Metadata Provider Priority

[raymondjpg 16]

I have TV Maze set as the first listed metadata provider for as many categories (Series, Season, Episode) as I can configure for priority in my libraries. TheTVDB is set as second listed metadata provider. Yet for one particular TV show the metadata shown by Emby Theater reflects listing from TheTVDB which has episodes numbered differently, and in my opinion wrongly, compared to TV Maze which in my opinion has them right. As far as I can tell TV Maze has all the Season and Episode information available for scraping, however if I delete all but TV Maze from the TV show External Ids, lock it and update metadata and scan library there is no metadata downloaded for the show. Episode numbering is correct, but that may be coming from the file listing.

Can anyone throw light on why this is happening? Is there something that can be done to trigger download of metadata from TV Maze? I have had a previous experience of TheTVDB getting it wrong and this was resolved by temporarily disabling it from the library scraper list and locking the TV show from any further changes. However wouldn't the problem just re-occur on re-enabling it?

TIA!

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

I do not see "TV Maze" listed as a metadata provider in my setup. I wonder if there is a special plugin or some other method to get "TV Maze" available as a provider. 
I do not really have any suggestion as to a fix but i do like to understand Emby's functionality as much as possible and "TV Maze" is a metadata provider I have never heard of.

[GrimReaper 4740]

8 minutes ago, Gilgamesh_48 said:

I wonder if there is a special plugin or some other method to get "TV Maze" available as a provider

 

[GrimReaper 4740]

18 minutes ago, raymondjpg said:

Yet for one particular TV show the metadata shown by Emby Theater reflects listing from TheTVDB which has episodes numbered differently, and in my opinion wrongly, compared to TV Maze which in my opinion has them right. As far as I can tell TV Maze has all the Season and Episode information available for scraping, however if I delete all but TV Maze from the TV show External Ids, lock it and update metadata and scan library there is no metadata downloaded for the show.

Specific example would be required. 

How to Report a Problem

 

[raymondjpg 16]

37 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

Specific example would be required. 

How to Report a Problem

 

There is nothing in that link that I can see that suggests specific examples are required. Nevertheless specifically the show is The Madame Blanc Mysteries, TV Maze Series Id 53053, TheTVDB Id 410818. See data for Series 4.

Thank you.

Edited April 16, 2025 by raymondjpg

[GrimReaper 4740]

5 minutes ago, raymondjpg said:

There is nothing in that link that I can see that suggests specific examples are required.

Quote

General Emby Issues

• Describe the problem in your own words, including what you're trying to accomplish, and where you're getting stuck. Please mention some specific examples.
• Please attach the server log from the time frame the activity occurred. See the section below titled Emby Server Logs. Please supply the full and complete log file in txt format. Please don't zip or compress, and avoid attempting to extract relevant sections. Everything is relevant to us.

Logs are the only means where it can be seen which queries were made and responses received. 

[raymondjpg 16]

17 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

Logs are the only means where it can be seen which queries were made and responses received. 

Attached is a Server log file shortly after running Refresh Metadata and Scan Library Files on the show in Theater. This is with TV Maze and TheTVDB both enabled as library scrapers in Server and both listed as TV show External Ids in Theater .

embyserver.txt

Edited April 16, 2025 by raymondjpg

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

 

Thank you. I now know that I have no need of it as the regular providers do the job I need. I almost never even read the title of a show (I play most from next up) If it is next on my list I play it. 

[GrimReaper 4740]

59 minutes ago, raymondjpg said:

Attached is a Server log file shortly after running Refresh Metadata and Scan Library Files on the show in Theater. This is with TV Maze and TheTVDB both enabled as library scrapers in Server and both listed as TV show External Ids in Theater .

embyserver.txt 134.55 kB · 0 downloads

I can't see any TV Maze related queries in your log, only TVDB and TMDB:

Quote

2025-04-16 11:06:11.791 Info App: Refresh metadata requested on 1663920

2025-04-16 11:06:11.792 Info Server: http/1.1 Response 204 to host1. Time: 4ms. POST http://host1:8096/emby/Items/1663920/Refresh?Recursive=true&ImageRefreshMode=FullRefresh&MetadataRefreshMode=FullRefresh&ReplaceAllImages=true&ReplaceAllMetadata=true&X-Emby-Client=Emby Theater&X-Emby-Device-Name=RAYMOND-PC&X-Emby-Device-Id=RAYMOND-PC&X-Emby-Client-Version=3.0.20&X-Emby-Token=x_secret2_x&X-Emby-Language=en-us 2025-04-16 11:06:11.888 Info HttpClient: POST https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/login

