Solving Inability To Add MKV Files Once And For All

[jimlittle]

Hello,

 

I am a new user (installed Plex for the first time over the weekend) but already I ran into a big problem that doesn't seem to have a solution. 

 

I used Plex on Saturday to add video files to my Movies library using the Plex web interface. That process worked perfectly and I then purchased the app for my iPad. At this time, my added MOV and MP4 video files continue to play and work perfectly using Plex. I was really impressed with the AirPlay feature so that I could "beam" my iPad video to my Apple TV 3 box. I also installed the Roku app, and it works fine.

 

The next day (Sunday), I tried to add an MKV file to a Plex library--and the file does not appear when I go to Edit LIbrary, access the Folders tab, click Add Folder, and point to a folder on my system that contains the MKV file (I tried placing it in many different folders, to no avail). When I say that the file doesn't "appear", I mean that the file name doesn't show when I drill down into the folder that contains the MKV file using the Add Folder dialog. (When I added MP4 files on Saturday, they show in the Add Folder dialog, so I figured that MKV files should also show if they're present and if I'm correct that they're supported by Plex). If I ignore the fact that the MKV file isn't listed and simply add the folder that contains it then the MKV doesn't magically appear when I go back to the home page and click the Movies library. I tried all sorts of refreshes--the MKV file that's sitting in the added folder simply isn't getting added to the library I added it to.

 

I have read numerous posts of this issue with all sorts of suggestions--some that seem like pure voodoo (such as using lowercase s01e01 instead of S01E01)--but none of those suggestions has worked. 

 

So I have a few questions:

 

1) Would someone please confirm that Plex has the ability to add .MKV files to a library and then make then streamable using a Plex client? In fact, can you please point me to a page or list that shows all compatible video-format extensions the work with Plex?

 

2) Are there certain types of MKV files that are excluded (such as those above 1GB or those with a certain type of metadata)?

 

3) In Windows, I have a folder called Movies under my logged-on user's Documents folder (I am an admin on the Windows box). I placed a single MKV file into that Movies folder and I just want to add that to a library called Movies. 

 

I have tried naming the MKV file using each of the following--to no avail:

     test.mkv

     test (2014).mkv

     test S01E01.mkv

     test S01E01 (2014).mkv

     testS01E01.mkv

     testS01E01(2014).mkv

     testS01E01 (2014).mkv

     test S01E01(2014).mkv

 

    All forums member seem to suggest that the file could not possibly be named correctly and have suggested names such as those in my list. 

 

Am I doing something wrong?

 

To make things interesting, I tried a test: I copied an MP4 file that I have already successfully added to a Plex library called Tutorials, so I know that this MP4 file works with Plex and can be added to a library. However, when I copy the MP4 file to my documents\movies folder (where the MKV file is located), it also doesn't show when I try to add it to a library using the Plex Edit Library process. Why would I not be able to see a file that's named exactly the same way when I move it from one folder on my system to another? 

 

4) I have restarted the Plex server, restarted Windows, uninstalled and reinstalled the Plex server, cleared its various caches--to no avail. 

 

I don't really understand what the Plex Media Server is doing when a user clicks the Add Folder button in the Edit Library feature, but shouldn't it be rather straightforward? Should the process look at the file system and enumerate the files that are there and simply show them (or throw an error as to why it can't do this)? 

 

I have a small but academic library of MKV files and I was quite sure that a former colleague of mine said that MKV plays well with Plex. I purchased the Plex app with the intention of viewing MKV files. So any help anyone can offer would be appreciated.

 

 

[jmckee]

1) Would someone please confirm that Plex has the ability to add .MKV files to a library and then make then streamable using a Plex client? In fact, can you please point me to a page or list that shows all compatible video-format extensions the work with Plex?

2) Are there certain types of MKV files that are excluded (such as those above 1GB or those with a certain type of metadata)?

3) In Windows, I have a folder called Movies under my logged-on user's Documents folder (I am an admin on the Windows box). I placed a single MKV file into that Movies folder and I just want to add that to a library called Movies. 

