Plex poster blank on duplicate movies?

[casperse]

Hi All,

For some time I have had this problem and have sometime found other post with possible solutions that doesn’t work anymore…

I have a special 4K folder for movies!
I don’t want anyone outside my household to see or try to playback

So the same movie can be located in:

Movies <- Agent “The movie Database”
Movies 4K <- Agent “Plex movie”

At one time the proposed solution would be to select two different agents for each movie folder
That doesn’t work anymore and I keep getting “blank” movie poster on titles in one or the other folder?

Any workaround to this?

[grhiner]

I use a separate 4K folder on the HDD and a separate 4K library. To limit access you just don’t share the 4K library.

[leelynds]

It appears to be still working with me, but I haven’t used that trick with the agents recently.

Maybe a “Refresh Metadata” on the movie with no poster will cure it?

[JuiceWSA]

@leelynds

It appears to be still working with me, but I haven’t used that trick with the agents recently.

If you use ‘the trick’ you don’t get doubled up items in Continue Watching (and associated bugs/shortcomings)?

Even then - when ur out of Agents ur out of luck - does Personal Media count for an agent? Can you layer on Personal Medias without ill effect (other than the effect of having to hand edit them)?

[casperse]

@grhiner I have to share and have it on Plex in order to play it locally on Plex
(Yes I don’t share the 4K folder with people outside my home)
@leelynds I have tried to refresh - maybee I need to rebuild the directory?
@JuiceWSA So it works for you having two different agents?

Really dont understand why Plex doesn’t address this in a better way?
Many people have seperate folders that could include a duplicate file

[leelynds]

Each version has it’s own status, so no duplicates. Well, not right now, but I don’t have any of those in On Deck or Continue Watching. so if the “trick” ain’t working anymore, I can’t say.

When you’re out of agents, you’re out of luck. The Personal Media should work, I think I’ve used it. I also have the XMBCnfoImporter agent, so I have an extra option some might not have.

[JuiceWSA]

@casperse

@JuiceWSA So it works for you having two different agents?

I don’t know - I asked the Canadian Testers Groupen Leader… let’s see what he says…lol

@leelynds

Each version has it’s own status, so no duplicates. Well, not right now, but I don’t have any of those in On Deck or Continue Watching. so if the “trick” ain’t working anymore, I can’t say.

When you’re out of agents, you’re out of luck. The Personal Media should work, I think I’ve used it. I also have the XMBCnfoImporter agent, so I have an extra option some might not have.

You lucky Four-Agent Dog.

I would test, but I’ve already blown my home page today and really had sights on cake and Plex for my birthday yesterday (another nail - and since 2005 they’re installing those with a De-Walt Super Sinker 9000).

[leelynds]

Still working here. I have the original black and white and the colorized version of “It’s a Wonderful Life” One has Plex movie for the agent, the other has the Movie Database.

(that’s why they have different years for the movie, I guess)

[JuiceWSA]

I didn’t use ‘the trick’ for my “The Big Sleep (1946)” - the theatrical and the '45 pre-release. I really should tho… later. I like watching those two and comparing scenes, or lack thereof - and when they have their own VPTs, that’ll be sweet!

Next project.

[casperse]

This just keeps breaking covers goes missing after scanning!

If I gather the same movie in the same 4K Movie folder with different versions could I then share the 4K folder and use a script to kill any stream that have a 4K org. resolution?

blacktwin/JBOPS

[JuiceWSA]

@casperse

If I gather the same movie in the same 4K Movie folder with different versions could I then share the 4K folder and use a script to kill any stream that have a 4K org. resolution?

Don’t know about the script solution, but if you want Plex to behave properly - put ALL those movies in unique folders:
(All in [Brackets] is ignored by Plex)

The Movie (2020) [4K]/
.....The Movie (2020) [4K].xxx
The Movie (2020) [1080p]/
.....The Movie (2020) [1080p].xxx
The Movie (2020) [720p]/
.....The Movie (2020) [720p].xxx

Split/Merge as required.

Movies and their folders are named identically.
This prevents Plex from becoming ‘confused’ and doing something unexpected.

[casperse]

No I have them in different folders now and that doesn’t work

Movies (4K)/The Movie (2020)/The Movie (2020) [2160p]
Movies/The Movie (2020)/The Movie (2020) [1080p]

I need to put them in the same folder:
Movies (4K)/The Movie (2020)/
The Movie (2020) [2160p]
The Movie (2020) [1080p]

BUT! - Then I need to stop people from trying to transcode the wrong file!
That’s where the kill script is needed?

