Replace Lower Resolution Items - Doesn't work for Movies

Live TV & DVR
,
1

The feature to “Replace Lower Resolution Items” has never worked for me, in any Plex version.
If I have an SD version of a movie, the only way I have ever been able to make Plex record an HD version is to first remove the SD version from the library.
I can confirm that …

  • “Replace Lower Resolution Items” is selected - both as default and on the problem item.
  • The original movie is only 720x576 resolution
  • The newly scheduled recording is on an HD channel, and is flagged by Plex as HD

If I leave the original in the library, then the recording is shown as “No upcoming airings”. Removing the movie fixes the problem. Adding it back into the library again recreates the “No upcoming airings” problem.

I’ve been through the logs, and although I admit to not understanding everything I read there, with the SD movie in the library, there is a line that says…
Subscription: We found a match in the library for …
If I delete the SD movie, then the corresponding line in the logs instead reads…
Subscription: No match in the library for ‘Robocop (2014)’, grabbing.

What can I do to fix this? Please help.

Server Version#: 1.22.2.4282
Player Version#:
Tuner Make/Model: HD HomeRun Connect Quattro
Guide/Lineup name:
Using XMLTV?: Yes - IceTV
Channel number/Name:

2 Likes
Film not recorded with no explanation
PMS for Mac Ignores "Replace lower resolution items" DVR Option
2

I’ve never used the “replace lower resolution items” for movies. What I did to allow me to record movies even if they are in my Movies library was:

  • Create a separate library named “Recorded Movies” which points to its own “Recorded Movies” folder.
  • Add this folder to the main Movies library (this is optional and avoids having to move the movie after recording)
  • When scheduling the movie to record select the “Recorded Movies” library as the library to record to
  • If you didn’t add the “Recorded Movies” folder to the Movies library: Once recording has completed, move it to the Movies folder
  • Delete the old movie from the Movies library

This also allows for checking the quality of the recording before replacing the old one.

This works because Plex only checks whether the movie exists in the library you are recording to.

3

I do pretty much exactly the same thing for TV shows. So yes, I can see that that would work. Although it would also mean that it would re-record the same movie even if it was in SD. I guess that’s OK as you’d only set it to record if you knew that the new screening was in HD.
I’d still like to know why “replace lower resolution items” doesn’t work? Or better yet, find a way to make it work.
Is it not meant to work for movies? I can’t remember if I’ve ever tried it for TV Shows.

1 Like
4

Does “Replace Lower Resolution Items” work for Movies for anyone else?

5

If you take an existing (matched) movie,
Replace the file with a better one,
Hover over the poster,
Click the ellipsis
Click “Analyze”
It will update what PMS knows.

The lower will have been replaced.

Is this what you mean?

6

No, what I mean is that I set a HD movie to record from live TV, and under Record Options → Show Advanced, I tick the box that says “Replace Lower Resolution Items”. In that situation, if I already have a SD copy of the same movie in my library, Plex won’t record the new HD movie

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7

Ah, sorry.

I can’t help with DVR. I lost my DVR capability 3 years ago with satellite.

8

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10

I am looking into this preference and how it is handled

11

I have reproduced this for a movie recorded on an SD channel and then later on I setup a new recording for it with replace lower quality items set - with there being a forthcoming HD channel airing of the movie

I have referred this to the development team

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