
Frinkiac: Simpsons quote search engine - asicboy
https://frinkiac.com
======
reaperhulk
One of the authors here. I blogged a bit the other day about how we built
this: [https://langui.sh/2016/02/02/frinkiac-the-simpsons-
screensho...](https://langui.sh/2016/02/02/frinkiac-the-simpsons-screenshot-
search-engine/)

~~~
mumrah
Was this done using the DVDs? I'm curious about any potential licensing issues
with the screen caps and subtitles. Did you have to get permission/sign
something - or does this fall under fair use?

~~~
cplease
No way this is licensed (no copyright notice, even; not even a mention of
Fox), and no way it is fair use. It has frame-by-frame, full resolution images
and full transcripts of every episode up for browsing. This is textbook mass
copyright infringement. Short of offering unlicensed video downloads for a
fee, it could hardly be more clear-cut.

Yeah, it's cool, I get it, but you can't just steal and redistribute content
en masse for your cool project. Well, he did, but I expect he'll be hearing
from Fox's lawyers soon.

~~~
jrochkind1
It is arguably fair use in the U.S. I don't think there is enough case law to
be sure. It's hard to predict how it would go in litigation. I think you're
right that the defendants wouldn't have a particularly strong case, but they
wouldn't have the weakest.

The courts have generally judged significant "transformation" of the source
material to be powerful in determining fair use. I think that would be in
their benefit. Also it could be argued that this has very little effect on the
market for the original copyrighted material, which would be in their favor.
Of course, the copyright holder would see and argue it differently if they
choose to sue. And the "the amount and substantiality of the portion taken"
would not look good for the defendants -- but even though some common belief
focuses on this factor almost exclusively -- thinking as long as you copy only
10 pages or whatever you're good, and if you don't you're definitely not --
that's not how it works, it's just one factor, and one that the courts in the
past couple decades have somewhat de-emphasized.

But I don't think we can say "no way it is fair use", or "it could hardly be
more clear cut." It could go either way. Fair use in the U.S. for novel
things, not already well established as fair use or not, almost always looks
like this.

------
dopeboy
This is impressive. It found everything I tried. If the author is reading,
showing GIFs or a small video clip instead of a static image would be
preferable.

My favorite Simpsons quote:
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=up+and+atom&e=S07E02&t=673...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=up+and+atom&e=S07E02&t=673422&m=+UP+AND+ATOM).

Coach: Up and atom!

Rainier Wolfcastle: Up and at them.

Coach: Up and atom!

Rainier: Up and at them!

Coach: [annoyed] Up and atom!

Rainier: [louder] Up and at them!

Coach: Better.

~~~
acomjean
Simpsons gifs as a service... al la:

[https://twitter.com/StarWarsDotGif](https://twitter.com/StarWarsDotGif)

Its open source and maybe could be repurposed?

[https://github.com/LindseyB/starwars-dot-
gif](https://github.com/LindseyB/starwars-dot-gif)

------
asd
I love this. It found everything I threw at it. I hope the Fox lawyers don't
take it down.

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=THERE%27S+A+STUFFED+PEPPER+...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=THERE%27S+A+STUFFED+PEPPER+IN+THE+TRASH+FROM+LAST+NIGHT.&e=S06E14&t=214897&m=+THERE%27S+A+STUFFED+PEPPER%0A+IN+THE+TRASH+FROM+LAST%0A+NIGHT.+JUST+RINSE+IT%0A+GOOD.+Kid%3A+Come+home%2C%0A+Lassie%21)

~~~
md224
I searched for "moon pie" and didn't find what I was looking for. :(

~~~
Gorbzel
Yeah, I _was_ saying Boo-urns, and it couldn't find it.

Also, yeah, this is coming down as soon as the lawyers get ahold of it.

~~~
rconti
They may or may not (be allowed to) have a sense of humor about it. Our 24
Hours of LeMons car's publicity was sent to Matt Groening by a friend, and he
passed it around the office. Apparently he asked their publicity folks if they
could invite us up to show off the car about the same time that legal asked
about sending us a cease and desist.

In the case of the car, it's probably fair use and the only issue was likely
that we have non-Fox-approved sponsorship on it, but they probably decided
their advertisers wouldn't complain about it because it's not exactly big
bucks changing hands here.

So yeah, we got to meet Matt Groening and David X Cohen and Al Jean and a lot
of the writers. It was definitely a cool experience.

[http://www.thehomercar.com](http://www.thehomercar.com)

------
6stringmerc
Just in time for the Grammys!

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=grammy&e=S10E14&t=1008006&...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=grammy&e=S10E14&t=1008006&m=+OH%2C+THAT%27S+VERY+SWEET.%0A+HAVE+A+GRAMMY.+UH..).

Once the AV Club finds this I think a black hole will open and consume us all.
The website is quite cool though!

------
Analemma_
If I could use this to get subtitled gifs of the scene in question, not just
screenshots, it would go from amazing to godlike. On the roadmap for v2,
hopefully?