I have tried naming the MKV file using each of the following--to no avail:

     test.mkv

     test (2014).mkv

     test S01E01.mkv

     test S01E01 (2014).mkv

     testS01E01.mkv

     testS01E01(2014).mkv

     testS01E01 (2014).mkv

     test S01E01(2014).mkv

    All forums member seem to suggest that the file could not possibly be named correctly and have suggested names such as those in my list. 

Am I doing something wrong?

To make things interesting, I tried a test: I copied an MP4 file that I have already successfully added to a Plex library called Tutorials, so I know that this MP4 file works with Plex and can be added to a library. However, when I copy the MP4 file to my documents\movies folder (where the MKV file is located), it also doesn't show when I try to add it to a library using the Plex Edit Library process. Why would I not be able to see a file that's named exactly the same way when I move it from one folder on my system to another? 

4) I have restarted the Plex server, restarted Windows, uninstalled and reinstalled the Plex server, cleared its various caches--to no avail. 

I don't really understand what the Plex Media Server is doing when a user clicks the Add Folder button in the Edit Library feature, but shouldn't it be rather straightforward? Should the process look at the file system and enumerate the files that are there and simply show them (or throw an error as to why it can't do this)? 

1)Yes, plex supports MKV's I have well over 1,000 in my various libraries between TV Shows and Movies

This is the list of file types for videos, not from a web page, but the scanner itself:
'3g2', '3gp', 'asf', 'asx', 'avc', 'avi', 'avs', 'bivx', 'bup', 'divx', 'dv', 'dvr-ms', 'evo', 'fli', 'flv',
'm2t', 'm2ts', 'm2v', 'm4v', 'mkv', 'mov', 'mp4', 'mpeg', 'mpg', 'mts', 'nsv', 'nuv', 'ogm', 'ogv', 'tp',
'pva', 'qt', 'rm', 'rmvb', 'sdp', 'svq3', 'strm', 'ts', 'ty', 'vdr', 'viv', 'vob', 'vp3', 'wmv', 'wpl', 'wtv', 'xsp', 'xvid', 'webm'

2)Yes, those under 300MB and with specific names that plex ignores.  This is for all file types, not MKV's.
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/201381883-Special-Keyword-File-Folder-Exclusion

3)When adding folders, media normally isnt shown in the list only the folder itself.
So for your example you would simply add the folder C:\Users\User Name\Documents\Movies*
From there Plex would scan the file and add it to the database after the section is created.

With that being said your naming conventions listed are almost all wrong.

For movies it is:
Frozen (2013).mkv

For TV Shows it would be:
House\Season 01\House - S01E01 - Pilot.mkv * with the episode name being optional.

After getting the correct naming convetion you need make sure you are adding them to the right type of library. A movie library ignores files name like movies and vice versa. A Home Videos Library should show everything.

Also, if you add something like test (2014).mkv you will see wierd results.  I created a test (2014).mkv added it to the library and it showed up as Cobayas: Human Test from 2011... I guess the closest match

I would recommend reading the media preparation guide to see what goes where and how to name them properly:

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/categories/200028098

5)It is Straight forward, Add folder means exactly that, you are adding a folder not a file name.

[jimlittle]

Thank you very much for your reply--it was helpful, but I still have some questions (and gripes!).

1. Can you help me understand how you determined this list and where exactly the "scanner itself" is?

2. OK.

3. and 4.

OK, you're right: adding a folder is adding a folder and I therefore agree that no media/file names should be enumerated in that dialog because it's concerned only with adding a "folder" (presumably, this means adding all media it finds in the added folder as well as any subfolders in the added folder...). So this raises some new questions:

A. When you add a folder, are all sub-folders scanned for media?

B. Is there a way to exclude files that are in the NTFS folder tree when you add a parent folder?

I think what confused me and likely a lot of other people (especially those new to Plex) is why files cannot just be added as they are named (read on, I think I now understand why). It seems that perhaps the Home Videos library is designed for that specific purpose--that is, to add whatever movie files you want regarding of how they're named. Once I understood this, I tried what you implied--at it worked! Instead of adding the folder containing my MKV to a library of type Movies, I created a library of type Home Videos--added the folder--clicked Add Library--and a few seconds later I saw that the MKV file had been added (see attached screen image)! In fact, I created a file with notepad, called it test.txt, added the word "hello" inside the text document, saved the file, then renamed it to test.mkv, and it too was added by Plex (suggesting, thankfully, that Plex doesn't actually delve into a file to see if it's valid--at least not for Home Video media--and instead just adds media entries based on the file extension). 

