[finhex]

I think it's good idea to implement new way of search correct position in the video by using Half-interval/binary search algorithm. After this, you can skip backward or forward to limit down the position using binary search halving the skip time with each direction change.

Simple example: I want to find correct position in my video file. Lets assume that position is 275 seconds from start and configured default skip is 100 seconds.

I press button to jump 100 seconds forward. I notice that playback is not in the required position. I press again forward button and it skips another 100 seconds. I can still see that video is not in correct position. I press third time forward button to skip yet more 100 seconds. Then I can see that I skipped too much. And here is trick I want to use binary search to solve my problem - I press backward button and XBMC should skip 50 seconds back. When I see that video skipped too much backwards then I press forward and XBMC should skip 25 seconds forward. Next time when I start search XBMC should start using default initial skip length again.

(I am using XBMC with AppleTV and I started thread regarding this feature first here: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=112514)

[lloydsmart]

What a good idea! I like this.

[dave2384]

If you are using a keyboard you can type in the time where you would like to skip to.

Sorry just noticed you are using an apple tv.

[finhex]

If you are using a keyboard you can type in the time where you would like to skip to.

Sorry just noticed you are using an apple tv.

And even users who have platforms with keyboard can enjoy this functionality because idea is to skip to the location in the video you don't exactly know. For example skipping over commercials or song you don't want to listen etc.

[matmike]

Hey there,

is there any newson this?
I also miss the function that my Topfield PVR has - once you get used to, you don't ever want to miss it ...

THX,
Matthias

[Ned Scott]

For something kind of similar, check out http://kodi.wiki/view/Skip_steps#Additive_skipping

[matmike]

THanks for the reply. I already read about this, but it is much more complicated than the other way. .With additive skipping, you have to calculate, how often you have to press the buttons. With the other kind of skipping, you just change between skip forward and skip backward 'til you reach the correct position. So you only have to press each direction once per jump, the time is calculated by the software.
But I will try the new feature, maybe it is better than it looks to me at the moment.

[MediaPi]

this is like the bisection method for finding zeroes of an equation (mathematics - numerical methods)

this does sound awesome, I can already see this working, I have a question when it skips forward 100 seconds, does it play the video or is the video paused and just shows a still picture?

I think this method would be amazing and would love to see a devleoper take this on

[mvestola]

I have implemented this half-interval / binary skipping as an add-on to Kodi. This add-on named QuickSkip can be downloaded from here:
https://mvestola.github.io/plugin.video.quick.skip/

This QuickSkip add-on is very similar than what Topfield PVR set-top box had as TAP add-on. So the main idea is to skip the recording forward in 180 or 60 second steps as long as you see that the TV show is running again. After that, you can skip backward or forward to find the exact position where the commercials end and the TV show continues.

I actually just moved from Topfield dvb-c PVR set-top box to Raspberry Pi 3 + LibreELEC. I really like Raspberry Pi 3 + Kodi combo but the one thing I was really missing from Topfield world was the fast "binary" skipping. Kodi's default additive skipping was not enough for me, it is very different than the "binary" skipping used in Topfield, so had to implement this myself

Please feel free to try out QuickSkip, I have tested it with LibreELEC 7.0.3 with Kodi version 16.1.