Recorded TV Filenames for Media Managers and Metadata

Beta Community DVR Beta
#21

i put the xml in the same folder as the video, so yes, i put it in the Season 7 Folder.

as far as how much data Infuse reads from the XML file, there really isnt any reason to put anymore information in the file because once it identifies the episode, it pulls from the cloud. you can of course switch a folder to “Local Metadata”, and gain more data, but that defeats the ease and fun of Infuse.

i really dont know why you would be making the same video available on both at the same time. if I were trying to keep the files available to Channels, and put a hard link to it from the Infuse location, why wouldnt I just watch it in Channels?
in my house:
Channels is TV - time shift,comskip, delete
Itunes is Movies - rent not buy
Infuse is workout videos

#22

I’m curious to hear more about how/why you use Infuse as well.

One thing we have been planning is an export feature, which would move/rename/remux/transcode recordings to another directory based on your settings. If you don’t use Channels for playback at all, maybe that’s a better solution for your use case.

Otherwise it sounds like I may need to add an option to change the filename structure used by the DVR (if we can’t get metadata files to work)

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#23

I’m coming from Kodi side loaded on Amazon Fire TVs/TV Sticks. Kodi is a great media manager, but I don’t like having to install outside of app stores. Also, it’s quirky. Again, looking for solutions that are user friendly. While I’m an IT analyst and supporting and building technology all day long, my home life cannot be problematic every time someone tries to turn on the TV. Kodi has PVR functionality built in and does a pretty great job at digging through folders with media and identifying them easily; not to mention live TV and guide data.

I was using SiliconDust HDHomerun DVR to record TV. I then had Kodi watching the record folder to update the library. I also use Kodi’s built in PVR functionality for live tv. I know those contradict each other, but it’s actually a pretty good solution if you can’t have Channels :-). The library is stored on MySQL server so all Amazon Fire Xs could have the same watch history and a single library up to date rather than having to update on each Amazon Fire X. HDHR DVR went through some guide data provider changes in January which was problematic. Also, their development on the DVR product is…a little slow to turn around. With basic features lacking, no PVR integration with Kodi, and missed recordings on the reg. due to guide data issues, I ventured out to Plex as my DVR engine.

Plex is more robust with being able to identify new recordings, the guide data didn’t disappear (at first) and I didn’t miss a single recording for a couple months. I was pleasantly surprised. I again had Kodi watching the record folder. Recorded TV was available in either Plex or Kodi with all relevant metadata. I could tinker around if I wanted to, but my household was able to open Kodi and see all media, as well as watch live tv. Plex started having trouble maintaining guide data. I had to check it almost daily to make sure recordings were scheduled. If something was missing, I had to manually refresh guide data. Toward the end (two weeks ago) it got so bad that it would update the guide data but still not show my scheduled recordings. After nonsense with Plex, I decided I’d buy all the Apple TV 4s for all my TVs and go with Channels which I purchased late last year for the one Apple TV 4 I had at the time.

So far, Channels DVR has been spot on with it’s ability to maintain guide data, it is able to show me what is going to record and when, and I can schedule new recordings through the clients. These features are seriously lacking on HDHR and Plex. While both Plex and HDHR were a bother from the guide side, now I can’t get the recorded TV to play nicely with Infuse.

The ability to be inside Kodi and flip between recorded tv or movies and live tv from one seamless UI was easier for my family members to comprehend.

Why do I use Infuse? Because I want a single location to view all my 300+ movies, and the complete TV series we’ve recorded using other DVR engines. Channels DVR is awesome. Channels for live tv and grid guide is my favorite. Recorded tv that was recorded by Channels is fan-flippin-tastic in Channels. Channels is not a media manager and won’t pull in other data stored in network shares so I have one place to go to for all my media consumption needs. So, the hand off here is that live TV will be in Channels and the goal is to have all recorded media available in Infuse. The Apple TV hardware is more capable and provides an overall better experience. For some reason it’s easier to switch between Channels and Infuse than it is to go between HDHR View and Plex, for example.

Yes, many things are available on Hulu, Netflix, OnDemand, ABC Go, HBO Now, AMC, Freeform, need I go on? I pay for a cable subscription and we record a lot of TV. I can skip commercials and take the content with me when I’m offline. Hulu has the ability to do no commercials, but I still can’t take it offline or watch live.

I hope this helps clarify. I know it may seem crazy, but I feel like Channels and Infuse, together, will end up being my happy place. I’m SO close! :slight_smile:

Happy to share more about my DVR journey! Also, thanks for being amazingly responsive. One more thing Channels has on all the other guys!

#24

This is an add on/follow up to @MattBTweet post.

As I ran out of disk space (8tb) on my original Channels DVR setup, I elected to add an additional Channels server for newer recordings, as Channels doesn’t offer multiple recordings locations (like SD solution).

Although Channels (imo) offers the best playback on ATV4, it became a PITA to switch bonjour settings on these two server locations in order to load one or the other for the ATV. Also, trying to determine which Channels server had the content we wanted to watch has become increasingly difficult.

Therefore, I went in search of a solution. Plex was great for aggregating various file locations, however the playback ffd/rew functions on a file is abysmal. And the only device I originally found available for decent transcoding of mpeg2 files for Plex playback is the Shield.

Investigating further, I found Kodi is great for playback, however, implementation is realistically only available on the Shield/Android devices. Used to load on ATV4, but Apple limited implementation to 7 days for non developers.

Infuse in 2016, did have severe inherent problems with load/ffd times for mpeg2, however revisiting in the last day or so, I found this is no longer a problem.

