THETVDB and PLEX

Dev Community Dev/API Corner
1

I have recently discovered that THETVDB offers two distinct ordering options for tv series. I will use STAR TREK TNG as an example, but I'm sure there are many more. In Season 1, the very first episode is a double episode. (1 hr 31 min). THETVDB, along with a few other sites which THETVDB admin consider as valid sources, list this episode as TWO episodes(even though aired on same date!). This throws off the sequence of the entire series, and one is forced to rename each episode so that PLEX will scrape the info properly. When I confronted the admin of THETVDB in their forums, I was told that the series may have been repackaged by  the studio for  DVD release. Ultimately, they refused to remove episode 2 from their DB. The effect on thousands of users is immense, IMHO. Their response was to utilize the DVD ordering, which, when used, shows episode 2 as 1.2 (minor kludge). This is fine when showing the episode list on their web site, but what about PLEX? How does one instruct the PMS to use DVD order instead of AIRED DATE order?

 

Many of us spent huge amounts of money to purchase LG (possibly other manufacturers) smart TV's which use the PLEX server. (This is how I was introduced to the PLEX media server in the first place.) One would think that such options and fine tuning would have been taken care of when these were first designed.... ? If this is the case, it would be important to indicate this somewhere in the PLEX naming convention guide. If not, then such an option should exist. I am frustrated by THETVDB's attitude and lack of understanding, and it seems as though PLEX needs to develop an option to resolve this issue. Further, I find IMDB to be a much more reliable source, contrary to the opinions of THETVDB admins, and welcome any developments which would use their DB instead of THETVDB.

 

Comments please.

 

 

CCR

2

As sometimes confusing as it is, this is the correct way to do things. It is annoying at times, yes, but with a tool like ReNamer (http://www.den4b.com/?x=products&product=renamer) it’s a quick fix. The reason that it is correct is because it was aired as a two parter, and therefore is two distinct episodes with two production codes. Even Wikipedia lists Farpoint as episode 1 and 2.


As far as I know, using DVD order wouldn’t solve your issue. It still has the same number of episodes, just labeled differently. (Firefly is the only one off hand I know where DVD order was different)

So you’d need to name it S01E01E02 so plex can scrape it twice. (This presents a whole different set of issues, but hey). Or just name “The Naked Now” S01E03, so plex skips e02.

I don’t know how to make Plex use DVD order, probably a custom scanner along the lines of BABS (but not BABS).


It’s annoying, but… Yea, this is the way it’s done. I’m not saying there aren’t room for improvements, but I’m used to it by now.



And yea, I’ve read a lot about the TVDB admins being just total dicks, its unfortunate.

3


(Firefly is the only one off hand I know where DVD order was different)


Sadly there are more. I am ripping my Batman The Animated Series DVDs and numbering them according to the DVD. It is nowhere near the numbering according to airdate that is used on TVDB. The DVD order makes more sense; Two-parters were actually not always aired on sequential days.

I believe this has happened with other animated series as well like my Superman DVDs.

I'd really like particular series to be in DVD order rather than airing order.

Batman on TVDB: http://thetvdb.com/?tab=season&seriesid=76168&seasonid=9798&lid=7
Batman on DVD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Batman:_The_Animated_Series_episodes

Wikipedia notes:

This article lists the episodes in their production order, in accordance with the order the series was released on DVD; rather than by their original airdates, the latter often preferred by fans due to establishment, story flow, consistency, character introduction, etc.


So the two parts of "The Cat & the Claw" aired as episodes 1 & 8 but on the DVDs they are way down at episodes 15 & 16.
4

I am having a similar issue with Babylon 5.  I want to use the episode order listed *here*

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/countries/master/eplist.html

This order is different from both the TV airdate and from the DVD order, but it is the episode order that resolves a few continuity glitches.  It also (and i know this is a separate issue) inserts the post series specials and movies into the correct spots in the viewing order.

For Example, The Season 1 Episode "Legacies" uses an object that was given to a character in the episode "Babylon Squared".  Both the original air date and the DVD order put Legacies earlier in the season than Babylon Squared and create a continuity glitch.

Another Example is the special "Thirdspace" which chronologically happens in the middle of Season 4 (Right before "Atonment")

This is a movie special that was produced and airs after the series ended, and was released in a box set of movies, but takes place during the series

What I really want is the ability to manually associate filename X to TVDB metadata Y without Plex trying to to the association automatically.  I then want Plex to display the episodes in the order I desire rather than the TVDB order. 

If there is any way to create an .nfo or coordination file of some sort, maybe a CSV file with the following column fields:

1) file name (or path and file name)

2) Series name

3) Season I want this file to show up in in Plex

4) Episode order I want this file to show up in in Plex

5) TVDB ID number for the series this file is associated with

6) TVDB ID number for this specific episode (not for the series in general)

This way, Plex could pull the data based on column 6, associate it with the correct file based on Column 1, and display it in the Plex client based on the sort order given in Column 3 and 4.

This would allow us to manually insert specials in the middle of a series, and would allow us to make our own custom sort orders.

If I could do this, it would allow me to display in Plex with the correct metadata (from TVDB) and correct viewing order (per me and per a third party site that Plex doesn't, and probably shouldn't bother to, scrape). 

Just a text file.  That's all I need.  It would fix my issues with Babylon 5 and Doctor Who (2005) (which I also have a hell of a time with Specials being seen in the correct viewing order).

1 Like
5

Have you looked at this thread https://forums.plexapp.com/index.php?/topic/21141-DVD-Order-Agent

6

@RiverTrent said:
Have you looked at this thread https://forums.plexapp.com/index.php?/topic/21141-DVD-Order-Agent

I see that link everywhere but I don’t think anyone posting it (in the last year or so) is actually following the link. It’s busted and just takes you to the Plex Form’s root page :frowning:

Additionally, TheTVDB agent in Plex doesn’t currently let you choose between the DVD or Airdate order even though the info is provided.

7

Here’s the new link and it appears to be still active:
https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/21141/dvd-order-agent/p1

8

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.