I have a large number of mp4s of my movies, all of which have for years (or perhaps forever) displayed the wrong year in all Plex interfaces I’ve ever tried (including web, iOS, Roku, etc.).
Each of these mp4s was carefully encoded and tagged with the correct information (which for other items is displayed), was named according to the Plex naming conventions, and yet all of that information is ignored and instead Plex insists on displaying the year the file was encoded rather than the year in the meta data.
For example, I have one file which lists 1972 as its “Release Date” in the mp4 metadata. It’s path (from the library directory given to Plex) is “GENRE/MOVIETITLE (1972)/MOVIETITLE (1972).mp4” And yet Plex will invariably display the movie’s year as 2014! As far as I can tell the only relationship of that year to that movie is that it was the year when the file was first encoded. It is not even the file’s ctime.
No number of database rebuilds have alleviated the issue.
Because all the files on my Plex server were carefully hand-tagged and I don’t want these tags messed up by any external sources, all the Agents are configured to use Local Media Assets first and, as far as possible, exclusively.
I suspect this somewhat unusual configuration is the source of the problem. Perhaps the Local Media Asset mp4 parser does not read the tagged year correctly? Every other piece of mp4 tagging software (and I’ve used many over the years) claims that my files have the correct release date.
I can post the whole thing, but the relevant lines from the MediaInfo output are:
General
Complete name : Y:\Movies\Crime\XXX (1972)\XXX (1972).mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/avc1)
File size : 6.61 GiB
Duration : 2 h 57 min
…
Recorded date : 1972
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:26:05
Tagged date : UTC 2015-03-17 06:47:39
Plex invariably reports the year of the movie to be 2014, rather than the correct 1972.
General
Complete name : Y:\Movies\Crime\Godfather Part I (1972)\Godfather Part I (1972).mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/avc1)
File size : 6.61 GiB
Duration : 2 h 57 min
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 5 345 kb/s
Collection : The Godfather: Part I
Track name : The Godfather: Part I
Genre : Crime
ContentType : Short Film
Description : When organized-crime family patriarch Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge in this Oscar-winning epic. Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino,
Recorded date : 1972
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:26:05
Tagged date : UTC 2015-03-17 06:47:39
Writing application : MakeMP4 3.7 on Wednesday, April 09, 2014, at 09:28:05
Cover : Yes
Comment : Alternate Title: Mario Puzo's The Godfather;Rating: R;Genres: Classics, Classic Dramas, Crime Dramas, Mobster, 20th Century Period Pieces, Dramas Based on Bestsellers, Dramas Based on the Book, Period Pieces, Blu-ray;This movie is: Violent, Dark;Format: DVD and Blu-ray
LongDescription : When organized-crime family patriarch Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge in this Oscar-winning epic. Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Abe Vigoda, Richard Castellano, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Gianni Russo, Al Lettieri. Director: Francis Ford Coppola.