2025-04-16 11:06:12.138 Info HttpClient: GET https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/series/410818/extended?meta=translations&short=false

2025-04-16 11:06:12.345 Info HttpClient: GET https://api.themoviedb.org/3/configuration?api_key=x_secret3_x

2025-04-16 11:06:13.033 Info HttpClient: GET https://api.themoviedb.org/3/tv/136275?api_key=x_secret3_x&append_to_response=alternative_titles,reviews,credits,images,keywords,external_ids,videos,content_ratings,episode_groups&language=en-US&include_image_language=en-US,null

Both of those are correct ExternalIds but the episode list differs from TV Maze, as you've said yourself (though TMDB listing is quite close, I've submitted a ticket to remove S02E01 Christmas Special from Season 2 so you'd have same listing as on TV Maze).

If you are positive that you have TV Maze as your highest priority meta-provider for that library, try unticking it/ticking it back in library setup and Re-Identifying that show, as TV Maze does return correct item:

Quote

{ "id": 53053, "url": "https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/53053/the-madame-blanc-mysteries", "name": "The Madame Blanc Mysteries", "type": "Scripted", "language": "English", "genres": [ "Drama", "Thriller" ], "status": "Running", "runtime": 60, "averageRuntime": 60, "premiered": "2021-10-16", "ended": null, "officialSite": "https://www.my5.tv/the-madame-blanc-mysteries/", "schedule": { "time": "21:00", "days": [ "Thursday" ] }, "rating": { "average": 6.8 }, "weight": 98, "network": { "id": 135, "name": "5", "country": { "name": "United Kingdom", "code": "GB", "timezone": "Europe/London" }, "officialSite": "https://www.channel5.com/" }, "webChannel": null, "dvdCountry": null, "externals": { "tvrage": null, "thetvdb": 410818, "imdb": "tt15499118" }, "image": { "medium": "https://static.tvmaze.com/uploads/images/medium_portrait/366/917041.jpg", "original": "https://static.tvmaze.com/uploads/images/original_untouched/366/917041.jpg" }, "summary": "\u003Cp\u003EJean White is an antiques dealer who runs a successful business with her husband, Rory. But when he suddenly dies and leaves her nearly penniless, Jean relocates to their one remaining asset - a cottage in French antiques hub Saint Victoire - and begins investigating Rory's mysterious death.\u003C/p\u003E", "updated": 1744363013, "_links": { "self": { "href": "https://api.tvmaze.com/shows/53053" }, "previousepisode": { "href": "https://api.tvmaze.com/episodes/3186036", "name": "The Blueprint" }, "nextepisode": { "href": "https://api.tvmaze.com/episodes/3198543", "name": "Antique Antics" } } }

 

Edited April 16, 2025 by GrimReaper

[raymondjpg 16]

3 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

If you are positive that you have TV Maze as your highest priority meta-provider for that library, try unticking it/ticking it back in library setup and Re-Identifying that show, as TV Maze does return correct item:

Thanks for looking at this. I have done everything you suggested and still get incorrect metadata for season 4, consistent from what is provided by The TVDB. I'm reluctant to disable TheTVDB as a scraper in the library as it's only a temporary fix, and because I probably need to continue to use it as a source of metadata for some European and Scandinavian material.

3 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

I can't see any TV Maze related queries in your log, only TVDB and TMDB:

That's a worry. TV Maze is definitely at the top of my priority list and enabled for every category where it is available in the library metadata setup.

[GrimReaper 4740]

19 minutes ago, raymondjpg said:

and still get incorrect metadata for season 4

For test purposes, could you move TMDB on top of your preferred meta-providers and Refresh Metadata, see what gives? 

[GrimReaper 4740]

23 minutes ago, raymondjpg said:

I have done everything you suggested and still get incorrect metadata

Could you post server log after doing that? 

23 minutes ago, raymondjpg said:

That's a worry. TV Maze is definitely at the top of my priority list and enabled for every category where it is available in the library metadata setup.

@softworkzany thoughts here, maybe? 

[raymondjpg 16]

I have since run a refresh metadata on the entire library with a view to posting a log after that.