My latest workflow (testing today), at least for movie viewing:

Channels DVR > Plex (Shield) > Infuse (using Plex Media Server via upnp) in a list format).

Appears to be working great for movies, but TV Shows … not so much. *

Hence, I can now understand the requests for file naming changes to utilize Infuse.

For all of the hints, clues to get to this point, I would like to thank:

@timstephens24, @karlmitchell and @MattBTweet.

  • Edit: 1 day later - Was able to utilize same structure for TV shows - Infuse is now working great on both Movies & TV Shows.
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#25

Although I agree that the file name should have been changed long ago to be something that everyone else works with, have you tried the xml file?

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#26

Care to explain (in detail) … xml is above my pay grade.

#27

Without a specification from fireCore on what is actually respected in the xml, I’m not sure it make sense to keep shooting in the dark. You’ve mentioned that you’ve had success with xml, but I think Infuse relies on both directory structure and xml metadata to interpret the media properly. Unfortunately, fireCore doesn’t post anything beyond file names for what is supported and the current record path is just to series name, not series name\season\episode. Either way, it seems like we lose out on having the file available for one app over the other.

If we can get ahold of what is expected in xml, then I believe generating the xml is far easier than changing the filename, but we’re at the mercy of fireCore and still requiring that additional files be created when it isn’t actually necessary. Also, this isn’t specific to fireCore Infuse. The naming convention is pretty universal in the bigger media managers today.

I’m sorry to sound like a broken record, but the filename requires no tinkering once developed. Channels DVR then opens up to be an option as a backend to other media management software. If an option can enabled to specify how the filename is generated, we’ll be in a win-win situation; my favorite!

I completely respect what you’re saying, but why workaround when we can solve?

I know, I know. Pie in the sky :slight_smile:

Thank you for keeping me on my toes! Truly, this is great stuff!

Can we talk about how it’s a Friday night at 11:47 and I’m on a DVR forum? I feel like I should probably interact with people in person more. Maybe next week. :stuck_out_tongue:

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#28

After some experimentation based on @timstephens24 comment of how he has structured his setup for MrMc, I was able to setup Infuse (iOS for now, will do tvOS later) to use Channels recordings (+any other recordings from other sources) to produce:

  1. Set up movies & tv shows libraries on Plex xxx - (xxx = Server Name)
  2. In Infuse add source (share): Plex Media Server (xxx)
  3. In Infuse add files - Plex Media Server > Video > TV Shows (Movies) > All (tap to add to favorites) & rename the folder and/or Add. Close

Plex (upnp) strips the prepend, etc. and sets up correct name/structure for Infuse.

When using, it does take a bit of time to load. I prefer the "List" view, however the above sample may be what is preferred by others.

NOTE: I've seen it act wacky with 2 different A-Z title sorts (just keep scrolling), but YMMV.

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Media Manager that Works - Emby
#29

I can’t believe that’s all I had to do this whole time!!! Thanks @DebbieFL!!! Super easy!

#30

I’m going to cross my fingers and toes and hope that we’ll see the option to change the format of the filename.

Great workaround though!

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#31

Same thoughts here. The library load times are atrocious on “the workaround” but at least viewing/ffd the individual files is good. :blush:

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#32

Hello,

I have heard back from Firecore:

"Hi Matt, thanks for your note.

Having the record date is going to throw off Infuse’s matching since dates can be used for release (year) or air date. Does Channels have an option to prevent the date from being written to the filename? If so, Infuse should be able to pick the files up straight away.

An alternative would be to use XML files to override the info in Infuse, but this will be a bit clunky as Infuse will treat the videos as normal movies unless it’s able to properly determine they are in fact a TV show (based on the filename).

If you’re in contact with the Channels guys, you might suggest they provide an option to hide the record date in the filename, or tuck it away in an XML file. The result would be episode files that are universally compatible with many apps, not just Infuse.

Hope this helps.
Firecore support"

It appears that XML is only respected for movies, which is what I experienced in my testing when trying different scenarios with the XML specs for other apps.

With that, is there any light at the end of this tunnel?

Thank you!

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#33

Has anyone been able to test Infuse load times for libraries with Plex Media Server list of files (from Channels), which will then correspond to Infuse (and others) standards versus original file names corresponding to Infuse (etc.) standards?

If there is no difference in load times, this appears to be a moot point, as it requires only the necessary Plex Media Server mid-step, which is very advantageous/necessary for multiple file locations (currently not allowed in Channels).

#34

Infuse scanning for new movies/tv shows over DLNA w/ Plex takes forever for me.

#35

Bummer. Especially because technically TV is in the filename, since all the tv shows are inside a TV folder.[quote=“MattBTweet, post:20, topic:1685”]
After additional testing, I’ve found that the most successful naming convention for Kodi, Plex, and Infuse is [Series Name] S[Season Number]E[Episode Number] [Air date] [[Record date and time]].
[/quote]

Sounds like this is the best path forward. I would like to keep the episode name in there too, I assume it can go in between the [Air date] and [Record date].

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#36

I have been using the plex work around and it loads just fine on infuse!

#37

I believe so. It appears to ignore the rest of the file name if the tv show name and season/episode numbers are provided. :+1:

#38

New test build is available with updated filename scheme. Please test with Infuse/Kodi/etc and let me know if it works before I push it out to everyone.

curl -XPUT http://127.0.0.1:8089/updater/check/2017.06.09.2116

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#39

Where do you want this run? I’m running the DVR server on a Windows box. Does that impact this at all? :slight_smile: Sorry, I should have shared that with you earlier on!

#40

Run this in Powershell to update:

Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing -Method Put http://127.0.0.1:8089/updater/check/2017.06.09.21161