Adding to library requires PlexPass?

Plex Media Server Metadata & Adding Files
1

Hello:

I let my PlexPass expire and found that I couldn’t add media to my Music library. I’ve since bought a year of PlexPass as a fix but wondering if there is a proper work around or some way I can fix and convert my library back to a “regular” one which allows me to add media without reliance on having to pay $$?

I’m reluctant to nuke my meta-data and rebuild the library - hoping for workarounds.

Not-great feature this - the reason I moved from iTunes to Plex was a proprietary-free experience but over the hols I couldn’t add media to my supposedly free music library unless I ponied up more money.

Thanks.

brian…

3

Yes it is. My PlexPass was expired and I was unable to add music to my collection. I re-enabled PlexPass and I was immediately able to add media.

4

Perhaps this is a bug.

5

When I was unable to add media to my Music collection, I was still able to add to Movies and TV - only the Music library was somehow special and locked until PlexPass unlocked.

8

If you created this music library before the introduction of the musicbrainz support, it may have been a premium music library. Which previously required a Plex Pass.
Without Plex Pass this kind of library could not be changed.

However: you should be able to convert this library to the new code. In fact, this should have happened automatically when you installed a new server release of 1.18.x

Try this:
pick a well-known artist and Refresh Metadata on it.
After waiting plenty of time (several minutes), pick a track and copy the contents of its Plex XML info into here.
It may contain some clues about whether the conversion was successful or not.

9

Hi Chenks - I’m not sure (how to tell?) whether this is a Premium library.

Assuming it is, can I change back?

I never set this to be a Premium library - I started with Plex standalone and then added the PlexPass a couple years ago - perhaps this “upgraded” my library?

Do you know if I can fix this?

My goal is a simple Music library with no reliance on PlexPass to add additional content - if my PlexPass relapses, I need to be able to add music.

Apologies for not getting terminology correct.

brian…

10

Unsure how to test this, since I have PlexPass for a year so things work now. I’d like to get this fixed now, not a year from now. :wink:

Suggestions & assistance appreciated - thanks all.

11

Thanks OttoKerner - I’m currently running 1.14.0.5470 (should have mentioned).

I’ll upgrade this asap to the latest version.

Think you’re right - my Plex library is old and predates MusicBrainz.

12

Then the case is clear. The old premium music libraries relied on Gracenote, which is not available anymore.
Therefore new music cannot be added until you use a newer server release which exchanges Gracenote with musicbrainz.

13

Hi OttoKerner:

Thanks for help - I just upgraded server to 1.18.3.2156 and have re-scanned library files.

Below is the XML from a track (Cocteau Twins) which I grabbed after refreshing meta-data.

The only way I know to test this would be to expire my PlexPass. :wink: Hoping that the server upgrade will fix this issues - many many thanks.

brian…

<Stream id=“84004” streamType=“2” selected=“1” default=“1” codec=“aac” index=“0” channels=“2” bitrate=“127” albumGain="-2.88" albumPeak=“0.758303” albumRange=“8.601434"audioChannelLayout=“stereo” gain=”-2.88" loudness="-17.51" lra=“13.10” peak=“0.756750” profile=“lc” samplingRate=“44100” streamIdentifier=“1” displayTitle=“Unknown (AAC Stereo)”/>

15 
<MediaContainer size="1" allowSync="1" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" librarySectionID="3" librarySectionTitle="Music" librarySectionUUID="4353014c-0759-442d-a23b-098e9af4cd25" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" mediaTagVersion="1576270308">
<Track ratingKey="95425" key="/library/metadata/95425" parentRatingKey="95424" grandparentRatingKey="52060" guid="plex://track/5d07cdbb403c640290f57a65" parentGuid="plex://album/5d07c180403c64029084d2ee" grandparentGuid="plex://artist/5d07bbfc403c6402904a5dd5" type="track" title="Lazy Calm" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/52060" parentKey="/library/metadata/95424" librarySectionTitle="Music" librarySectionID="3" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/3" grandparentTitle="Cocteau Twins" parentTitle="Victorialand" summary="" index="1" parentIndex="1" ratingCount="71411" viewCount="12" lastViewedAt="1577980276" thumb="/library/metadata/95424/thumb/1578050704" art="/library/metadata/52060/art/1578050684" parentThumb="/library/metadata/95424/thumb/1578050704" grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/52060/thumb/1578050684" grandparentArt="/library/metadata/52060/art/1578050684" duration="394343" addedAt="1298309950" updatedAt="1578050704">
<Media id="85172" duration="394343" bitrate="127" audioChannels="2" audioCodec="aac" container="mp4" optimizedForStreaming="1" audioProfile="lc" has64bitOffsets="0">
<Part accessible="1" exists="1" id="85172" key="/library/parts/85172/1298309950/file.m4a" duration="394343" file="/media/parki/ivvavik/Music/Cocteau Twins/Victorialand/01 Lazy Calm.m4a" size="6256022" audioProfile="lc" container="mp4" has64bitOffsets="0" optimizedForStreaming="1">
<Stream id="84004" streamType="2" selected="1" default="1" codec="aac" index="0" channels="2" bitrate="127" albumGain="-2.88" albumPeak="0.758303" albumRange="8.601434" audioChannelLayout="stereo" gain="-2.88" loudness="-17.51" lra="13.10" peak="0.756750" profile="lc" samplingRate="44100" streamIdentifier="1" displayTitle="Unknown (AAC Stereo)"/>
<Stream id="112217" key="/library/streams/112217" streamType="4" codec="txt" format="txt" provider="com.plexapp.agents.lyricfind" displayTitle="Unknown (TXT External)"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Mood id="64034" filter="mood=64034" tag="Atmospheric"/>
<Mood id="64119" filter="mood=64119" tag="Austere"/>
<Mood id="748" filter="mood=748" tag="Delicate"/>
<Mood id="2983" filter="mood=2983" tag="Dreamy"/>
<Mood id="64108" filter="mood=64108" tag="Gentle"/>
<Mood id="64115" filter="mood=64115" tag="Lively"/>
<Mood id="64120" filter="mood=64120" tag="Light"/>
<Mood id="64062" filter="mood=64062" tag="Ethereal"/>
<Mood id="64121" filter="mood=64121" tag="Soft/Quiet"/>
<Mood id="64116" filter="mood=64116" tag="Sparse"/>
<Extras size="0"></Extras>
</Track>
</MediaContainer>
16

Very good. This means success:

guid="plex://track/5d07cdbb403c640290f57a65" parentGuid="plex://album/5d07c180403c64029084d2ee" grandparentGuid="plex://artist/5d07bbfc403c6402904a5dd5"

If any of these guids would have still contained ‘gracenote’, the conversion would have been failed.

Now try to add your new music again.
If the music you were previously trying to add was by an artist, which you already had in your library, Refresh Metadata on this artist first.

17

Awseome OttoKerner - many thanks for confirmation & assistance.

Wicked fast tech support and great product - all very much appreciated.

brian …

1 Like
18

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.