TV episodes on DVD images

[guppy710 8]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to Emby so please bear with me...

I have installed the Emby server on a dedicated server with a RAID 5 disk array. I have set up my library for movies and all is working very well. However, I have several tv shows that I have direct copies of the video_ts folders from the DVD'S. These contain all of the episodes from the Dvd they were ripped from.

 

I set up the library file structure per the wiki instructions...

 

\tv\title\season#\s#e#-e#

 

The last folder contains the contents of the video_ts folder from the Dvd.

 

The issue I am having is that the wmc app shows only 3 episodes per season. 1 episode for each if the original DVD'S. How do I set this up so the app will show me the individual episodes?

 

Thanks in advance

[ebr 16185]

The video_ts folder should exist under that last folder you indicated.

 

The apps will then show you single entries with the combined episode information.

 

If you want individual episodes, you'll need to break them out into different files.

[guppy710 8]

Hi EBR,

 

thanks for your reply. I tried your suggestion earlier and it showed the combined episode info as you describe. However, it would only play the first episode of the group. How would I select the individual episodes?

 

Thanks in advance....

[Deathsquirrel 745]

The best thing to do is split the individual episodes out using a tool like makemkv so each episode is its own file.  This way you get a more streaming-compatible format and the ability to choose each episode without using dvd menus.

[Luke 42080]

Hi EBR,

 

thanks for your reply. I tried your suggestion earlier and it showed the combined episode info as you describe. However, it would only play the first episode of the group. How would I select the individual episodes?

 

Thanks in advance....

 

To play them individually you would need individual video files.

[guppy710 8]

Thanks all for the replys.

 

So I will need to use something like Handbrake to make the files in the Video_ts folder into individual .mp4's or the like..... bummer that it can't simply play the entry menu like the DVD so I could choose the episodes... this is how my old My Movies setup worked...... Guess I bit of sacrifice isn't too bad to get the benifits. ....

 

Thanks again.

[Luke 42080]

Thanks for understanding. If this were 2010 we'd probably put more effort into folder rips and iso's, but times have obviously changed and plain video files are much easier for everyone involved.

[btk55343 0]

I have the same problem where I have a library of ripped dvd tv shows. Often there are 4 episodes per dvd and so I have lots of dvd folders with 4 episodes. Emby sees one episode per folder.

 

Telling me that the video library I built over the years needs to be redone with handbrake and the like is not helpful. Same with telling me that dvd vob file streaming is experimental and may or may not work.

 

It didn't take me very long to find the solution from another vendor. 

[Luke 42080]

@@btk55343 - single vob file streaming is not experimental. that will work. it's vob folder structure that is.

 

Also keep in mind you do not need to change anything to use Emby HTPC apps such as Emby for WMC, Emby for Kodi, etc. Those apps have full support for dvd structures. It's only the apps that require server transcoding that we consider it expiremental for.

 

I think a lot of times people hear that and they assume it applies to all Emby apps but that is not the case. Your rips will be fine with Emby HTPC apps.

[ebr 16185]

Emby sees one episode per folder.

 

You can tell Emby exactly which episodes are in each one: TV naming

[btk55343 0]

Thanks Luke and ebr for getting back to me. 

 

ebr: I took another look at tv naming. I already have video_ts files which each contain several vob files created by dvdshrink. Emby only recognizes the first vob file and ignores the others. I kind of liked Emby but Mezzmo works turnkey. Isn't that better than redoing my entire video library? I don't understand why Emby would be better.

 

Luke: I don't think I really comprehend what you're saying. Sorry but I'm new to this stuff. Why would Emby apps work but not Emby itself? I don't have an HTPC. I  have a server with RAID that stores my video library. I'm just trying to stream my dvd library using a Roku stick. 

 

In fact, I don't see the value of an HTPC. I used to watch my video on a media player with a flash drive. Now the boss wants to see her video without hooking up a player or loading a flash drive. Mezzmo seems to do that with the least amount of work. 

[Luke 42080]

Maybe I should rephrase even more. Your rips will be 100% supported depending on what Emby app you're playing from. In other apps they will be partially supposed.

 

To add full support for all apps means we have to parse the dvd structure ourselves, understand the menus, etc. Maybe at some point we will put in the effort to do all of that. But Mezzmo is a little older than Emby and at the time they developed the feature there would have been much more demand for it than there is today.

[ebr 16185]

The value of an HTPC would be to support older formats like you are wanting.

 

If, instead, you wish to use new streaming devices like the Roku Stick, then you should probably be looking towards more modern file formats for your media.

 

Do you have to do this?  No, there are still things around that work well with formats like DVD video_ts folders (including several Emby solutions) but those things are just going to get more and more scarce and devices like the one you wish to use (Roku stick) will probably never have native support for them because the normal user using them has no way to feed it a DVD anyway.

 

In the end it is your decision but the world is moving fast away from those old disc-based formats.

[btk55343 0]

Thanks Luke.

 

I have no menus and the like. Dvdshrink allows ripping only the video. I have no dvd functionality in my folders. Only the video for each episode in 1 large vob per.

[btk55343 0]

Good point ebr. But I would think it'll be awhile before people decide they never want hard copies. If people didn't want the disks they wouldn't buy them.

[Happy2Play 9782]

As the internet gets faster, and storage gets cheaper there will be a time when hard copies are no longer made.

[Luke 42080]

Thanks Luke.

 

I have no menus and the like. Dvdshrink allows ripping only the video. I have no dvd functionality in my folders. Only the video for each episode in 1 large vob per.

 

In that case you are likely to have pretty good luck then.

[ebr 16185]

Thanks Luke.

 

I have no menus and the like. Dvdshrink allows ripping only the video. I have no dvd functionality in my folders. Only the video for each episode in 1 large vob per.

 

If that's the case, all you should need to do is get those vobs out of the video_ts folder and name them according to our episode naming conventions and then you'll have full functionality for each episode...

[Deathsquirrel 745]

Thanks Luke.

 

I have no menus and the like. Dvdshrink allows ripping only the video. I have no dvd functionality in my folders. Only the video for each episode in 1 large vob per.

 

If you already have separate video files for each episode and have lost your DVD menus then just run the files through makemkv.  You'll greatly increase your compatibility, lose absolutely nothing, and it will take very little time.

[btk55343 0]

I appreciate everyone getting back to me but this can be laid to rest.

 

The solution is to transcode or rename hundreds of folders. For example, ST DS9 has maybe 5 folders each season. That's 45 folders for the series. That is only one show.

 

Or I can use Mezzmo which works turnkey without changing anything.

 

Which would you choose?

[Luke 42080]

Why don't you just not rename anything, and then go into your Emby app and just press play and enjoy the show. What is the problem then?