Some files are missing the thumbnail

[HelixEvo 3]

Hi,

I have some files in a season working as expected with chapter thumbnails and the main display thumbnail (scraped from thetvdb)

What I’m seeing is that some of the files in that season just show the generic picture of the show. The chapter thumbnails are there but there is no primary picture from thetvdb.

This led me to check thetvdb and add a picture for one of the missing episodes. This now shows in thetvdb but Emby is still not showing this or picking it up when I go to manually choose a primary image.

I rescanned the library and refreshed many times the meta along with option to renew the images also.

What I’m I missing for this to populate through?

[GrimReaper 4739]

6 minutes ago, HelixEvo said:

This led me to check thetvdb and add a picture for one of the missing episodes. This now shows in thetvdb but Emby is still not showing this or picking it up when I go to manually choose a primary image.

It can take up to 24 hrs for TVDB cache to be updated/changes to be reflected. Try again tomorrow same time. 

[HelixEvo 3]

2 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

It can take up to 24 hrs for TVDB cache to be updated/changes to be reflected. Try again tomorrow same time. 

Ahh thanks..

[HelixEvo 3]

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

It can take up to 24 hrs for TVDB cache to be updated/changes to be reflected. Try again tomorrow same time. 

Just wondering… I thought if there is not an image on the scraper, emby would use the first chapter thumbnail then fall down to standard image?

[GrimReaper 4739]

If no image with online providers, Emby will use screengrab (Image Capture) if fetcher enabled in library settings, else will fallback to series thumb. 

[HelixEvo 3]

I have image capture as the last option in Episode Image Fetchers and it’s ticked

Assume that’s should work as it filters down for something?

[HelixEvo 3]

21 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

If no image with online providers, Emby will use screengrab (Image Capture) if fetcher enabled in library settings, else will fallback to series thumb. 

I only have image capture enabled on the Episode images now and top of the list; rest of the options are unticked.

Refreshed meta with images purged and also scanned library files in the folder I'm testing.

These are the logs I get which seem to suggest its doing the scrape, but its still defaulting to some generic images and not one pulled from the ffm stream
 

2025-08-29 11:23:47.060 Info HttpClient: GET https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/episodes/357827/extended?meta=translations

2025-08-29 11:23:47.213 Info QuickSingleImageExtractor: ProcessRun 'quick-extract-image' Execute: /opt/emby-server/bin/ffmpeg -f mp4 -threads 1 -i file:"/mnt/MEDIA_RO/Kids TV/Handy Manny/Season 1/Handy Manny - S01E11 - Rustys Little Light Lie _ Squeez.mp4" -map 0:3 -update 1 -vf "thumbnail=24" -vsync 0 -f image2 "/var/lib/emby/cache/temp/a736e447-a5e5-42d8-be66-4b5c9d2ad528.jpg"

2025-08-29 11:23:47.241 Info QuickSingleImageExtractor: ProcessRun 'quick-extract-image' Process exited with code 0 - Succeeded

2025-08-29 11:23:47.759 Info MediaProbeManager: ProcessRun 'ffprobe' Execute: /opt/emby-server/bin/ffprobe -i file:"/mnt/MEDIA_RO/Kids TV/Handy Manny/Season 1/Handy Manny - S01E13 - Rusty to the Rescue _ Pinata Part.mp4" -threads 0 -v info -print_format json -show_streams -show_chapters -show_format -show_data

2025-08-29 11:23:47.786 Info MediaProbeManager: ProcessRun 'ffprobe' Process exited with code 0 - Succeeded

2025-08-29 11:23:47.787 Info HttpClient: GET https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/episodes/357829/extended?meta=translations

2025-08-29 11:23:47.959 Info QuickSingleImageExtractor: ProcessRun 'quick-extract-image' Execute: /opt/emby-server/bin/ffmpeg -f mp4 -threads 1 -i file:"/mnt/MEDIA_RO/Kids TV/Handy Manny/Season 1/Handy Manny - S01E13 - Rusty to the Rescue _ Pinata Part.mp4" -map 0:3 -update 1 -vf "thumbnail=24" -vsync 0 -f image2 "/var/lib/emby/cache/temp/11ba8c30-6324-4b44-a067-8c94abd1774c.jpg"