Which of your suggestions should i try first?

Edited April 16, 2025 by raymondjpg

[GrimReaper 4740]

14 minutes ago, raymondjpg said:

I have since run a refresh metadata on the entire library

That'll likely create a lot of entries in the log/a lot of noise, better to keep focused on the item you're having issues with, it'll be easier to sift through log entries. 

15 minutes ago, raymondjpg said:

Which of your suggestions should i try first?

I'd start with:

33 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

could you move TMDB on top of your preferred meta-providers and Refresh Metadata

Though I'm still curious about seeing server log after:

4 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

If you are positive that you have TV Maze as your highest priority meta-provider for that library, try unticking it/ticking it back in library setup and Re-Identifying that show

Notice the re-Identify, not Refresh Metadata. 

[raymondjpg 16]

Thanks i’ll do all that in s little while. I definitely did a re-identify not a refresh metadata.

[GrimReaper 4740]

5 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

I've submitted a ticket to remove S02E01 Christmas Special from Season 2 so you'd have same listing as on TV Maze).

In typical TMDB fashion, their reply and corrective action was not to remove Season 2 Christmas Special out of Season 2 listing but to pull the other two specials out of Season 0 and move them into their respective Seasons (3 & 4), so basically now it looks the same as TVDB listing.

Anyway, you can now disregard:

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

move TMDB on top of your preferred meta-providers and Refresh Metadata

You're back on depending on TV Maze alone. 

Edited April 16, 2025 by GrimReaper

[raymondjpg 16]

Thanks for trying!

What they have done, in my view, is disregard the convention of specials starting with S00.

Not real helpful.

[GrimReaper 4740]

Yeah, they often have their own way of seeing things - and being quite rigid in it. Anyway, nothing to do there any more, water under the bridge, we should focus on (hopefully) solving your TV Maze issue. 

[softworkz 5066]

Without having read through all of this in detail - The best way to understand what's happening is by using the Data Explorer Plugin.

[raymondjpg 16]

On 4/20/2025 at 6:16 AM, softworkz said:

Without having read through all of this in detail - The best way to understand what's happening is by using the Data Explorer Plugin.

Thanks for the tip. I can't see anything in the report that would suggest Emby cannot use TV Maze for metadata for The madame Blanc Mysteries, except possibly the order of the providers in item properties. There are ticks against Is Enabled and AllowRecursive... for TheTVDB, TheMovieDb and TV Maze.

As I said previously I have TV Maze set as the first listed metadata provider for Series, Season, and Episode, but the order (left to right) of providers under Item Properties in the Data Explorer Plugin places TV Maze second last after TheTVDB, TheMovieDb and The Open Movie Data Base, and before Nfo.

Is that significant? I see the same order in the Data Explorer Plugin reports for other shows.

[softworkz 5066]

On 4/21/2025 at 1:58 AM, raymondjpg said:

There are ticks against Is Enabled and AllowRecursive... fo

Where do you see that? Screenshot?

 

The Data Explorer view show the providers in priority order from left-to -right. Please post a screenshot showing the data from TVMaze that you want buit that isn't taken.

Thanks

[raymondjpg 16]

2 hours ago, softworkz said:

Where do you see that? Screenshot?

Screenshots as requested. I suspected that the Data Explorer view was showing the providers in priority order from left-to -right.

The TVMaze screenshot shows episode numbering as it should be, with the Christmas Special given an "S" number, and Series 4 episodes starting with 1 Beach Club. The Emby Metadata screenshot shows the Christmas special as episode 1 and Beach Club as episode 2.

I have the episodes in Windows numbered consistent with those from TV Maze, so when I click on episode 1 i get Beach Club playing and so on. This inconsistency in the metadata means that the most recent episode of Madame Blanc is always missing from the episode lineup.

[raymondjpg 16]

For completeness here is a screenshot of the Library Episode metadata provider settings. The priority is the same for Series and Season.

[softworkz 5066]

According to your screenshot, TV Maze is not the primary metadata provider for series, otherwise it would be shown in the second-feom-left column.

But all this doesn't help anyway once an episode number has been assigned. This doesn't change any time later. IIRC, no matter which changes you make to the providers.
You can only change it manually to 0 with the Metadata Editor.

[softworkz 5066]

How did you name the xmas episode file?

It should contain S03E00