Bug: Other Videos scans Originally Available to 1969-12-31

Plex Media Server
1

In the following configuration:

  • Synology NAS DS220+
  • Synology DSM 7.3.2
  • Synology Plex Media Server 1.42.2
  • Plex Web 4.156.0

a library of “Other Videos” type scans the “Originally Available” field to the “1969-12-31” value, rather than fetching a value from the metadata of the parsed file.

To reproduce the bug:

  • using the Synology dashboard
  • create a “testdata” shared folder
  • grant “PlexMediaServer” read only access to “testdata”
  • using the “DS File” app
  • create the “testdata/2025” subfolder
  • load the following MP4 file to “testdata/data”: “file_example_MP4_480_1_5MG.mp4” (available in internet)
  • using the Plex Web dashboard
  • add a library named “X” of “Other Videos” type pointing to “testdata”
  • add a library named “Y” of “Photos” type pointing to “testdata”
  • browse the “X” library for the loaded video
  • the “Originally Available” field is “1969-12-31”
  • browse the “Y” library for the loaded video
  • the “Originally Available” field is “2015-08-07 07:13:36”

For the loaded video, the time metadata reported by “exiftool” are:

> exiftool -time:all -G1 -s -a file_example_MP4_480_1_5MG.mp4

[System]    FileModifyDate  : 2025:12:09 09:20:00+01:00
[System]    FileAccessDate  : 2025:12:09 09:33:47+01:00
[System]    FileCreateDate  : 2025:12:09 09:19:59+01:00
[QuickTime] CreateDate      : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[QuickTime] ModifyDate      : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[Track1]    TrackCreateDate : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[Track1]    TrackModifyDate : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[Track1]    MediaCreateDate : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[Track1]    MediaModifyDate : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[Track2]    TrackCreateDate : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[Track2]    TrackModifyDate : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[Track2]    MediaCreateDate : 2015:08:07 09:13:02
[Track2]    MediaModifyDate : 2015:08:07 09:13:02

Please note that the “Originally Available” field fetched by the “Y” library matches the “CreateDate” tag except for the time part (which could be another bug).

2

When you edit this Other Videos library, what precisely appears on the Advanced tab as Scanner and Agent?

3

I have used all the default values:

  • Scanner: Plex Video Files
  • Agent: Plex Personal Media