~~~
tptacek
CLICK THE IMAGES

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=lousy+smarch+weather&e=S07...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=lousy+smarch+weather&e=S07E06&t=598313&m=+Oh%2C+lousy+Smarch+weather).

~~~
shawabawa3
For me I don't get gifs, just a list of stills from the same scene

~~~
LinkDJ
I think he's making a joke about clicking the "next image" fast enough that it
appears to be animated.

------
navbaker
I tell people every day that you don't win friends with salad. Glad I finally
have the images to go with it!

~~~
redwards510
I know that feel[1][2] bro.

[1]
[http://www.redbubble.com/people/babushack/works/12826784-you...](http://www.redbubble.com/people/babushack/works/12826784-you-
dont-win-friends-with-salad?grid_pos=2&p=t-shirt)

[2]
[http://www.redbubble.com/people/newdamage/works/9371721-i-wo...](http://www.redbubble.com/people/newdamage/works/9371721-i-won-
friends-with-salad?grid_pos=3&p=t-shirt)

------
ColinCochrane
Great work! Tried out some of my favourites and it worked like a charm.

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=that%27s+a+paddlin](https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=that%27s+a+paddlin)

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=thrillho](https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=thrillho)

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=now+where%27s+me+toothpick](https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=now+where%27s+me+toothpick)

~~~
acomjean
All my favorites are there:

"we tried nothing and we're all out of ideas"
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=we+tried+nothing+&e=S08E08...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=we+tried+nothing+&e=S08E08&t=1014362&m=+YEAH.+YOU%27VE+GOT+TO+HELP%0A+US%2C+DOC.+WE%27VE+TRIED%0A+NOTHING%2C+AND+WE%27RE+ALL%0A+OUT+OF+IDEAS.+%0A)

'see you suckers'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=suckers&e=S14E18&t=688354&...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=suckers&e=S14E18&t=688354&m=+So+long%2C+suckers.+%28%0A+laughing%29)

'the buddy system... foolproof'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=buddy+system&e=S14E03&t=94...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=buddy+system&e=S14E03&t=944235&m=+is+anyone+missing+their%0A+buddy%3F+ALL%3A+No.+Ah%2C+the%0A+buddy+system.+Foolproof).

'I'll never be the darling...'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=stoke+their+beards&e=S06E0...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=stoke+their+beards&e=S06E02&t=899915&m=+OH%2C+I%27LL+NEVER+BE+THE%0A+DARLING+OF+THE+SO-
CALLED%0A+CITY+FATHERS+WHO+CLUCK%0A+THEIR+TONGUES%2C+STROKE%0A+THEIR+BEARDS+AND+TALK%0A+ABOUT%2C+%22WHAT%27S+TO+BE+DONE%0A+WITH+THIS+HOMER+SIMPSON%3F%22)

'mountain of sugar'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=mountain+of+sugar&e=S06E02...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=mountain+of+sugar&e=S06E02&t=1068701&m=+A+MOUNTAIN+OF+SUGAR+IS%0A+TOO+MUCH+FOR+ONE+MAN.%0A+IT%27S+CLEAR+NOW+WHY+GOD%0A+PORTIONS+IT+OUT+IN+THOSE%0A+TINY+PACKETS)

'childrens dance recital'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=parents+expect+a+children%...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=parents+expect+a+children%27s+dance&e=S11E20&t=1082360&m=+I%27M+SORRY%2C+LISA.+PEOPLE%0A+GO+TO+A+CHILDREN%27S+DANCE%0A+RECITAL+EXPECTING+A%0A+CERTAIN+LEVEL+OF%0A+PROFESSIONALISM).

'wookie'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=wooki&e=S06E02&t=1301984&m...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=wooki&e=S06E02&t=1301984&m=+%28+Ralph+chanting%29%3A+I+BEAT%0A+THE+SMART+KIDS.+I+BEAT%0A+THE+SMART+KIDS.+I+BENT+MY%0A+WOOKIE.+HEY%2C+RALPH%2C+WANT%0A+TO+COME+WITH+ME+AND%0A+ALLISON)
'idiots island'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=any+sign+of+inteligence&e=...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=any+sign+of+inteligence&e=S15E19&t=41250&m=++a+rose+of+continuation%3B+%0A+and+he+hurled+a+rock+of%0A+rejection+at+anyone+%0A+displaying+intelligence%2C%0A+character%2C+or+ethnicity).

