. That's not art, that's contractual marketing. In any event, I'd vote for including the cover art in your Script Writer feature.I REALLY

I REALLY wish Kaleidescape could fix the user scene issue so they don’t get deleted on updates. They could do it much better than I can by baking similar logic into the movie update process. If runtime of new movie matches, recreate the scene with same start time and duration. The key missing piece is that they need to store start times on the scenes.

 

[lujan]

Can you provide more details about what antivirus you are using and what exactly it is flagging?

My hunch is because the Windows package is unsigned currently. I need to sign up for another paid service with Azure to be able to sign this Windows package. I hope to do that soon. In the meantime you can choose whether to install the unsigned Windows package or wait until I can get setup to sign this package with Azure. That may be a few days...not sure how long the process takes.

For Mac users, both of the Mac packages are already signed and notarized as I can do that through my Apple dev account.

I did on each occasion choose to "Keep anyway" which is a choice for an unsigned package, but it didn't work. I'm not in any hurry so I'll wait until you finish setting it up with Azure.

 

[OUTATIME]

I did on each occasion choose to "Keep anyway" which is a choice for an unsigned package, but it didn't work. I'm not in any hurry so I'll wait until you finish setting it up with Azure.

Got approved for Azure signing. I will try to get it setup in my workflow when I get home tonight.

 

[OUTATIME]

Got approved for Azure signing. I will try to get it setup in my workflow when I get home tonight.

Well...there were about 5 more hoops to jump through on the Azure side and now I'm stuck waiting for Identity Validation to come back and I'm reading that it may take 1-7 business days....so we will see. Once that comes back then I believe I'll be ready to create a new release of the local helper and the Windows package will be signed and that should make the antivirus applications happy.

 

[DieZwei]

And if that doesn’t work for me to recreate then maybe you can share the scene

The scene is in the screenshot I provided, I called it "Demo - Intro".

 

[OUTATIME]

OK, plan of action is below:

1. I'll resolve the issue where I can't archive user scenes starting at 0:00. I probably also need to handle this scenario in the scene reshoot functionality because currently the automated process tries to advance to 5-10 seconds prior to the scene start time and hit play so that it is nice and smooth when it sends the begin scene command. (There is not any Kaleidescape command to advance to a specific time unfortunately)
2. I'll enhance script writer to handle all of the other types of steps such as play movie, blank screen, cover art, and control system commands.
3. Once I get signing authority from Azure Artifact Signing, I'll release a new Local Helper version that will be signed for Windows. This should keep AV programs happy and shouldn't warn you about installing a program from an unknown publisher.


These fixes will require a release of both the Chrome extension as well as the local helper. If I have both #1 and #2 done and working on my system, I may move ahead with a new release even in #3 is still pending. So there's a chance you may see 1 more local helper release that is unsigned for Windows. Sorry about that!

In the meantime, if anybody has any other feedback that will be appreciated. If other issues are found I can wrap them into this next release as well.

Really curious if anybody has a good use for the subtitle player in browser. My two examples I thought of were foreign language subtitles that aren't provided on the Kaleidescape movie file and subtitles for 1 person in an audience without putting them up on the theater screen.

 

[DieZwei]

Really curious if anybody has a good use for the subtitle player in browser. My two examples I thought of were foreign language subtitles that aren't provided on the Kaleidescape movie file and subtitles for 1 person in an audience without putting them up on the theater screen.

I was actually thinking about similar use-cases as the next big feature for the madVR Envy videoprocessor will be dynamic subtitle handling. To be able to do that, the Envy needs to cut them out and place them back into the video image. As it is cut out anyway, it could potentially be also displayed somewhere else and not back into the image.
At the beginning, I thought that was a brilliant idea. However, thinking about it more, I didn´t really found a real compelling real-world use-case.
I think outputting subtitles anywhere else outside the actual screen would be just to distracting as you can really follow the image on the screen anymore. I find that already difficult when they are displayed inside the actual movie content.

