Topic: DVD cover art (Read 5670 times)

Randy B · « **on:** March 03, 2009, 08:02:01 pm »

I have been a JRiver user for some time now and have around 3 licensed copies. After MC12, I thought I’d try MC13.

The only thing I use MC for is DVD/Videos.

I am struggling with the DVD Cover Art area and have always had to add the Cover Art manually. It appears that I am not alone as many threads seem to indicate that others are struggling as well. Don’t get me wrong, MC seems to be the Cadillac of media players, but it has a tendency to cater to the audio crowd- this is perfectly fine.

Should I be using another software product for simply managing and playing DVDs/Videos?

Matt · « **Reply #1 on:** March 04, 2009, 09:36:27 am »

If you describe your problem in more detail, we'll try to help.

benn600 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 04, 2009, 10:54:38 am »

I personally disagree wholeheartedly and the cover art system I use works flawlessly and automatically. I place a folder.jpg file under the VIDEO_TS folder and make sure my settings are setup to use folder.jpg. MC gets it every time and the cover art looks great in theater view.

Randy B · « **Reply #3 on:** March 04, 2009, 11:50:53 am »

My manually added art looks great as well. That’s not my issue. I can’t get MC to “Quick Find” my art and therefore have to go through the manual attachment process. Last night, I added the folder.jpg file to a Video_TS folder and tried locating art. Again no luck. I also tried several other combinations to no avail.

Clearly I must be doing something wrong, but after reading a lot of threads over the last year, I’m still unable to determine what it is. I may be wrong, but I recall others having similar issues with the “Quick Find”. Here is some info detailing how I’m structured:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=50832.msg347166#msg347166

Thanks

leezer3 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 04, 2009, 11:59:50 am »

Possibly a stupid question, but have you tried leaving it for a minute or two?
Sometimes I've found that it takes a little while to actually build & display the thumbnail after using "Quick Find"
Also, for what it's worth, I've never had any problems, assuming the coverart is there when the files are imported. Occasionally, I've had issues adding it later on, but never if it's there on the initial import.

Cheers

-Leezer-

JimH · « **Reply #5 on:** March 04, 2009, 12:48:04 pm »

Maybe this is the problem...

Quote from: benn600 on March 04, 2009, 10:54:38 am

I place a folder.jpg file under the VIDEO_TS folder and make sure my settings are setup to use folder.jpg.

Matt · « **Reply #6 on:** March 04, 2009, 12:50:46 pm »

Quote from: Randy B on March 04, 2009, 11:50:53 am

My manually added art looks great as well. That’s not my issue. I can’t get MC to “Quick Find” my art and therefore have to go through the manual attachment process. Last night, I added the folder.jpg file to a Video_TS folder and tried locating art. Again no luck. I also tried several other combinations to no avail.

Clearly I must be doing something wrong, but after reading a lot of threads over the last year, I’m still unable to determine what it is. I may be wrong, but I recall others having similar issues with the “Quick Find”. Here is some info detailing how I’m structured:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=50832.msg347166#msg347166

Thanks

I'm not able to reproduce this.

What's the full filename of main IFO file on the DVD? What's the full path of the folder.jpg file? Also, what does the filename field inside Media Center show for the DVD? (use tooltip, or details list view)

Thanks.

Randy B · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2009, 02:33:49 pm »

As an example: I have a folder named “BeetleJuice”, within this folder, another folder named “VIDEO_TS” can be found. Inside of VIDEO_TS are: VIDEO_TS, VIDEO_TS_BUP, VTS_01_0, etc.. I have tried adding Folder.jpg to the VIDEO_TS folder and have tried without the Folder.jpg.

DVD ISO name is simply “VIDEO_TS”.
The full filename is: V:\Beetlejuice\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.DVD;1
Filename(Name) is:VIDEO_TS.DVD;1

I have changed the Tools-Options-Cover Art to point to drive “Z” which is where all my cover art is storage as Movie Name.jpg. As far as the full path to the “Folder.jpg”, when I have added it: V:\Beetlejuice\Video_TS\. Clear as mud!

