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theslaz

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 12, 2009
354
4
Calgary; Alberta; Canada
Just purchased a new external Hd and I want to set it up for my Itunes Library. Would like to know what the best naming format would be for Tv shows. On my old system, I had the individual Tv shows listed in folders; however; on my ATV; they would show up individually. Wondering if there is a way to have them show up in folders on the Atv? E.G. Folder "Mad Men" than the Season number; than the episodes.
 

mic j

macrumors 68030
Mar 15, 2012
2,663
156
Just purchased a new external Hd and I want to set it up for my Itunes Library. Would like to know what the best naming format would be for Tv shows. On my old system, I had the individual Tv shows listed in folders; however; on my ATV; they would show up individually. Wondering if there is a way to have them show up in folders on the Atv? E.G. Folder "Mad Men" than the Season number; than the episodes.

Show Folder>Season x Folder>Show Name SxxExx

I don't think you have many (if any) options as to how the aTV displays them.
 

theslaz

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 12, 2009
354
4
Calgary; Alberta; Canada
Show Folder>Season x Folder>Show Name SxxExx

I don't think you have many (if any) options as to how the aTV displays them.

This is how I have it now: Mad Men/Season 5/Mad Men.S05.E01.A Little Kiss.MKV

This is how it shows in the ATV: 23 Episodes/Mad Men.S05.E01. A Little Kiss.MKV
 

Scarpad

macrumors 68020
Jan 13, 2005
2,135
632
Ma
Download an App called Identify in the Mac App store. Name the File

TV Show Name.season_Episode

So for Example

Reaper.s01e01 = Reaper Season 1 Episode 1

Identify will consult the online Databases and automatically DL the metadata and artwork for it
 

theslaz

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 12, 2009
354
4
Calgary; Alberta; Canada
Download an App called Identify in the Mac App store. Name the File

TV Show Name.season_Episode

So for Example

Reaper.s01e01 = Reaper Season 1 Episode 1

Identify will consult the online Databases and automatically DL the metadata and artwork for it

My problem is that I'm a Rv-er and I don't always have normal access to the internet. So I tend to stay away from programs that need internet access to run. I could tether; and I do often; but that can cost a bit re data usage!
 

mic j

macrumors 68030
Mar 15, 2012
2,663
156
My problem is that I'm a Rv-er and I don't always have normal access to the internet. So I tend to stay away from programs that need internet access to run. I could tether; and I do often; but that can cost a bit re data usage!
To be clear, Identify is a metadata tagger and requires an internet connection to grab the tagging info. I think you were asking about how you name your files in your file system (which is done before using Identify), right? Which does not require internet access.
 

theslaz

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 12, 2009
354
4
Calgary; Alberta; Canada
To be clear, Identify is a metadata tagger and requires an internet connection to grab the tagging info. I think you were asking about how you name your files in your file system (which is done before using Identify), right? Which does not require internet access.

You are right. I will experiment with what you suggested and see what happens.
 

brightjc@me.com

macrumors member
Mar 17, 2012
60
4
UK
Ripping TV Shows

I recently ripped loads of movies & TV show from DVDs to my iMac.
I used handbrake - you can download it for free. Select your DVD drive as a source, then when it has scanned in (the first scan not the full rip), nominate the destination. When you do this (I did it with the browse key) you can alter the last part (which is normally the name on the DVD itself) but leave the extension alone. You will find if your DVD has multiple episodes that you will need to name each one (use the Title drop-down) as 24 Ep1 Season 1 Etc. Add each to the queue (you can start it going after the first one has been added.

Then when your ready (I did it 1 series at a time) go to iTunes, add the files to your library. It puts them in home movies. Next highlight the ones that are in your series (all at the same time) and right click then select Get Info. It will warn you that you're selecting multiple items, press OK. Now you are ready to edit all the information that is the same for the whole series (name of the series, the Year it was originally released, Artwork, Series Number & most importantly Media Type [TV Show] etc). I scanned the Artwork in.

After your satisfied with that do the various episodes separately (simply press Get Info for each one) and when you've done that you should have finished the series. Now you will find (or at least I did) that your newly ripped TV shows are almost identical to the iTunes bought ones.
 

brightjc@me.com

macrumors member
Mar 17, 2012
60
4
UK
Ripping TV Shows

I recently ripped loads of movies & TV show from DVDs to my iMac.
I used handbrake - you can download it for free. Select your DVD drive as a source, then when it has scanned in (the first scan not the full rip), nominate the destination. When you do this (I did it with the browse key) you can alter the last part (which is normally the name on the DVD itself) but leave the extension alone. You will find if your DVD has multiple episodes that you will need to name each one (use the Title drop-down) as 24 Ep1 Season 1 Etc. Add each to the queue (you can start it going after the first one has been added.

Then when your ready (I did it 1 series at a time) go to iTunes, add the files to your library. It puts them in home movies. Next highlight the ones that are in your series (all at the same time) and right click then select Get Info. It will warn you that you're selecting multiple items, press OK. Now you are ready to edit all the information that is the same for the whole series (name of the series, the Year it was originally released, Artwork, Series Number & most importantly Media Type [TV Show] etc). I scanned the Artwork in.

After your satisfied with that do the various episodes separately (simply press Get Info for each one) and when you've done that you should have finished the series. Now you will find (or at least I did) that your newly ripped TV shows are almost identical to the iTunes bought ones.
 

eecyclone

macrumors regular
Jul 10, 2013
105
0
Download an App called Identify in the Mac App store. Name the File

TV Show Name.season_Episode

So for Example

Reaper.s01e01 = Reaper Season 1 Episode 1

Identify will consult the online Databases and automatically DL the metadata and artwork for it

I know that the OP is talking about naming the files without using the internet/metadata but I wanted to comment that with Identify, you don't necessarily have to have the file name match what it is expecting. It will still do a decent job of scrubbing data and tagging the show most of the time.
 

theslaz

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 12, 2009
354
4
Calgary; Alberta; Canada
I know that the OP is talking about naming the files without using the internet/metadata but I wanted to comment that with Identify, you don't necessarily have to have the file name match what it is expecting. It will still do a decent job of scrubbing data and tagging the show most of the time.

I did try and eventually bought Identify. I like what it does and it has been doing a reasonable job organizing my Tv shows. The problem I found with it; is that I have to rename all my files ( i use "A Better Finder" ) into a format that Identify will recognize. Another problem was that in some of the yearly series; it will mark the Tv shows as movies; and therefore not recognize them. Changing them to Tv shows and than it does what it is supposed to do.
 

eecyclone

macrumors regular
Jul 10, 2013
105
0
I did try and eventually bought Identify. I like what it does and it has been doing a reasonable job organizing my Tv shows. The problem I found with it; is that I have to rename all my files ( i use "A Better Finder" ) into a format that Identify will recognize. Another problem was that in some of the yearly series; it will mark the Tv shows as movies; and therefore not recognize them. Changing them to Tv shows and than it does what it is supposed to do.

I have noticed that some shows do require being renamed, or adjusted from the "movie" category to the "TV show" category. Hasn't been too much of an issue for me but occasionally I will have to look up the file on IMDB and put that information in for identify to correctly tag a movie.
 

theslaz

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 12, 2009
354
4
Calgary; Alberta; Canada
I have noticed that some shows do require being renamed, or adjusted from the "movie" category to the "TV show" category. Hasn't been too much of an issue for me but occasionally I will have to look up the file on IMDB and put that information in for identify to correctly tag a movie.

All is good. Got my little collection reorganized just the way I like it. Took a little work; but now I know!
 
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