Have a FreeNAS box with a Plex Plugin.
Running Plex client “Firefox on Ubuntu 12.04” and a “Samsung SmartTV”.
Have three TV Shows named
Spartacus (2004)
Spartacus (2010)
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Only the latter two are visible to the Plex Clients, not the first.
I guess that this is because Plex thinks the 2004 series is a duplicate of 2010.
Spartacus (2004) is a Movie, split and broadcasted as two episodes.
The easiest thing would be to put it in the Movie section, naming them
Spartacus (2004) - part1.mp4
Spartacus (2004) - part2.mp4
Plex will in this case create a single entry containing both parts, but both
my client will only play the first part.
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Is there a way I can force the Plex Plugin not to mark this as a duplicate?
Then I can manually match the show vs the Movie Database where it exists.
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Is there a way, to override matching vs the TVDB and instead match vs the Movie database
for this particular show, by adding some info to the show directory?
I obviously can name the show something totally different, and then manually match
by resetting the name to “Spartacus” and selecting the Movie Database,
but would like something more automatic.
Step One:
Embedded metadata in the Title Field of MP4/M4V files will throw Plex into a tailspin. Plex will read this info and prefer it over a perfect file name/structure, but you can combat that situation by moving Local Media Assets to the bottom of every agent list you can find. All tabs in Shows and Movies here: https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200241558-Agents
Just drag LMA to the bottom of the list and drop it. If you do have embedded metadata this will cure the issue, if you don’t it won’t matter. LMA will do what it has to from the bottom. Do NOT disable LMA. Simply Demote to the bottom of the lists.
This will save a LOT of pain and suffering later in your career - if you use MP4/M4V files. Typically they’re loaded with bogus Title Fields providing no shortage of pain and suffering.
Step Two:
https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/32528-spartacus - Spartacus (2004) is, as you know, a Movie. Also, as you know Stacking Movies is a poor way to handle movies in two parts, as is Stacking TV Show Episodes and unless you join them back together into one item - you’re out of luck… unless…
Step Two and a Half:
Add your two parts of the Spartacus Movie as:
A TV Show Library/
…Spartacus/
…Season 00/
…Spartacus - S00E01.xxx <---- Here is episode one of ‘Gods of the Arena’ - read on.
…Spartacus - S00E10 - Spartacus 2004 Movie (1).xxx <— Spartacus Movie part one.
…Spartacus - S00E11 - Spartacus 2004 Movie (2).xxx <----Spartacus Movie part two.
Then hand edit the descriptions of the movie parts to indicate what you’re looking at. This will keep all your ‘Spartaci’ under one roof, as it were.
Note: http://thetvdb.com/?tab=season&seriesid=129261&seasonid=158701&lid=7 - There are 6 ‘Specials’ for ‘Spartacus’ at TVDB (handy info for later - read on). So as not to bump heads with any Special that’s already there (or likely to be there soon) start at E10 for these two ‘Movie’ parts. You still have the option of joining them as described above and putting them in a Movie Library. Pick the option that annoys you the least.
Step Three:
As you have just found out There is no ‘Spartacus Gods of the Arena’ at TVDB. These episodes are simply Specials of ‘Spartacus’ - as far at TVDB is concerned. The thing to know about TVDB is that they’re always right, even if they’re wrong. Plex matches TV Shows with TVDB. End of Story. Climb on board - there ain’t but one train leaving this station. Better get on it.
There is no (YEAR) in the name ‘Spartacus’, by the way - as you now know if you visited the TVDB link above. Adding a (YEAR) may do more harm than good. Whenever possible you NEED to use the name exactly as it’s shown at TVDB. Caveats abound, but do not apply in this case, with this particular show.
The good news is that once you name your Spartacus Special episodes correctly you’ll have to do very little, if any, hand editing. The structure and naming above pretty much took care of Gods of the Arena - as you can see from my investigation and a test file:
More good news is when watching from On Deck, Gods of the Arena will appear in the order they aired. They aired at the end of Season 1 (apparently) before the launch of Season 2. Again, TVDB is always right - even if they’re wrong.
The bad news is this is pretty much your only option…
ALLLLL ABOOOAAARRDDD! (inject Ozzie Laugh Here).
You can suit up and battle Plex and TVDB over this if you want to. Plex and TVDB will simply stomp a ‘you shaped’ divot into the ground and move on to the next victim. Or, you can do what the rest of us do and take the coward’s way out - capitulating to Plex and TVDB’s wishes on this matter.
I am cowardly, but I don’t spend a lot of time in battle with a beast I can’t beat.
Finally:
Renaming/restructuring is best performed OUTSIDE the library and you’ll need to write a new bundle for the show so The Plex Dance® was invented:
bring names and structures into compliance, fiddle with LMA, Restructure, Rename, Check, Double Check.
replace corrected show into library
update library
All Steps. In Order. No Shortcuts.
FileBot - link in my signature - could have handled a LOT of this for you in seconds. You may want to get on board that train too at some point. You’ll ultimately be glad you did.
I ended up renaming it “Spartacus the Movie (2004)”,
and then matched it with “Spartacus”, “2004”, the Movie Database.
I guess; i have to repeat if/when I have to reinstall it.
That at least means I get the metadata.
I somehow managed to match my separate “Gods of the Arena” folder,
but moved it into the main, thanks.