Matt · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2009, 02:58:50 pm »

Quote from: Randy B on March 04, 2009, 02:33:49 pm

As an example: I have a folder named “BeetleJuice”, within this folder, another folder named “VIDEO_TS” can be found. Inside of VIDEO_TS are: VIDEO_TS, VIDEO_TS_BUP, VTS_01_0, etc.. I have tried adding Folder.jpg to the VIDEO_TS folder and have tried without the Folder.jpg.

DVD ISO name is simply “VIDEO_TS”.
The full filename is: V:\Beetlejuice\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.DVD;1
Filename(Name) is:VIDEO_TS.DVD;1

I have changed the Tools-Options-Cover Art to point to drive “Z” which is where all my cover art is storage as Movie Name.jpg. As far as the full path to the “Folder.jpg”, when I have added it: V:\Beetlejuice\Video_TS\. Clear as mud!

I'm a little puzzled on this one. Are you using the latest Media Center 13?

I created a similar test:
M:\Beetlejuice\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO

I put a file Folder.jpg next to it:
M:\Beetlejuice\VIDEO_TS\Folder.jpg

I imported and the cover art was automatically linked.

I manually removed the cover art then did a quick find. It found it again.

Any other tips? Again, make sure you've got the latest Media Center 13 from the top of this board.

Thanks.

Randy B · « **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2009, 03:21:36 pm »

I tried the same test that you did and must have done something very different. Both my .IFO and .JPG imported as WAV files in audio. I created the same directory and file names as your example, containing no data, and ran manual import. Is this the same processes you tested?

JimH · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2009, 03:30:49 pm »

Quote from: Randy B on March 04, 2009, 03:21:36 pm

Both my .IFO and .JPG imported as WAV files in audio.

Can you explain what you're saying? It isn't clear.

What build of MC are you using?

Randy B · « **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2009, 03:37:34 pm »

Sorry. I tried to duplicate your test but mine resulted in 2 files being imported. Video_TS and Folder.JPG were imported as WAV files and were displayed in the audio Web frame. Did you simply create a directory "Beetlejuice" with a blank VIDEO_TS.IFO and blank Folder.JPG and then ran the import?

V13.0.129

Question, I am running XP and when I run Windows Explorer to look at the files, they appear as TYPE “Media Center”. I’m not able to specifically see the .IFO after VIDEO_TS. What I see is the file name, 6k in size and Media Center as the type. Could this file be something other than the IFO file?

JimH · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2009, 04:26:02 pm »

In Explorer, do Tools/Folder Options/View and uncheck the option called "Hide extension for known filetypes". Then you'll see the extensions.

Matt · « **Reply #13 on:** March 04, 2009, 04:26:55 pm »

Quote from: Randy B on March 04, 2009, 03:37:34 pm

Sorry. I tried to duplicate your test but mine resulted in 2 files being imported. Video_TS and Folder.JPG were imported as WAV files and were displayed in the audio Web frame. Did you simply create a directory "Beetlejuice" with a blank VIDEO_TS.IFO and blank Folder.JPG and then ran the import?

If Folder.jpg is getting imported as audio, I don't think it's a proper JPG. This could explain some of the confusion. Can you view that JPG with Media Center?

Also, you need a full DVD rip (several GB) in the VIDEO_TS folder, not just the IFO.

Thanks.

Randy B · « **Reply #14 on:** March 04, 2009, 04:38:46 pm »

Yes, I can view the JPG with MC and my rip is around 4 or 5 gig when finished. I rip only the main movie, not the menus, etc.. I think I have confused everyone.

Just as a sanity check, I rip a DVD, using a 3-party tool. I then download the cover art image from the internet and the image is named “Movie Name”.JPG. My art is in 1 location, the DVD files somewhere else. When I run the import function from MC, I want it to import the DVD files, locate my previously downloaded art and store it within a tag of the DVD IFO file (if determined in the control options). Then ultimately display the cover art when viewing. This is how it should work, right?

