PREVIEW: Library Collections and Virtual Channels (v2021.07.16.2141)

We've got some docs available for Library Collections and Smart Rules now:

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Just added docs for Virtual Channels:

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LC and VC are great additions!

Do you plan to ‘combine’ Channel Collections with Library Collections? I would love to be able to separate a Library Collection by user so I can separate my wife’s shows from mine (although there is some overlap for a few shows).

I'm unclear on what you mean regarding combining them. They are very different things. One creates lists of channels, one creates lists of recorded content.

I didn't explain very well. I would like to be able to group library collections by user. So when I look at content to view, for example, I could have a library for me and a separate one for my wife....in other words the equivalent of a separate DVR/library for both of us (but a show/movie could be part of both collections).

You can't group collections, but you could make single collections for each of you.

Simple but manual

Create TV and Movie collections named after each of you and manually add the shows and movies to them. Whenever you get something new, you can just add them to those collections. Done.

Dynamic and fun

Check out the pre-release Labels feature.

Create labels for shows and movies and apply them to what you want, and then use a Smart Rule to create collections that include content with those labels.

EX:

  1. Add the bryandoyle tag to movies and shows that you like.
  2. Add the mrsdoyle tag to movies and shows that your wife likes.

Create a TV Show Collection named Brian's Shows and use the rule editor to add everything that has the briandoyle label. Now you have your own collection grouping all the shows you like.

Continue this for the other options. Soon, these smart rules will auto update collection items, so all you'll have to do is add the label to a show/movie and it will get auto added to the collections.

Labels looks like it will make this work!

Can a show have 2 labels/tags for those I want in both collections?

As many as you want.

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When setting up Smart Rules, there appears to be a bug when there is any type of space or special character in a custom Label and it is the only selection. As an example:

Label without any special characters works fine:

Label with a special character returns nothing:

Combine two labels and get a result:

It is not just due to some special character, a space seems to cause it too:

The issue appears to be when the query is single variable, there are no brackets around the item. I can force it to work in Advanced Mode.

Single vs. Multiple Query in Advanced Mode (Default, no edit):

Adding brackets into Advanced Mode:

Thanks, fixed for next build.

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The Hidden option for Library Visibility is now available in the latest Android beta, and release version as of today.

Fixed.

Fixed.

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Used labels and smart rules to setup Collections. Very cool!

What would complete this after auto update is available is I would like to be able to have collections on the left navigation row on Apple TV. If that is not possible then under TV Shows and under movies have the options to have collections at top in these sections.

And then have recently watched, recently updated be in the collection independently so my wife shows are separate from mine….i.e almost 2 separate DVRs/Collections.

I asked for this earlier in the week and lo and behold I see today:

“Improved: Library Collection items get sorted based on their sort option now, and in real time!”

It seems to work exactly as I hoped. Thank you!

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Question - In the Library Collection documentation, it states that if a movie is Hidden in the Library, it will not be shown, but will still be visible in a collection. I have imported movies... selected the movies that I wanted to be in a collection... the movies appear in the collection and in the library... but when I select the movies to be Hidden in the Library, the disappear from the Library AND in the Collection. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks!

Do the collections show up in the apps yet? I know they didn't a couple of months ago, but I still don't see them in the Android Beta apps. I'm on the latest pre-release and have updated to the most recent beta app as well (as of 9/17/21).

I just love the flexibility of using Labels and then creating smart collections with those labels. The flexibility there is amazing. But without being able to access the collections easily from the apps, it has limited real-world use.

Collections are showing up in the iPhone app, but not sure about Android.

Collections are not available in the Android app yet.

Are you on the lastest TestFlight and pre-release?

That explains why I can find it :). I look forward to it coming to Android, such a nice feature if you switch between collections easily in the app.

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