Plex DVR gets confused by shows with the same name

Live TV & DVR
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I have reported this before. Plex DVR gets confused when programs may have the same name and will not record programs. Latest example, I have an a DVR entry to record the New 2021 program, The Wonder Years. I have the 80s series in my library. Program guide shows the record symbol on the show and it is set to record new and repeat episodes. However, DVR schedule does not show it in the schedule to record and looking at all items dvr is set to record, it shows no upcoming airings. However, if I remove the 80s series from my library, then the new program shows up in the DVR schedule and shows the upcoming airings. I readded the 80s show and disappeared from the DVR schedule. I removed just S1E1 from the 80s series from my library and then that episode shows up in my DVR schedule to record, but not S1E2 next week. remove S1E2 of the 80s show from my library, and then the 2021 S1E2 shows up in DVR schedule.

I had a similar problem trying to record the old 60s lost in space episodes. as I have season 1 and 2 of the 2018 series in my library, dvr only recorded season 3 episodes and…oddly…files named by plex with the right year (1965) but put the in folder called Lost in Space (2018)…

I am really puzzled why this issue still exists. And why plex refuses to record a repeat airing if that episode already exits in the library. Maybe the original recording was clipped and the user wants to be able to record the episode again. maybe there was weather crawl clutter and a clean recording is desired without having to delete the old one until they can be compared. users should have that option, not determined by defective software. Same thing happens with movies. I could not record Gladiator (1992) because Gladiator (2000) already existed in my library.

Any OTA DVR should at least have old VCR functionality of record a user defined channel from a user defined start time through a user defined end time to allow users to record the programs they want without having to rely on and be subject to the limitations of PSIP information of the program, db look ups, a program guide from a 3rd party and sofware engineers that refuse to listen to how users want to use technology.

very frustrating as DVR was the main and only reason I purchased a lifetime plex pass and DVR seems to be neglected and regressing.

1 Like
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I have the exact same problem.

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We all know the guide is far from perfect:

So why no manual channel recording to at least enable the user to over ride these issues is a mystery. Every other DVR I have used all the way back to showshifter 20 years ago had a manual record option.

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Try renaming the folders to:

The Wonder Years (1988) {tvdb-72888}
The Wonder Years (2021) {tvdb-402907}

Scan library…
or maybe the dreaded Plex Dance

5

I figured it out.

Make a separate library for recordings and it will let you record shows with similar names. At least both Wonder Years and Ghosts are scheduled for me.

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Not directed at anyone that provided workaround suggestions. They are good ideas and do work.

Users should not have to rename their files that are already unique based on year and episode name.
Users should not have to to create a separate library and not be able to browse all their programs in one place.
Users should not me limited to what they can record by EPG or what files plex thinks are duplicates.

Excessive administration by a user that just wants to record a program at a particular time on a particular channel needs to work as simply as that for the user. If a user cannot do these basic tasks, it is defect and needs to be addressed. These are the most basic of the functional needs that existed in the analog media days and exists in other DVRs.

Work arounds provided by users are great as a short term workaround and the users here are great for helping people ‘work around’ issues. However, they are not product solutions to core functionality defects that should be noted, addressed, and fixed so that workarounds are not needed.

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I completely agree, but I don’t know how much effort Plex will put into fixing DVR recordings so I’m glad I found a workaround.

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