'George Harrison'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=george+har&e=S05E01&t=9790...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=george+har&e=S05E01&t=979010&m=+HELLO%2C+HOMER.+I%27M+GEORGE%0A+HARRISON.+OH%2C+MY+GOD%21+OH%2C%0A+MY+GOD%21+WHERE+DID+YOU+GET%0A+THAT+BROWNIE%3F)

'Beer'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=killing+you+with+beer&e=S0...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=killing+you+with+beer&e=S04E19&t=1079327&m=+YOU+DON%27T+LIKE+ME%2C+AND+I%0A+DON%27T+LIKE+YOU+BUT+LET%27S%0A+JUST+DO+THIS+AND+I+CAN%0A+GET+BACK+TO+KILLING+YOU%0A+WITH+BEER).

'alcohol'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=+the+cause+of&e=S08E18&t=1...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=+the+cause+of&e=S08E18&t=1306704&m=+TO+ALCOHOL--+THE+CAUSE+OF%0A+AND+SOLUTION+TO)

~~~
derman232
'help yourself to some more stock'
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=help+yourself+to+more+stoc...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=help+yourself+to+more+stock&e=S13E18&t=741324&m=help+yourself+to+some+more+stock)

~~~
acomjean
"bubbles can burst?"
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=golden+age+&e=S13E18&t=107...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=golden+age+&e=S13E18&t=1074365&m=+Bubbles+can+burst%3F!+Yeah%2C%0A+but+it%27s+a+golden+age+for%0A+the+repo+business.+One%0A+that+shall+never+end).

------
j45
This is great and long over due.

For those of use who grew up having conversations in simpsons dialog, this
will help provide those in my wife who don't have such habits develop them :)

------
thepies
small point - the encaptionator should put a 1/2px black stroke around the
white text so it is visible against any background colour

edit - after reading the FAQ I see you are working on this

I withdraw my question
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=withdraw&e=S08E14&t=688870...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=withdraw&e=S08E14&t=688870&m=+I+WITHDRAW+MY+QUESTION).

------
OhHeyItsE
This is the reason the internet exists.

------
nefitty
You call this a tax return!?

[https://frinkiac.com/meme/S07E17/702635.jpg?lines=+You+call+...](https://frinkiac.com/meme/S07E17/702635.jpg?lines=+You+call+this+a+tax%0A+return%3F+You+call+this+a%0A+super+computer%3F)

------
ringofgyges
Some great screencaps compiled in this article:

[https://www.inverse.com/article/11007-frinkiac-is-the-
visual...](https://www.inverse.com/article/11007-frinkiac-is-the-visual-
simpsons-search-engine-the-world-has-been-waiting-for)

------
Kluny
I can't believe how fast it is.

------
martythemaniak
Who can write a Simpsons quote search engine?

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=the+garbage+man+can](https://frinkiac.com/?p=search&q=the+garbage+man+can)

------
dalke
Any chance of OCR? I searched for "Pharm Team", which was the name of the
company at
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=major+league+baseball&e=S1...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=major+league+baseball&e=S11E02&t=326760&m=+UNTESTED%2C+POTENTIALLY%0A+DANGEROUS--+CANDY+BAR%3F%0A+NO!+IT%27S+A+NEW+DRUG%0A+CALLED+FOCUSYN.+A+DRUG%3F)
though the name was never said.

------
vlunkr
This is great! My only complaint is that it comes up with lots of near
duplicates. The images look they are different frames, but the quotes they
reference are the same

~~~
joe_coin
I think that's a feature. You get to choose which frame you prefer.

------
volaski
This is amazing. I hope there's an api for this

~~~
kentbrew
Break out your Chrome inspector and follow along in our exciting home version:

[https://frinkiac.com/api/search?q=hoyvin](https://frinkiac.com/api/search?q=hoyvin)

Results look like this:

[{"Id":1745953,"Episode":"S13E08","Timestamp":797213,"Filename":""}]

Concatenate the episode and timestamp to get the image:

[https://frinkiac.com/img/S13E08/797213/medium.jpg](https://frinkiac.com/img/S13E08/797213/medium.jpg)

Caption here:

[https://frinkiac.com/api/caption?e=S13E08&t=797213](https://frinkiac.com/api/caption?e=S13E08&t=797213)

Look for the Subtitles array:

"Subtitles":[{"Id":138914,"Episode":"S13E08","StartTimestamp":794266,"EndTimestamp":796533,"Content":"
( gavel pounding ) So,
Professor,"},{"Id":138915,"Episode":"S13E08","StartTimestamp":796533,"EndTimestamp":799834,"Content":"tell
us about Operation Hoyvin-Mayvin."}]

------
nkrisc
You'd have to be stupider than a monkey to not like this. Are you stupider
than a monkey?

