Organizing Recorded TV Library with Sub Folders

[duder_me]

Hello. I organized my Recorded TV library with sub folders for each TV show I record, with a few episodes having yet to be put in any of these folders. However, there are problems with this.

This can only be replicated when Media Center is already open. When I put the WTV files into the folders and open those files by clicking on them in Windows Explorer, they don't display all their metadata (Episode name, air time, etc.) when the episodes start, only the TV Show name, but the metadata can be viewed every other way (right clicking for details and show summary, in the Recorded TV tile, etc.), just not at the beginning of playback. When I open a WTV file that has not been moved to any sub folder in Windows Explorer, all the metadata is displayed at the beginning of playback. So, the problem is that the blue bar with the data at the bottom in Media Center doesn't show all the metadata once the episode is opened from Explorer, just the TV Show name. Even if I move the episodes out of their sub folders to the main Recorded TV library, they still won't display all the metadata once playback starts. It's a minor annoyance, but still.





Now, the real problem is that organizing my WTV files into sub folders has no real effect on the organization of the Recorded TV tile in Media Center. The episodes are thankfully sorted by TV Show, but unfortunately they can't be sorted any other way besides by date recorded, title, or original air date, which are essentially useless when it comes to old programming airing on reruns. This can make going through the interface a bit overwhelming. Is there a way I can resolve this (without the need for installing a plug-in with a drastically different UI)?

[barnabas1969]

I'm not sure I understand your problem, mostly because I haven't used the default Recorded TV list in Media Center for a long time. I use Recorded TV HD. It's a program that costs $20, and it comes with a 30 day free trial. You can probably arrange your recorded TV shows the way you want in Recorded TV HD's "List View" ("List View - Black" is my preferred view, but you may prefer "List View - Blue" if you haven't changed the look of Media Center from the default).

One caveat: Make sure to disable the "Commercial Break Viewer", which is enabled by default in Recorded TV HD. It causes instability in RTVHD, and just isn't worth the trouble... even if you use ShowAnalyzer or Commskip.

EDIT: If you use RTVHD, don't bother moving your series recordings into separate folders. RTVHD's list view will group them by series automatically.

[duder_me]

Thanks. Before, I had downloaded TV Library, but it wouldn't respond whenever I clicked on the tile after failing to do an initial setup to find the videos I wanted. Now that I installed this, the same thing is happening. I clicked on it and Media Center won't respond at all, so I had to use Task Manager to exit. I'm really getting tired of installing plugins, especially when they just screw everything up or are outdated. Probably a fault on my end. Also, now my start animation turns black for a second whenever I start Media Center, which is usually supposed to happen whenever intensive plugins are installed, even though I thought I uninstalled them. Maybe I will comeback to it later.

[barnabas1969]

Now that I installed this

Now that you installed what?

I assume you mean that you installed Recorded TV HD. OK.... so before you did so, did you put the recordings back where they belong? Did you verify that your Media Library settings in Media Center's "Settings" menu are correct?

[Ed]

Thanks. Before, I had downloaded TV Library, but it wouldn't respond whenever I clicked on the tile after failing to do an initial setup to find the videos I wanted. Now that I installed this, the same thing is happening. I clicked on it and Media Center won't respond at all, so I had to use Task Manager to exit. I'm really getting tired of installing plugins, especially when they just screw everything up or are outdated. Probably a fault on my end. Also, now my start animation turns black for a second whenever I start Media Center, which is usually supposed to happen whenever intensive plugins are installed, even though I thought I uninstalled them. Maybe I will comeback to it later.

Yeah it sounds like some user error going on ( no offense happens to us all at some point ). Did you install the correct version of the TV Library plugin (i.e. x86 on x86 or x64 on x64 or the applicable Win 7 version on Win 7 or the applicable Win 8.1 version on Win 8.1)?

[duder_me]

Thanks. Before, I had downloaded TV Library, but it wouldn't respond whenever I clicked on the tile after failing to do an initial setup to find the videos I wanted. Now that I installed this, the same thing is happening. I clicked on it and Media Center won't respond at all, so I had to use Task Manager to exit. I'm really getting tired of installing plugins, especially when they just screw everything up or are outdated. Probably a fault on my end. Also, now my start animation turns black for a second whenever I start Media Center, which is usually supposed to happen whenever intensive plugins are installed, even though I thought I uninstalled them. Maybe I will comeback to it later.

Yeah it sounds like some user error going on ( no offense happens to us all at some point ). Did you install the correct version of the TV Library plugin (i.e. x86 on x86 or x64 on x64 or the applicable Win 7 version on Win 7 or the applicable Win 8.1 version on Win 8.1)?

Yes, I installed the 64 bit version for Windows 7. I gave up on it, so you all don't have to go through the trouble of helping me with anything. Thanks anyway!

[duder_me]

What I'm trying to do now is group WTV files in the Recorded TV Library by TV show title. However, Windows 7 doesn't seem to have an option for doing so, only alphabetically with "A-H" and "Q-Z." How can I get it so there are groups for each individual title? I can do it for subtitles (episode name).

[Ed]

Oh if you mean with the native recorded TV tile/app - it's Sort>Title IIRC. When you said TV Library, I thought you meant the 3rd party plugin. I see you said you did mean that, but gave up on it.

[duder_me]

Oh if you mean with the native recorded TV tile/app - it's Sort>Title IIRC. When you said TV Library, I thought you meant the 3rd party plugin. I see you said you did mean that, but gave up on it.

I meant in the Windows Explorer library.