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[Glimmie]

How do I import raw *.ts files into the library. Going back to version 20, it seems the manual import will only go down to a file level meaning a Windows file that contains the stream among other things. For example if I rip a Bluray or DVD RedFox makes a file and I can easily find that on my media sever through JRiver import. But I also can make *.ts files form satellite recordings and JRiver won't list them in the import browse. An example would be a file called Titanic.ts. This is all there is on the media server when a new movie from satellite is transferred in. No other files associated with the title as with DVD and BluRay.

Why not just do an auto import? Well either due to issues in my media server or a long standing bug in JRiver, when I auto import movies, it also imports titles I already have and makes a library duplicate. Sometimes it can auto import tens of duplicates and I have to go through and manually delete them. PITA!

So how can I import raw *.ts files by exact file name or is there a fix for this duplicate import problem?

P.S. I did notice that sometimes the media server movie (file) name I name during editing trimming is different than the scrapped tag file from JRiver. Is that mis-spelling causing a problem?

[JimH]

I think ts files are under the import options.  Could you check again?

[RoderickGI]

Also, if you are using MC to record TV Shows and Movies, it will automatically import them into the Library as part of the process. So no need to separately import them. At least that is true for DVB-T recording, and I suspect satellite as well.

That may partially explain why you get duplicates when you do run Auto Import. Mc has already imported a copy, and then does it a second time via Auto Import. Of course, MC shouldn't do that, as it should already know that the TS file has been imported.

So something else is going on. You need to explain more. Something about your setup is unique.

[Glimmie]

I think ts files are under the import options.  Could you check again?

Well if I run auto import, it does catch all the new *.ts files. The problem is it also sucks in titles that are already in the library and then I have duplicates which I must manually delete. Now like I said, there are at time spelling differences. I spell or format the movie name wrong (like putting THE in front of the name) when I upload the .ts file. The when I do a "get movie info" for the cover art and info, it saves the name that comes in with the cover art. So now the name of the file is different than the library title name. Yet the file still plays fine from the library because I think it's linked to the wrong or mis-spelled name on the physical media server (UNRAID). But apparently auto-import is not seeing this link and thinks it's a new file?

Also for some legacy reasons resulting from UNRAID upgrades, some of the *.ts files are in different "shares" on the UNRAID file system. This too confuses auto-import and causes duplicates.

What I want to do is to manually import new files by specifying the exact file in a browse. See it in the browse list, select it, and it imports just that file. I can do this with DVD and BR, but not with *.ts files. They won't show up in a import browse.

[Glimmie]

Also, if you are using MC to record TV Shows and Movies, it will automatically import them into the Library as part of the process. So no need to separately import them. At least that is true for DVB-T recording, and I suspect satellite as well.

That may partially explain why you get duplicates when you do run Auto Import. Mc has already imported a copy, and then does it a second time via Auto Import. Of course, MC shouldn't do that, as it should already know that the TS file has been imported.

So something else is going on. You need to explain more. Something about your setup is unique.

My record chain is essentially off-line to JRiver. It is not a standard setup that JRiver or any modern media player supports. It involves tapping the transport stream from the satellite receiver and sending it over USB to a PC which breaks out the raw 188bit MPEG stream and puts it into a file on a local HDD. This actually started out using HD DVHS tape in the early 2000s. Those initial DVHS tapes have been converted into .ts files.

That raw stream is then manually edited or re-created to cut off the head and tails so we get just the movie or show. As it works by a simple PC timer, the capture software has no knowledge of the program guide. It's just like programming a 1982 VCR. The record software can change channels via an IR remote transmitter to the sat receiver - pretty crude!

The new trimmed .ts file is uploaded to my UNRAID based server to which the JRiver PC is also network attached.

Why do this convoluted recording technique? Well unlike satellite, DirecTV, Dish, DVR "approved" attached drives, these recordings are in the clear. They are not encrypted to only that specific drive or account. I can play them for life and on any MPEG player. And this is a pure MPEG transfer unlike the Hauppauge solution that takes component HD video and re-compresses it - rather poorly. As for legality, I pay for my satellite service and premium channels. There are no hacked smart cards being used. These recordings are for my own personal use and are never loaned and certainly not shared on the internet. AFAIK, I am within the law here.

[RoderickGI]

Well, I only see two possible causes for duplicates.

Either you have MC's Auto Import set up so that it sees both the original location of the trimmed TS files (local HDD on PC) and the location on the UNRAID server, so Mc is simply importing the two separate file.

Or you have two Shares set up that point to the same location on the UNRAID server, so MC sees two separate paths to the TS files there, and hence considers them two different recordings, and so import both.

In either case, you should be easily able to check the path to the duplicate files within MC to confirm if that is the case.


I don't understand exactly what you are doing here:

What I want to do is to manually import new files by specifying the exact file in a browse. See it in the browse list, select it, and it imports just that file. I can do this with DVD and BR, but not with *.ts files. They won't show up in a import browse.

If you are using a View under te Video Navigator option on the left, then TS files won't show up within the MC "file browser" because they haven't been imported into the Library yet. That process may work for DVDs and Blu-rays if you ripped them in MC, or even just inserted them, as MC makes a record of all optical discs inserted in its "CD Database".

If you are you using Explorer under "Drives & Devices" to drill down to the DVD and Blu-ray files, then you should be able to find the TS files as well, as using this method doesn't require the files to be imported into MC first to be visible.


Of course, if you want to just import one file, and have the MC Windows Shell Integration Feature enabled, then you can just drill down to the TS files using Windows Explorer, right-click on it and select "Media Center > Import".


You are making it really hard on yourself though, wanting to browse, select a file, and then import into MC. Just set up Auto Import correctly, to only look at the location and for the file types that you want to import, and then let Auto Import find and import the new files for you. If you don't want to wait for Auto Import to launch automatically, just run it manually. If UNRAID shares File System Events (I don't think it does) then the import should happens as soon as the new file exists in a location that is watched by MC.

Have you read both of these carefully?
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Import
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Auto-Import

So basically, look very carefully at your Auto Import settings and UNRAID Share definitions, and you should be able to fix the issue permanently and make life easier for yourself.


Plus;

P.S. I did notice that sometimes the media server movie (file) name I name during editing trimming is different than the scrapped tag file from JRiver. Is that mis-spelling causing a problem?

The file name is completely different from the [Name] tag in MC. There is no mis-spelling. MC will only change the name of the file if you tell it to. Just check the filename in MC and you should see it is the same as the name you gave the edited file. The Sidecar file will be named appropriately to associate it with the movie file. i.e. For a movie file named "Star Wars Episode 3.mp4", the Sidecar file will be named "Star Wars Episode 3_mp4_JRSidecar.xml".