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=how+big+of+a+monkey&e=S12E...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=caption&q=how+big+of+a+monkey&e=S12E02&t=433099&m=+ARE+YOU+STUPIDER+THAN+A%0A+MONKEY%3F%0A%0AHOW+BIG+OF+A+MONKEY%3F+)

------
seppo0010
I made this Chrome extension to generate animated GIFs from frinkiac
[https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/frinkiac-
gif/dlaba...](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/frinkiac-
gif/dlabaelekmgjofhdmnpmdigegdgndgdc)

------
ChrisArchitect
on the legal/lawyer talk tip - there have been a few notable other simpsons
screencap repositories (like Lardlad) that have remained online for years.
Wondering if there's some leeway or can't chase after a single frame (rather
than video with picture and sound, which they are notoriously strict on
youtube about etc)

------
bootload
This is a great tool. Any copyright issues? I tried it, "but it disappeared
into _' fat air'_."

------
daok
Every time you type a character in the search box, it adds a browser history.
That is not great...

~~~
tptacek
WORTH IT.

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=meme&q=gamblor&e=S05E10&t=1151749&m=...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=meme&q=gamblor&e=S05E10&t=1151749&m=I+CALL+HIM%0A+GAMBLOR%21+%0AAND+IT%27S+TIME+TO%0A+SNATCH+YOUR+MOTHER+FROM%0A+HIS+NEON+CLAWS%21)

~~~
jameshart
Hmm...
[https://frinkiac.com/?p=meme&q=gamblor&e=S05E10&t=1151749&m=...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=meme&q=gamblor&e=S05E10&t=1151749&m=I+allow%0Aarbitrary%20text%0Ato%20be%20inserted%0Ain%20the%20picture%21)

------
jchendy
No Milpool! :(

More seriously:

1) Awesome!!!

2) It would be great if the search results page listed the quotes in addition
to showing the images.

~~~
tptacek
It totally does have milpool:

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=meme&q=i+think+i+left+my+glasses+in+...](https://frinkiac.com/?p=meme&q=i+think+i+left+my+glasses+in+your+pool&e=S06E01&t=445595&m=I+think+i+left+my+glasses%0Ain+your+pool.+)

It's just that nobody ever says "Milpool" in the dialogue.

~~~
jchendy
Excellent!

------
ChrisArchitect
curious about how it works/was developed
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11036894](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11036894)

------
anindyabd
First thing I searched for: "Kids, you tried your best, but failed miserably.
The lesson is, never try." Got the exact episode. This is great :)

------
doodpants
I was hoping to find the quote in which Grandpa Simson mentions Estes
Kefauver, but searching for "Kefauver" yields no results. :-(

~~~
squeaky-clean
It looks like there's no episodes indexed past season 15, and this quote is
from season 20.

[https://frinkiac.com/?p=episode&e=S20E14](https://frinkiac.com/?p=episode&e=S20E14)
Should be the episode.

------
fungos
Authors: Can you describe the backend infrastructure?

I'm just a bit curious here about the costs of running a toy service like
this.

------
mjklin
"And that is why The Lord of the Rings can never be filmed!"

Stumped ya Frinky. It didn't have to go down like this.

------
djrogers
This is an amazing feat of human ingenuity.

------
silveira
Awesome. I could find an episode about "tiger-repellent rock" just by
searching for "tiger".

------
morsch
Much cooler than expected. So I assume this is fairly trivial to adapt to any
other set of subtitled videos?

------
huangc10
"Hi Supernintedo Chalmers" LOL...this is freaking awesome. GIFs would be an
improvement :)

------
noobie
Though you may be rat-like in appearance, you are truly king among men for
sharing this!

------
ChrisArchitect
also, why didn't this get picked up in the duplicate post algo HN? For the
blog writeup @reaperhulk you should have put 'Show HN' in your original post
to get more traction or something

------
tehbeard
I'm getting a nothing found error? Is this a mobile bug?

~~~
GurnB
Getting the same results from my laptop at the moment also. Everything is
returning 'Nothing Found' Error. It was working earlier today. (Can you tell
it is Friday?)

------
sdh
needs a random button

------
sotojuan
How is this so fast?

------
pbhowmic
Brilliant. just what I need to needle the wifey

------
rglover
YES.

