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Media Monitoring Tool

📦 Source Code: - MMT Windows Forms on GitHub - MMT MAUI (Cross-platform) on GitHub

Overview

MMT (Media Monitoring Tool) is a Windows desktop application designed to find video fragments within larger videos. It's primarily used for detecting commercials, advertisements, intros, outros, or any specific video segments within broadcast recordings or video collections. Unlike DVS which compares whole videos, MMT specializes in locating where specific clips appear within longer content.

Key Features

  • Fragment Detection: Find short video clips within long recordings
  • Batch Processing: Search multiple fragments in multiple videos
  • Advertisement Monitoring: Detect and track commercial appearances
  • Timeline Visualization: See exactly when fragments appear
  • Media Preview: Built-in player for reviewing detections
  • Export Capabilities: Save results in CSV format
  • Database Support: Build libraries of fragments for repeated searches

User Interface

Main Components

  1. Media Player: Preview videos and detections
  2. Broadcast Dump Tab: Manage videos to search within
  3. Ads/Fragments Tab: Manage video fragments to search for
  4. Results Tab: View detection results and statistics
  5. Settings Tab: Configure search parameters
  6. Status Bar: Monitor processing progress

How to Use

Basic Workflow

  1. Add Broadcast Content:
  2. Use "Broadcast dump" tab
  3. Add files or folders containing full-length videos

  4. These are the videos you'll search within

  5. Add Fragments:

  6. Switch to "Ads/fragments" tab
  7. Add commercials, intros, or clips to find

  8. Can add individual files or folders

  9. Configure Settings:

  10. Set detection sensitivity
  11. Choose processing options

  12. Configure output preferences

  13. Process:

  14. Click "Process" to start analysis
  15. MMT generates fingerprints for all content

  16. Searches for each fragment in each broadcast

  17. Review Results:

  18. View detections in the Results tab
  19. See timestamps and confidence scores
  20. Preview matches in the media player

Use Cases

1. Commercial Detection

  • Monitor TV recordings for specific advertisements
  • Track commercial frequency and placement
  • Generate reports for advertising analytics

2. Content Monitoring

  • Find copyrighted content in uploads
  • Detect unauthorized use of video clips
  • Monitor brand appearances

3. Broadcast Analysis

  • Locate program segments (intros, outros)
  • Find news segments across multiple broadcasts
  • Track recurring content

4. Quality Control

  • Verify ad insertion in broadcasts
  • Check for missing segments
  • Ensure content compliance

Settings and Options

Detection Parameters

  • Sensitivity: Adjust match threshold (1-100)
  • Higher = Stricter matching (fewer false positives)

  • Lower = Looser matching (may miss variations)

  • Time Shift: Maximum temporal displacement allowed

  • Ignore Areas: Define regions to exclude (logos, tickers)

Processing Options

  • Multi-threading: Use multiple CPU cores
  • Memory Limit: Control RAM usage
  • Fingerprint Caching: Save for faster re-processing

Understanding Results

Result Information

Each detection shows:

  • Fragment Name: Which clip was found
  • Broadcast File: Where it was found
  • Timestamp: Exact position (HH:MM:SS)
  • Duration: Length of the match
  • Confidence: Match quality (percentage)

Confidence Scores

  • 95-100%: Exact match
  • 85-95%: High confidence (minor differences)
  • 70-85%: Likely match (some modifications)
  • Below 70%: Possible match (review needed)

Advanced Features

Fragment Database

  • Build libraries of common fragments
  • Save fingerprints for reuse
  • Organize by categories (commercials, intros, etc.)

Batch Analysis

  • Process multiple broadcasts overnight
  • Queue large sets of fragments
  • Generate comprehensive reports

CSV Export

Results can be exported with:

  • Detection timestamps
  • File paths
  • Confidence scores
  • Fragment details

Best Practices

Fragment Preparation

  1. Optimal Length: 10-60 seconds works best
  2. Clean Cuts: Avoid partial frames at start/end
  3. Full Quality: Use highest quality source available
  4. No Modifications: Don't crop or edit fragments

Broadcast Files

  1. Consistent Format: Similar encoding preferred
  2. Complete Files: Avoid corrupted recordings
  3. Reasonable Length: Split very long recordings

Performance Optimization

  1. Pre-generate Fingerprints: Save processing time
  2. Process in Batches: Don't overload memory
  3. Use SSD Storage: Faster file access
  4. Close Other Apps: Maximize available resources

Troubleshooting

No Detections Found

  • Check fragment quality and length
  • Verify broadcast contains the fragment
  • Adjust sensitivity settings
  • Ensure proper time range

Too Many False Positives

  • Increase sensitivity threshold
  • Check for common elements (black frames)
  • Use longer fragments
  • Define ignore areas

Performance Issues

  • Reduce number of simultaneous files
  • Enable fingerprint caching
  • Check available disk space
  • Monitor RAM usage

Typical Workflows

Commercial Monitoring

  1. Record broadcast streams
  2. Create fragment library of commercials
  3. Run MMT daily/weekly
  4. Export reports for clients

Content Verification

  1. Prepare authorized content clips
  2. Monitor video platforms
  3. Detect unauthorized usage
  4. Document violations

System Requirements

  • Windows 7 or later (64-bit)
  • .NET Framework 8.0
  • 8GB RAM recommended
  • Fast storage for video files
  • Multi-core CPU beneficial
  • vfp_search: Command-line fragment search
  • MMT Live: Real-time monitoring version
  • DVS: Find duplicate complete videos