Using channels and plex - recording management?

#1

So I’m using channels but also have the Channels DVR folder as a plex share... this works well and means I can watch recordings on devices that don’t support channels (Smart TV/consoles etc).

What’s the best way of managing the files (I.e. deletion)? As when I delete a file from channels it’s still shows up in Plex but as ‘unavailable’ and if I delete from Plex the reference isn’t deleted from channels so it still shows up in there (but obviously fails to play).

Has anyone found a way of syncing the actions between the two?

Any help would be really appreciated!

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#2

You could try setting Plex to scan the library folder when changes are detected, and also on a short interval (every hour or so).

I personally just encode commercial markers into the Channels recording and export that mkv file to Plex, then delete the original recording. All of my watching happens in Plex.

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#3

That sounds useful! Is there an option within plex to remove the commercials from the channels recording?

#4

If Plex does the DVR recording it does. I use MCEBuddy to process the recordings. I don't remove the commercials, just put a chapter marker in them since sometimes the commercial detection can cut in to the program.

MCEBuddy will process the MPG file and add chapter markers without re-encoding, then export to MKV where you can sort that in to Plex however you prefer.

#5

My MCEBuddy monitors the Channels DVR folder for new TV shows, and only processes if they're over 2 hours old. This is a screenshot of my MCEBuddy processing profile. It drops them to my UnRaid server where I pick them up and use Sonarr to move them to the right folder for Plex to read.

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#6

One word of warning from my own experience: beware of using a shared folder and Plex's episode management. When Plex auto deletes an episode, Channels will still think it is there.

#7

Thanks for the useful info.
What advantage does Sonarr add considering mcebuddy can add the shows directly to the Plex TV Shows folder as long as the naming scheme is correct?

The only reason I ask is I am having trouble setting up Sonarr to monitor BOTH my Plex TV Shows folder AND Channels TV folder simultaneously?

If I could figure out the correct Sonarr settings, I could probably drop mcebuddy for recordings I don't want to procees any commercial detection?