HDVideo : Yes
Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4
Format settings : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 2 h 57 min
Bit rate : 4 897 kb/s
Maximum bit rate : 24.6 Mb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.099
Stream size : 6.06 GiB (92%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T01.out.264:lang=eng:fps=23.976023976023978 - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Writing library : x264 core 142 r2409 d6b4e63
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=4 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=10 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.15 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=24 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0 / chroma_qp_offset=-3 / threads=18 / lookahead_threads=3 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=0 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=8 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=60 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=19.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:26:05
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Menus : 15
Audio #1
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 2 h 57 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 296 kb/s
Maximum bit rate : 417 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel(s)_Original : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 376 MiB (6%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:25
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Audio #2
ID : 3
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 2 h 57 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 90.9 kb/s
Maximum bit rate : 141 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 115 MiB (2%)
Language : English
Default : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:30
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #1
ID : 4
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 52 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 9 363 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 132 kb/s
Stream size : 11.6 MiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T05.idx:lang=eng - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : English
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #2
ID : 5
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 52 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 10.3 kb/s
Maximum bit rate : 132 kb/s
Stream size : 12.7 MiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T06.idx:lang=eng - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : English
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #3
ID : 6
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 6 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 515 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 93.5 kb/s
Stream size : 476 KiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T07.idx:lang=eng - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : English
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #4
ID : 7
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 6 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 515 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 93.5 kb/s
Stream size : 476 KiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T08.idx:lang=eng - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : English
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #5
ID : 8
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 52 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 8 203 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 138 kb/s
Stream size : 10.1 MiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T09.idx:lang=fra - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : French
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #6
ID : 9
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 52 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 8 031 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 130 kb/s
Stream size : 9.93 MiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T10.idx:lang=spa - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : Spanish
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #7
ID : 10
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 52 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 9 162 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 136 kb/s
Stream size : 11.3 MiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T11.idx:lang=por - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : Portuguese
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #8
ID : 11
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 6 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 613 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 101 kb/s
Stream size : 567 KiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T12.idx:lang=fra - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : French
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #9
ID : 12
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 6 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 613 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 101 kb/s
Stream size : 567 KiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T13.idx:lang=fra - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : French
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #10
ID : 13
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 49 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 455 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 130 kb/s
Stream size : 563 KiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T14.idx:lang=spa - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : Spanish
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Text #11
ID : 14
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : mp4s-E0
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Duration : 2 h 49 min
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 455 b/s
Maximum bit rate : 130 kb/s
Stream size : 563 KiB (0%)
Title : Godfather I () HD T15.idx:lang=spa - Imported with GPAC 0.5.0-rev4065
Language : Spanish
Forced : No
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:27:33
Menu #1
00:00:00.000 : Chapter 01 (0m 0s)
00:07:30.783 : Chapter 02 (7m 30s)
00:18:03.624 : Chapter 03 (18m 3s)
00:27:03.455 : Chapter 04 (27m 3s)
00:34:20.183 : Chapter 05 (34m 20s)
00:40:17.748 : Chapter 06 (40m 17s)
00:48:52.304 : Chapter 07 (48m 52s)
00:58:18.328 : Chapter 08 (58m 18s)
01:08:44.578 : Chapter 09 (68m 44s)
01:15:49.002 : Chapter 10 (75m 49s)
01:30:00.686 : Chapter 11 (90m 0s)
01:37:06.862 : Chapter 12 (97m 6s)
01:46:18.163 : Chapter 13 (106m 18s)
01:49:30.188 : Chapter 14 (109m 30s)
01:53:57.664 : Chapter 15 (113m 57s)
02:03:21.310 : Chapter 16 (123m 21s)
02:06:37.256 : Chapter 17 (126m 37s)
02:13:28.125 : Chapter 18 (133m 28s)
02:19:47.462 : Chapter 19 (139m 47s)
02:25:56.706 : Chapter 20 (145m 56s)
02:36:56.031 : Chapter 21 (156m 56s)
02:44:43.540 : Chapter 22 (164m 43s)
02:53:05.750 : Chapter 23 (173m 5s)
Menu #2
ID : 15
Codec ID : text
Duration : 2 h 57 min
Encoded date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:28:56
Tagged date : UTC 2014-04-09 13:28:56
Menu For : 1
00:00:00.000 : Chapter 01 (0m 0s)
00:07:30.783 : Chapter 02 (7m 30s)
00:18:03.624 : Chapter 03 (18m 3s)
00:27:03.455 : Chapter 04 (27m 3s)
00:34:20.183 : Chapter 05 (34m 20s)
00:40:17.748 : Chapter 06 (40m 17s)
00:48:52.304 : Chapter 07 (48m 52s)
00:58:18.328 : Chapter 08 (58m 18s)
01:08:44.578 : Chapter 09 (68m 44s)
01:15:49.002 : Chapter 10 (75m 49s)
01:30:00.686 : Chapter 11 (90m 0s)
01:37:06.862 : Chapter 12 (97m 6s)
01:46:18.163 : Chapter 13 (106m 18s)
01:49:30.188 : Chapter 14 (109m 30s)
01:53:57.664 : Chapter 15 (113m 57s)
02:03:21.310 : Chapter 16 (123m 21s)
02:06:37.256 : Chapter 17 (126m 37s)
02:13:28.125 : Chapter 18 (133m 28s)
02:19:47.462 : Chapter 19 (139m 47s)
02:25:56.706 : Chapter 20 (145m 56s)
02:36:56.031 : Chapter 21 (156m 56s)
02:44:43.540 : Chapter 22 (164m 43s)
02:53:05.750 : Chapter 23 (173m 5s)
Bit rate mode : VBR
I am not using any external databases. All I want is for Plex to recognize the metadata that I carefully encoded into the file myself. Is that so hard?