 

[OUTATIME]

I was actually thinking about similar use-cases as the next big feature for the madVR Envy videoprocessor will be dynamic subtitle handling. To be able to do that, the Envy needs to cut them out and place them back into the video image. As it is cut out anyway, it could potentially be also displayed somewhere else and not back into the image.
At the beginning, I thought that was a brilliant idea. However, thinking about it more, I didn´t really found a real compelling real-world use-case.
I think outputting subtitles anywhere else outside the actual screen would be just to distracting as you can really follow the image on the screen anymore. I find that already difficult when they are displayed inside the actual movie content.

I kind of agree. I tried with my laptop on my knees so the subtitles are basically at the bottom of the theater screen in the distance. That works fairly well, but it's still a different focal length so not as good as them being on the screen if you need them. I don't really love subtitles on the screen though and only use them if I'm watching a foreign language film as I far prefer subtitles vs a dubbed audio track.


For Popcorn Ready, I have no access to the actual subtitles in the movie files either. So this is a "bring your own .SRT" solution. That's why my first instinct for an actual use case was subtitles in a language that isn't provided in the Kaleidescape file.

And I am very excited about DSO on MadVR for foreign language films that I watch. Adjusting the luminance, color, and size are great options.

 

[OUTATIME]

OK, plan of action is below:

1. I'll resolve the issue where I can't archive user scenes starting at 0:00. I probably also need to handle this scenario in the scene reshoot functionality because currently the automated process tries to advance to 5-10 seconds prior to the scene start time and hit play so that it is nice and smooth when it sends the begin scene command. (There is not any Kaleidescape command to advance to a specific time unfortunately)
2. I'll enhance script writer to handle all of the other types of steps such as play movie, blank screen, cover art, and control system commands.
3. Once I get signing authority from Azure Artifact Signing, I'll release a new Local Helper version that will be signed for Windows. This should keep AV programs happy and shouldn't warn you about installing a program from an unknown publisher.


These fixes will require a release of both the Chrome extension as well as the local helper. If I have both #1 and #2 done and working on my system, I may move ahead with a new release even in #3 is still pending. So there's a chance you may see 1 more local helper release that is unsigned for Windows. Sorry about that!

In the meantime, if anybody has any other feedback that will be appreciated. If other issues are found I can wrap them into this next release as well.

Really curious if anybody has a good use for the subtitle player in browser. My two examples I thought of were foreign language subtitles that aren't provided on the Kaleidescape movie file and subtitles for 1 person in an audience without putting them up on the theater screen.

OK, items #1 and #2 should now be resolved once you upgrade to Chrome extension version 3.03 and Local Helper version 3.05. Please let me know if these still don't work on your end.

Please note that the Windows package is still unsigned. I'm still waiting on Microsoft to complete the identity validation for Azure Artifact Signing so that I can sign the package correctly.

 

[OUTATIME]

OK, items #1 and #2 should now be resolved once you upgrade to Chrome extension version 3.03 and Local Helper version 3.05. Please let me know if these still don't work on your end.

Please note that the Windows package is still unsigned. I'm still waiting on Microsoft to complete the identity validation for Azure Artifact Signing so that I can sign the package correctly.

Local Helper version 3.0.6 is now uploaded and it is now SIGNED for Windows as well.

 

[cardsdoc]

At some point I could now make an iOS app if there's demand. There was enough advances in the latest official iOS app that I'm not sure if it's worthwhile though. But I'm officially signed up as an Apple dev now and have access to the necessary Kaleidescape APIs, so it's all doable.

This would be great if you had the ability and time to do so. Popcorn Ready still has significantly better sorting ability when searching for a movie to watch. It would also make it super easy to airplay to an ATV so everyone can see movie options on the big screen without needing my laptop. I don't know what other's situations are but I have ~500 movies and a stand alone V so no easy way for the family/friends to gather in front of the big screen and scroll through movie options. I would think with the now lower cost players but still very expensive servers my situation would not be uncommon.