(Bug) 'Optimized Plex Versions' Not Being Scraped Correctly

Plex Media Server Plex Pass Betas
1

I’ve optimized my entire “TV Show” library, and I store the optimized versions on a separate disk from my main server.
In terms of “TV Show” configuration I have 2 folders:

  1. < Main TV Show Folder >
  2. < Optimized Version Folder stored on a separate disk - eg, on WD Wireless Pro >

The ‘Optimized Version Folder’ has the following structure, that is created by Plex:
< optimized version tv show root folder >/Plex Versions/Optimized for Mobile/< TV Show Name >/< video files >

Plex creates the video files using the following naming convention:
SxxExx.mp4 or YYYY-MM-DD.mp4

After I optimize the entire TV show library, all goes well, and the optimized versions get correctly recognized by Plex. But 2 issues occur with the optimized versions that I believe are related:

Issue #1:
When creating a TV Show Library on the Plex Server running on WD Wireless Pro, if I set the TV Show folder to be:
< optimized version tv show root folder >/
The Plex Server is unable to correctly scrape the shows, and it incorrectly organizes all video files under 1 random show.
For example if I had:

  • < optimized version tv show root folder >/Plex Versions/Optimized for Mobile/TV Show A/S01E01.mp4
  • < optimized version tv show root folder >/Plex Versions/Optimized for Mobile/TV Show B/S05E01.mp4
    Plex would incorrectly group everything under “TV Show A”, and it would have 2 seasons (Season 1 and Season 5).

Issue #2:
On my main Plex Server, where the optimized versions were originally created, over time Plex incorrectly groups the optimized versions of separate shows under 1 random show.
Over time as Plex DVR is recording new shows, and the optimizer kicks in to optimize the recordings, Plex incorrectly starts organizing the optimized versions under a random show. It appears to have trouble understanding it’s own directory structure that it created for Optimized versions. Same as Issue #1.

Workaround for Issue #1:
I can “workaround” issue #1 by changing the root “TV Show” directory to:
< optimized version tv show root folder >/**Plex Versions/Optimized for Mobile/
Plex correctly identifies all shows in this case.

No Workaround for Issue #2:
I cannot workaround problem #2 and I am forced to disable “Optimized Plex Versions” for TV shows, otherwise my TV show library becomes a mess.

Note:
I don’t have any trouble with optimized versions for movies…

Any help would be appreciated. Could you guys fix this bug?

2

Just an FYI here - Plex Server was never designed to add an optimized folder as a library of it’s own, other server or not.
There are direct database correlations of some type between the original video DB entry and it’s corresponding optimization file.
Just try manually deleting one of the original non-optimized videos and watch Plex get confused/no longer show the optimized one.
That’s likely a lot of issue behind your #1.