I am trying to match a National Geographic film using the IMDB and/or TMDB ID numbers but neither is working. I am entering the ID numbers in the title field in the Fix Match dialog box and it keeps coming up with nothing. The IMDB I am using is tt2033371 and the TMDB I am using is 20393. Both are for the same film. What am I doing wrong?
That is a TV Show Episode. Plex Movie can’t find it because Plex Movie doesn’t do Documentaries. TMDB can’t find it 'cause it’s a TV Show Episode. TVDB can find it named and structured like this:
A TV Show Library\
......National Geographic Documentaries (1965)\
...........Season 2006\
...............National Geographic Documentaries (1965) - S2006E09 - Sky Monsters.mp4
https://thetvdb.com/series/national-geographic-documentaries/seasons/official/2006
1 Like
So even though it comes up and is identified on those two sites Plex won’t add it to the movies because it’s technically a TV show?
I’ve wondered that but then I copied it to my TV Library and Plex won’t pick it up. But my folder structure for that show isn’t as you have in your example. Is that example in your Library? I mean, if I put it in those folder structures as you have it will work?
Thanks.
It will indeed… but wait.
If you really would rather have it in your movies library, leave it there. Fix Match and in the Search Options select Personal Media. That will stop Plex from trying to match it. If you hand edit it can be in your Movies library with a poster you choose - and you won’t have to drill for it in a TV Show library under a one-off Documentary Show.
The ‘other’ option is to just drop it in an ‘Other Videos Library’, hand edit and there you go.
Got it. Thanks. I didn’t know it was a TV show. I’d prefer it be automated so I’ll change the Library. I figured since it had an IMDB and/or TMDB ID number it should be able to match it.
Naming/Structuring it as I have it will work, but recent TVDB troubles may require a fix match… that’s easy. You are already experienced…lol
When you drop it in - give it a while. TVDB is struggling - or Plex is - or both.
1 Like
I also run my media on Emby and these their matching tool works with this file using these ID numbers so I’m guessing it is a Plex limitation.
Thanks for your help.
1 Like
You can use fix match with an IMDb ID (for movies) or TMDb ID (The Movie Database agent) TVDb (for tv shows)… Plex is however strict when it comes to media types and will only match movie library content as movies. No mixing of different media types.
Edit: corrected wrong content
So Plex can tell from the IMDB or TMDB ID’s if it is a TV show rather than a movie and then it will prevent it from ‘matching’ it since it is a TV episode and not a movie?
Yes, if you look on TheMovieDB, they have that item in their TV Section, not in their Movies section. Plex does not use IMDB for metadata, just as a source for finding the title to begin with (and ratrings information). All Metadata comes from either Plex Agent, MovieDB, or TVDB
… and unfortunately they are becoming more strict about that. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out Sky Monsters recently got ‘forced’ to a TV Show Episode.
Okay, I have a couple more that aren’t matching from TMDB and they’re movies, 48977 & 48978. I’m putting these numbers in the title field, with and without the year and still getting nothing for results.
Any thoughts on what I’m doing wrong here or why it’s not working?
If you have a matching issue - go here:
All files MUST be named and structured properly according to the guide:
https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/your-media/
This item matched instantly with the proper file name. It is now being used - as an example.
going to try to clear this up a bit
You can only use the IMDB ID for movies and the TVDB ID for TV shows. not the theMovieDB ID
on those sites the item in question has to have the IMDB ID or TVDB ID linked to it. Those monty python shows on themovieDB did not have the IMDB ID linked. so the IMDB ID would fail as well. ( added them to their site but admittedly I made a Typo on the Terry Gilliam one but that should be fixed by tomorrow when cache clears)
the Monty Python are also a bad examples though because IMDB considers them episodes of a TV show where TheMovieDB has them as movies. but in either case entering the title like it actually has on theMovieDB worked fine.
if this is missing like it was a few minutes ago for the Terry Jones one (that the arrow is pointing at) then you cannot search theMovieDB with the IMDB ID for the particular item.
1 Like
in your example - your file name is NOT compliant.
A proper file name, for Terry Gilliam - matches with TMDB.
Instantly.
No Fix Match Needed.
I know my file name is not compliant. That is a completely different movie that is in my library. I was using fix match. The point of fix match is to use the search term not the file name because the file name didn’t work else you would not be doing a fix match in the first place
1 Like
I don’t have any of those in my library.
I guess that’s why I find it odd an Employee would.
I don’t have any of the Monty Python stuff either (well I have Holy Grail because ferocious rabbits are awesome). The item I was doing a fix match on was 500 Days of Summer. But in the fix match search I just used the Monty Python title for the search. The file name does not matter when you are doing a fix match. I just wanted to show the search results using the exact title from theMovieDB, I didn’t actually select it for my own library, I hit cancel.
I just make copies of small MKV’s in a few folders that I change the name of and make new test libraries all the time to figure out what might be causing a users issue. when I am done with test I delete library and then will rename the files later when I am testing the naming of something else. I also keep a few test MP4s to check how embedded metadata might be loading.
1 Like
I’m annoyed 'cause I don’t have that Python item.
I’m thrilled that I know how to name it - when I get it.
So what is the point of being able to match manually if the feature doesn’t work? I renamed the files to be exactly as TMDB has them and as Juicey said, they matched. But if I didn’t have a hyphen, or there were not spaces on the sides of the hyphen they won’t match. Isn’t the point of the manual search to find them manually if the automatic match does not work? The support articles do not mention the need to have it match EXACTLY as TMDB. If I’m ripping a disc from my library, I enter it the way it is spelled out on the case/sleeve; one would think the studio knows how to name their own feature.