2025-08-29 11:23:47.987 Info QuickSingleImageExtractor: ProcessRun 'quick-extract-image' Process exited with code 0 - Succeeded

2025-08-29 11:23:48.508 Info MediaProbeManager: ProcessRun 'ffprobe' Execute: /opt/emby-server/bin/ffprobe -i file:"/mnt/MEDIA_RO/Kids TV/Handy Manny/Season 1/Handy Manny - S01E15 - Pat the Screwdriver _ Big Sister.mp4" -threads 0 -v info -print_format json -show_streams -show_chapters -show_format -show_data

2025-08-29 11:23:48.534 Info MediaProbeManager: ProcessRun 'ffprobe' Process exited with code 0 - Succeeded

2025-08-29 11:23:48.535 Info HttpClient: GET https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/episodes/357831/extended?meta=translations

2025-08-29 11:23:48.761 Info QuickSingleImageExtractor: ProcessRun 'quick-extract-image' Execute: /opt/emby-server/bin/ffmpeg -f mp4 -threads 1 -i file:"/mnt/MEDIA_RO/Kids TV/Handy Manny/Season 1/Handy Manny - S01E15 - Pat the Screwdriver _ Big Sister.mp4" -map 0:3 -update 1 -vf "thumbnail=24" -vsync 0 -f image2 "/var/lib/emby/cache/temp/dcf0d866-b3f2-4602-98b4-d424cbe54321.jpg"

2025-08-29 11:23:48.789 Info QuickSingleImageExtractor: ProcessRun 'quick-extract-image' Process exited with code 0 - Succeeded

2025-08-29 11:23:49.307 Info MediaProbeManager: ProcessRun 'ffprobe' Execute: /opt/emby-server/bin/ffprobe -i file:"/mnt/MEDIA_RO/Kids TV/Handy Manny/Season 1/Handy Manny - S01E17 - Supremoguy _ Tool Talk.mp4" -threads 0 -v info -print_format json -show_streams -show_chapters -show_format -show_data

2025-08-29 11:23:49.326 Info MediaProbeManager: ProcessRun 'ffprobe' Process exited with code 0 - Succeeded

[HelixEvo 3]

Fixed this..
Not sure if it needs to be pointed out to anyone, but my media files had an embedded image, so Emby was mapping wrong stream (0:3)
I remux'd and removed the image so Emby could not pick it and therefore picked up the actual correct stream and image from that stream.

Unless there is an advanced option I've not seen hidden away in the menus for Image Capture.
 

• 0:0 = audio (AAC)

• 0:1 = video (H.264)

• 0:2 = subtitles (EIA-608)

• 0:3 = attached picture (MJPEG)

[GrimReaper 4739]

25 minutes ago, HelixEvo said:

Not sure if it needs to be pointed out to anyone, but my media files had an embedded image,

Sure does, as embedded images will take priority if Image Capture enabled (same as if local metadata/artwork present); depending where in the preferred fetchers list Image Capture is placed (if on top), it'll even take priority over online providers, hence it's advisable to have it at the bottom unless you do prefer to use embedded images, as it is usually used as - sort of - last resort image, when all others fetchers fail/images not found.

Edit: FWIW, after your second-last post, I've recreated your structure and had no issues getting screengrab as thumb:

 

Quote

2025-08-29 13:42:53.134 Info QuickSingleImageExtractor: ProcessRun 'quick-extract-image' Execute: C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\system\ffmpeg.exe -skip_list 152 -f mp4 -threads 1 -i file:"Z:\Test\Kids TV\Handy Manny\Season 1\Handy Manny - S01E11 - Rustys Little Light Lie _ Squeez.mp4" -an -sn -update 1 -vf "thumbnail=24" -vsync 0 -f image2 "C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\cache\temp\a3c32aa5-98dc-4cab-99d2-a4ee72541ec9.jpg"
2025-08-29 13:42:53.346 Info QuickSingleImageExtractor: ProcessRun 'quick-extract-image' Process exited with code 0 - Succeeded

 

Edited August 29, 2025 by GrimReaper

[HelixEvo 3]

Yeah, mine all had a generic season type picture.. Emby was getting the picture embedded in the file, but for me it was a generic one.

I guess its more of a problem with my files and the picture that got embedded into them.. But removing it, Emby then scraped one fresh from the stream.

In case anyone else has files that have had a generic image baked in.