We really need better multi version handling for Continue Watching

[te5s3rakt 9]

Case in point, Spider Noir exists as both B/W and Colour. It's ridiculous the solution is to remove all identifying IDs from one of the shows, to force Continue Watching to display correctly without duplicates. This results in the cleansed item no longer receiving any metadata updates for future episodes. Plex never had this issue, and this literally f**k up everything lol

Why can't Continue Watching be based on the internal db id, instead of an tvdb_id?

At least give us the option, along side using the tvdb_id, for those that would rather tvdb_id usage.

But for those of us with only one server, and users only subbed to our server, makes no sense to use an external id as the tracker regardless.

I beg of Emby, please fix this. It's making library management harder than it needs to be.

Edited July 4 by te5s3rakt
Reframed

[GrimReaper 5049]

1 hour ago, te5s3rakt said:

It's ridiculous the solution is to remove all identifying IDs from one of the shows, to force Continue Watching to display correctly without duplicates

Why would you do that? It's the same show, why don't you just merge them and select the version you want to play from multi-version dropdown? 

[te5s3rakt 9]

59 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

Why would you do that? It's the same show, why don't you just merge them and select the version you want to play from multi-version dropdown? 

the filenames are different. some shows are HDR 4K vs SDR 1080p. Different cuts for movies. Different cuts for shows. Different uploaders. Endless. Different libraries in Emby.

I've never been able to get the existing merge functionality to play nice for on differently named files in the on the file system. the documentation is very prescriptive about naming versions the same except for the final `-Edition` part on the end, for Emby to treat it nicely.

anyone using sonarr/radarr, and following Trash Guides file management standard (a large number of us I bet, as these has been the gold standard to date), will have this issue.

the only reliable method for managing multiple versions I've found since moving from Plex is the "Remove Identifying..." option (found this recommended in another post on the forums).

merging doesn't solve the need to keep Playstate seperate either. for example, two movies different cuts. if I watch the Theatrical, and not Directors, I don't want to mark the Directors as played. if I watch the B/W version of SpiderNoir, I don't want to mark the Colour as watched as well.

Edited July 4 by te5s3rakt
missed an issue

[GrimReaper 5049]

You were specifically talking about TV show - and for that, episode naming is irrelevant. 

Multi-versioning was never intended to be used for multiple cuts, just different versions/resolutions of the same item, but over time userbase took on using it for cuts as well (with all the caveats - like the ones you're facing - it brings).

Anyway, you can join and lend your support and/or comment in the already existing FR and related discussion:

 

Edited July 4 by GrimReaper

[te5s3rakt 9]

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

You were specifically talking about TV show - and for that, episode naming is irrelevant. 

except that the issue with Spider-Noir is the versions are more equivalent to cuts, not quality, thus require seperate play state tracking.

checked out that thread, but appears this issue has fallen to the bottom of the development pipeline.

I'll keep an eye on it.

thanks.

[RanmaCanada 558]

On 04/07/2026 at 10:07, te5s3rakt said:

except that the issue with Spider-Noir is the versions are more equivalent to cuts, not quality, thus require seperate play state tracking.

checked out that thread, but appears this issue has fallen to the bottom of the development pipeline.

I'll keep an eye on it.

thanks.

Spider-Noir is special, but you could just have the directories named properly as per the Plex forums.

Spider-Noir (2026) Authentic Black and White {TVDB-478492}

Spider-Noir (2026) True-Hue Full Color {TVDB-450033}

the munchers at TVDB have apparently changed this and removed the colour option, as they are so wanton to do due to their power tripping, but people have said it still works. The other option is to have them in separate folders, named properly with square brackets, and then when Emby decides to be stupid and merge them, split them back apart and it should keep them separate.

[js28194 68]

I may not be understanding your complaint.  Does multi-verstion naming not work for you?

 

\Spider-Noir (2026)\Season 01\Spider-Noir 01x01 Step Into My Office - Authentic B&W.mkv

\Spider-Noir (2026)\Season 01\Spider-Noir 01x01 Step Into My Office - Full Hue.mkv

 

 

[te5s3rakt 9]

On 06/07/2026 at 05:49, js28194 said:

I may not be understanding your complaint.  Does multi-verstion naming not work for you?

It's never been a viable option. Anyone following the TRASH Guides naming standard, which is extremely common in this space, will find zero comfort in Emby's implementation of multi-versioning. Emby requires all version to have the same name. Whereas different files are never named the same following any popular standards.

 

On 05/07/2026 at 23:02, RanmaCanada said:

the munchers at TVDB have apparently changed this and removed the colour option, as they are so wanton to do due to their power tripping

no way. i've found they are usually completely reasonable and logical 

but yes, ultimately I've done what we always have to do. seperate folders. remove any external tags from the nfo files.

and then just wait till next season to come in and end up lost some place 

[js28194 68]

2 hours ago, te5s3rakt said:

It's never been a viable option. Anyone following the TRASH Guides naming standard, which is extremely common in this space, will find zero comfort in Emby's implementation of multi-versioning. Emby requires all version to have the same name. Whereas different files are never named the same following any popular standards.

 

no way. i've found they are usually completely reasonable and logical 

but yes, ultimately I've done what we always have to do. seperate folders. remove any external tags from the nfo files.

and then just wait till next season to come in and end up lost some place 

I've been using Emby since way back in the MediaBrowser days, so I am unfamiliar with THRASH and who she is?  She TRASHY?  Never been viable, so common in this space... (such blanket statements being tossed around.)  Of course why follow the Software Providers requirements at all? (your words, not mine as bolded above) and just do your own thing.  They gave you the options to a tag after the filename and you choose not to use them.  Again, so strange why people don't follow what the software vendor REQUIRES them to do then complain.

I'm going to bed before football starts.  Thread on mute.

[Neminem 1780]

3 hours ago, te5s3rakt said:

TRASH Guides

Stop sailing the high seas, and conform to the naming conversions Emby needs.