Matt · « **Reply #15 on:** March 04, 2009, 04:57:16 pm »

Quote from: Randy B on March 04, 2009, 04:38:46 pm

Yes, I can view the JPG with MC and my rip is around 4 or 5 gig when finished. I rip only the main movie, not the menus, etc.. I think I have confused everyone.

Just as a sanity check, I rip a DVD, using a 3-party tool. I then download the cover art image from the internet and the image is named “Movie Name”.JPG. My art is in 1 location, the DVD files somewhere else. When I run the import function from MC, I want it to import the DVD files, locate my previously downloaded art and store it within a tag of the DVD IFO file (if determined in the control options). Then ultimately display the cover art when viewing. This is how it should work, right?

"Movie Name.jpg" in an external folder is not supported.

"Folder.jpg" in the same folder as the rip would work.

"DVDVideo - Movie Name.jpg" in the cover art folder would work.

Randy B · « **Reply #16 on:** March 04, 2009, 05:32:53 pm »

Can someone tell me how the ”Quick Find” is supposed to work? For example: Takes the VIDEO_TS. IFO tag value for “FileName” and uses that value to look for a JPG with the same name in the Tools-Options-File Location- Cover Art-Folder path. Once a match is found, store the image in the DVD file tag and/or store the JPG as "Folder.JPG" in the ripped DVD folder next to VIDEO_TS.

Is this close to how it is suppose to work?

Randy B · « **Reply #17 on:** March 04, 2009, 08:34:17 pm »

I know you guys are trying to help, but after a gazillion test, the only way I have found to have the “Quick Find” locate cover art is to have the image/art file next to the VIDEO_TS.IFO. No matter what I name the art- “Folder.JPG” or “Alladin.JPG”, the “Quick Find” works, even when my Tools-Options-File Location-Cover Art-Specific Location is pointing to C:\My Documents\Cover Art. Without the actual image/art next to the VIDEO_TS, nothing seems to work. Do I have the wrong impression as to how the cover art can be stored and retrieved via “Quick Find”?

Matt · « **Reply #18 on:** March 04, 2009, 10:30:46 pm »

Quote from: Randy B on March 04, 2009, 08:34:17 pm

I know you guys are trying to help, but after a gazillion test, the only way I have found to have the “Quick Find” locate cover art is to have the image/art file next to the VIDEO_TS.IFO. No matter what I name the art- “Folder.JPG” or “Alladin.JPG”, the “Quick Find” works, even when my Tools-Options-File Location-Cover Art-Specific Location is pointing to C:\My Documents\Cover Art. Without the actual image/art next to the VIDEO_TS, nothing seems to work. Do I have the wrong impression as to how the cover art can be stored and retrieved via “Quick Find”?

It sounds like you got it working, so hopefully the case is closed.

Like I mentioned above, if you want to use a single, shared cover art folder and use Quick Find, you'll need to use the exact naming: "DVDVideo - Movie Name.jpg". For example "C:\My Documents\Cover Art\DVDVideo - Alladin.jpg".

Of course if you add art manually, you can use any naming scheme you like.

Rob L · « **Reply #19 on:** March 05, 2009, 02:31:05 am »

I have to admit that I didn't even know this functionality existed, and I'm still very unclear from this thread about how it's meant to work. Is it documented somewhere?

There are reasons why I had to get rid of all the VIDEO_TS folders, so I think I'm going to have real problems in this area (certainly I gave up trying to use MC for this because I couldn't get it working reasonably - and actually I'm having other problems with MC and DVD playback, but at least if I understand this it will help)

Randy B · « **Reply #20 on:** March 05, 2009, 10:32:27 am »

Matt,

I didn't catch it before, but after your last post, the "DVDVIDEO - " in the name was the key. Everything now works as I thought it should and I can store my cover art as I choose. And as Leezer3 stated, it sometimes can take awhile for MC to generate the thumbnail.

Thanks for all the help!

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Author Topic: DVD cover art (Read 5670 times)