 

So, now for a little rant about the Movies library: If Plex imposes certain file-naming rules before files will be successfully added to a Movies library then I think the UI ought to make that more clear. I feel it's not enough to tell the user to "Help us out by following our guide to naming and organizing your media" because that same verbiage is shown when you try to add a folder to a Home Videos library--at that library has different file-import requirements. There should probably be a dummy mode where someone can just add files as they are named to a library without first having to read and digest an application-specific naming guide. (No offense to the fine people who created Plex, but if I am familiar with NTFS file-naming conventions and just want to watch my dog videos on my Roku, I shouldn't have to read a Naming Guide before I can get it to work.)

Now that I know there is a huge difference in how added NTFS folders are processed when they're being added to a Movies library versus a Home Videos library, I would like to know more about exactly what happens when I add a folder to a Movies library. I will revisit the "guide" to see what it says.

Meanwhile, I do love Plex and I'm grateful that it exists: It has made my life much more enjoyable (I was transferring files to watch on Roku using a USB drive, and that got old fast!). if you have anything to add, I would appreciate your feedback--and answers to A and B above, if you get a chance. 

Thank you!

[Orionshock]

A. When you add a folder, are all sub-folders scanned for media?

B. Is there a way to exclude files that are in the NTFS folder tree when you add a parent folder?

A ) They are scanned and added as per the naming convention. Plex tries to scan and add as much as possible and that it can figure out.

B ) Yes, there is the ".plexignore" feature

[anon18523487]

I think the problem is your understanding of the scanners. When creating the library, plex asked you to choose the category and then the scanner/agent to use. The scanner/agent combo is what plex uses to download the metadata. In order to do this, it needs to match your file to the source identified by the scanner/agent. This is where the naming convention is important. Plex will ignore anything out can’t match in order to keep the interface clean. Otherwise you might end up with tons of empty movie icons. Some might actually want this but plex doesn’t work that way. The scanner/agent combo for home videos does not need to download metadata, so you can use any naming convention you want since it doesn’t need to match anything. Also note that some video formats like mkv can have embedded metadata. The right scanner/agent combo will then use that information instead of downloading from the internet. In these cases it may appear that plex did not match the movie correctly according to the file name, but in fact out did match correctly based on the embedded metadata.


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[jimlittle]

That's a great explanation, Plex Star. Thanks. Yes, I had a number of misunderstandings along the way. At first, I arrived at Plex simply because I wanted to watch a single AVI on my Roku when that AVI was actually stored on my desktop computer. I arrived at Plex after googling around a bit. What I didn't realize is that Plex tries to be "smart", much like the Windows Media Player--and that it will use all sorts of clever algorithms to determine what video your video files actually contain so that it can offer-up a poster and other metadata. For those of us who don't want that "scanning" to occur, I guess that's what the Home Video library is for. 

Having said that, I have some movie files and I'm already seeing how neat it is to get a poster and meta data about that file so that Plex on my Roku presents my own media in much the same way Netflix presents its media library. How cool is that? 

I'll play more and will start other threads as needed. 

I'm REALLY HAPPY with the great replies here--thanks to everyone who contributed. 

[anon18523487]

Thanks for the kind words.  It makes it easier to help when you present your problems clearly.  Otherwise it leads to a lot of speculation and guessing.  Enjoy Plex.

[pwerner380_gmail_com]

Great discussion which helped me to solve a real head scratcher of why my .MKV files wouldn’t add for some of the TV shows I was trying to watch under Plex server. Using the naming convention as noted in this thread solved my problem.
Still have another question though, how should I name the extras files so that they get indexed too? These are the Bonus files that come with the disc image that I’d like to keep and be able to watch using Plex.
Thanks!