Or are you saying that I should do folder naming that isn’t the Plex recommend way?

Movies (4K)/The Movie (2020) [4K]/The Movie (2020) [2160p]
Movies/The Movie (2020)/The Movie (2020) [1080p]

That would work? Because the folder naming is different?

[JuiceWSA]

@casperse

That would work? Because the folder naming is different?

It sure isn’t helping matters.

@casperse

I need to put them in the same folder:
Movies (4K)/The Movie (2020)/
The Movie (2020) [2160p]
The Movie (2020) [1080p]

Nope - like this:

The Movie (2020) [2160p]/
...The Movie (2020) [2160p].xxx

...The Movie (2020) [1080p]/
......The Movie (2020) [1080p]./xxx

Two ‘unique’ folders.

First do this:

Video File Naming

With LMA in priority, Embedded Titles within MP4/M4V files are preferred - even over a perfect file name. Local Media Assets should - AT ALL TIMES - remain enabled (unless specifically instructed to turn it off). Local Media Assets should be ‘Demoted’, to the bottom of the stack of active agents under ALL tabs in Shows and Movies, but should NOT be disabled. Local Media Assets is needed for many things - it doesn’t need to be given Tip-Top-Priority (as Plex has so hatefully placed it as it’s …

(in case any of those files are MP4/M4V with bogus embedded Title Fields)

Remove ALL those movies/versions
fix the names and structures while doing this:

The Plex Dance ™

The purpose of this is to remove all cached metadata and xml data for an item that Plex usually keeps. This helps when you want to “start from scratch” for particular item move all files for the media item out of the directory your Library is looking at, so Plex will not “see” it anymore scan the library library (to detect changes) empty trash clean bundles (in menu next to server name, when accessed under ‘More’) double check naming schema and move files back scan the library Support articl…

That will completely ‘Re-Do’ the bundles for this thing - starting all over - hopefully, with all the right stuff this time.

[casperse]

@casperse

Or are you saying that I should do folder naming that isn’t the Plex recommend way?

Movies (4K)/The Movie (2020) [4K]/The Movie (2020) [2160p]
Movies/The Movie (2020)/The Movie (2020) [1080p]

That would work? Because the folder naming is different?

Thanks… the above is two different folders one the normal naming and the other with a [4K]
I just tried renaming all the folders adding the [4K] to the “movie folder (2020)” and did a rescan
still selecting another provider than the main Movie library and it seem to work now!

At least I seem to have 2 different poster for the same movie when searching showing one for the main Movie library (Collection) and the other for the [4K] collection!

So this might be the solution! THANKS!

[casperse]

One thing about this:

I have all media files in the correct naming and with local artwork in each folder
In order to always use the local artwork posters and fanart I was told to set “Local Media Assets” above all others and that have worked perfectly sofar! (No Plex dance) only problem was the posters missing for double movies in seperate folders 4K and normal

Also I decided early that I want all my media files in MKV so that’s not a problem either

[JuiceWSA]

@casperse

Also I decided early that I want all my media files in MKV so that’s not a problem either

Not for MKV files and if you have no MP4 files you needn’t worry.

… and putting image and metadata tags in an MKV does precisely nothing.
Plex can’t read tags in MKV files so you’re wasting your time.

Plex works by correct file naming and structuring so it can pull the metadata you need from online sources.

Embedded tags in MP4/M4V files is:

1. a PITA
2. See #1

I suggest you follow the suggested naming and structuring conventions:

https://support.plex.tv/articles/naming-and-organizing-your-movie-media-files/

Movies and their folders are named exactly the same.
and
The BEST metadata to put in a Video File is - NONE.

[casperse]

@JuiceWSA

online sources.

Embedded tags in MP4/M4V files is:

I wrote “with local artwork in each folder” not in the MKV files!
Plex reads them perfectly!

Movie (2020)
poster.jpg
fanart.jpg
and so on…

Everything gets pulled automatically when adding new media not a “PITA” at all

No - If you live in a non english speaking country you will find that its very nice to have some local artwork in these Movie folders (Creating them and adding artwork to MovieDB and TVDB thats a PITA!)

But thanks again for the uniq folder tip for “double movies” that have really made my whole week!