Delete original movie version after optimization

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
1

How can I delete the original movie version after optimization? Plex delete all versions if I delete the original version…

3

Would love to know this as well. The article is not saying how to delete the original version, only the optimized one.

4

Plex currently doesn’t provide a way to delete the original and keep the optimized version

5

Is there a way to manually keep the optimized version? If not, I would LOVE to see this added.

It was a surprise to permanently delete a few original (and much larger) versions of files and have the optimized versions disappear =/

7

Argh, yah I might just have to do that…it’s just kind of a bummer that I have 200+ files to convert -_-’ and more being added

It would be nice if Plex allowed me to keep the optimized version as the conversion process is automatically done by PMS as files are added.

Thanks for the quick response.

Going to start using this instead of Plex optimization…hope it works out well! https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/comment/931888/#Comment_931888

1 Like
9

It is possible to do this manually tho. If you delete the original it will all end up in the the trash. Simply drag the optimized version(s) back to your folder and update your library.

10

This is interesting … link to code: http://pastebin.com/ztiMmJUF

: (*credit to wes321)

11

I just got burned really badly by this. I didn’t realize deleting the original versions on disk would cause Plex to automatically delete all optimized versions (even though they were in a different folder). I just lost several hundred gigs of data.

This is a huge oversight, I want to be able to optimize all my media for long term storage, but I guess I can’t depend on Plex to do it.

2 Likes
12

I think with the creation of Plex DVR this would be an incredibly useful feature to have. Especially it it could be focused on a specific folder instead of an entire library.

Over the Air TV shows are often 15 Mbps for HD. Having Plex optimize those down to 8 Mbps or lower could save quite a bit of space if it could be setup to automatically delete the originals without losing the optimized versions.

And maybe do it based on a timer. Delete the original after two weeks to give time to preview the optimized version just in case.

3 Likes
13

If You Remove both versions from the Plex media folder (i.e. to a folder on a different drive if possible) and then Update the library. Then move the optimized version back into your media folder and update the library again you wont lose anything. Just make sure you delete the original version when your all done. Yes its a few steps but it works.

14

Here is how to do it :
1- delete original version. Empty recycle bin.
2- update library ( the optimized files will be moved to the empty recycle bin)
3-go to recycle bin and restore to the original location
4-update library

3 Likes
15

So I know this is an old post but wanted to shed some light on how I do this. I currently have 8 nfs shares for my movies/tv episodes. When I am done optimizing I disconnect the nfs shares (Do a df and make sure they are not there) then you can go and remove the optimization in Plex. Wait for a few minutes then add the nfs shares back. Once they are added back Plex now sees these as duplicates and not associated files to the original. You can delete the originals you don’t want anymore. Move the optimized ones, etc…

I made some scripts to somewhat make this easier as well.

umount /var/plex/tv/open
umount /var/plex/tv/closed
umount /var/plex/tv/closed2
umount /var/plex/tv/closed3

remove you optimization in Plex through web browser…

Then

mount /var/plex/tv/open
mount /var/plex/tv/closed
mount /var/plex/tv/closed2
mount /var/plex/tv/closed3