“Recorded date” is not a standard tag. There is no official tag for release date. Plex will use the “year” tag or the “creation date” tag.
Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t Windows have a limitation or issue on the creation date tag. I do believe anything before 1980 will cause it to not show up correctly(the creation date entry is blank).
It does look correct but it’s not. Looking closer at the XML shows the movie is title="The Godfather" titleSort="Godfather" originalTitle="ഗോഡ്ഫാദർ" guid="com.plexapp.agents.imdb://tt0353496?lang=en" <Country id="158005" filter="country=158005" tag="IN"/>
It seems Plex will look at the year tag but will not use it to determine what the movie is from an online metadata source.
@NewPlaza said:
Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t Windows have a limitation or issue on the creation date tag. I do believe anything before 1980 will cause it to not show up correctly(the creation date entry is blank).
That does not ring a bell. There was an issue where dates before 1/1/1970 (start of epoch time) caused issues, but I believe that was solved. I don’t remember the details.
@NewPlaza said:
Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t Windows have a limitation or issue on the creation date tag. I do believe anything before 1980 will cause it to not show up correctly(the creation date entry is blank).
That does not ring a bell. There was an issue where dates before 1/1/1970 (start of epoch time) caused issues, but I believe that was solved. I don’t remember the details.
Nah, my bad. It’s more like a display bug in Windows. Shouldn’t hinder other programs.
@CarlEdman said:
Because all the files on my Plex server were carefully hand-tagged and I don’t want these tags messed up by any external sources, …
@CarlEdman said:
Duration : 2 h 57 min
Track name : The Godfather: Part I
ContentType : Short Film
Sorry, I can’t laugh hard enough… You are hilarious… Thank you, for making my day!
Glad to make your day with a well-known bug in another public tool and which is entirely unrelated to the discussion at hand. You must be easily amused.
“Recorded date” is not a standard tag. There is no official tag for release date. Plex will use the “year” tag or the “creation date” tag.
Hmm. It is widely supported by a number of tool sets, including mp4v2 which I used to create it and mediainfo which displays it as you see, but I don’t have 200 Swiss Francs to buy and check the authoritative standard right now, nor would it be the first time that non-standard tags have crept into widespread meta-data usage.
So I take it would be your advice to change the ‘Encoded Date’ to the release year?
@CarlEdman said:
Because all the files on my Plex server were carefully hand-tagged and I don’t want these tags messed up by any external sources, …
@CarlEdman said:
Duration : 2 h 57 min
Track name : The Godfather: Part I
ContentType : Short Film
Sorry, I can’t laugh hard enough… You are hilarious… Thank you, for making my day!
Glad to make your day with a well-known bug in another public tool and which is entirely unrelated to the discussion at hand. You must be easily amused.
He’s laughing at the “Short film” content type. A 3 hour movie that’s called a short film, which is pretty funny.
Glad to make your day with a well-known bug in another public tool and which is entirely unrelated to the discussion at hand. You must be easily amused.
He’s laughing at the “Short film” content type. A 3 hour movie that’s called a short film, which is pretty funny.
I got it. That is the well-known bug in the public mp4v2 tools which writes that field regardless of input. Fortunately, it is ignored by all other software I’ve ever used, so I never bothered to have it fixed.
Yay! Upgrading to PMS version 1.13.9.5456 from 1.12.something fixed the problem. All my movies show the correct year now.
PS: A separate, probably unrelated regression is that my Movies directory was moved from the Movies library to the Home Videos library. Readding it to the Movies directory and removing it from Home Videos fixed the problem even though recreating the index took forever.
