[SOLVED] How are movies stored on Hard drive??

[buah]

Just to clarify something.

You, of course, didn't overlook that ID is only a part of my folder's name?

[CAD]

Hi All,
reading with interest different thoughts

buah
I think I understand your system.
Similar to a friend of mine.
He catalouges his disks by BOX and ID. ( he uses collectorz - I tried to converts him, but to no avail)
Each DVD box he owns hold 500 DVD's.
He uses ID no to locate the title he wants.
1-500 - box 1
501 -1000 - box 2 etc.
He can search a title in collectorz - look at the id and instantly know where it is located.
Unless you know the "system" you are stuffed.

This is like any system - you have to know how it works. If the system suits your needs great....

Any thoughts on managing movies automatic updates of movies across multiple discs where the content may change or be moved.
I am still undecided on how to store movies and would like some experiences.
For example how does "Scan folders for new movies" affect the database for offline harddrives.
Also how does deleting movies from HD affect automatic updating.

I am asking because I often do updates in clumps. (when storing on DVD) I'll get a bunch of movies. 50 or so, enter them into PVD, and  then categorise them into genre (comedy/ sci fi etc). These are then stored in DVD boxes of each category in alphabetical order.

I have my hard drives volume label set to "Movie001" When it fills up the next one will be "Movie002" etc
I noticed that PVD automatically populates the "Media Label" field with the volume
Is there a way for PVD to check the volume label and only update database with that "media label"
ie search for changed paths /added /deleted titles for that disk only.

My long term plan (when i have some $$ ) is to have a NAS of some sort. This will hold current movies /tv series etc that I plan to watch. When I have finished watching them /series are complete, I will move them to offline storage (Hard drive).
PVD (or my methodology) will need to be able to cope content changing location.

It seems to me the most efficient way to do that is to record the Media Label in PVD. And isn't that done automatically when a disk is scanned?

Are you sure?? This has been populated for me! Sorry - I am at work so can't check right now, but I am sure "media label" was being populated with HD volume name. I will verify when I get home


 

[rick.ca]

You, of course, didn't overlook that ID is only a part of my folder's name?

I did. But what's that got to do with the necessity of recording the ID in the folder name, the filename, or anywhere in the pathname?

[rick.ca]

Are you sure?? This has been populated for me! Sorry - I am at work so can't check right now, but I am sure "media label" was being populated with HD volume name. I will verify when I get home.

I don't use external media, so no, I'm not sure. You would know better than me. But I'm also not sure what you're saying here. Is Media Label not set to the volume label—whether the source is an optical disk or a HDD? I'm assuming it is, and therefore the same method should work whether DVD's or HDD's are used for external storage.

For example how does "Scan folders for new movies" affect the database for offline harddrives. Also how does deleting movies from HD affect automatic updating.

When attached, an external HDD can be scanned with exactly the same effect as a regular HDD. New files will be added and path changes will be recorded. Deleted files will have no effect on the recorded pathname of movie whose file was deleted. You should have no problem moving files around, as long as you scan the disk you move the files to.

Is there a way for PVD to check the volume label and only update database with that "media label" Huh
ie search for changed paths /added /deleted titles for that disk only.

Unless you've set it to scan on startup, the scan dialog always lets you choose which drives and folders to scan.

[buah]

I did.

You'd faster understood my routine, whether it is justified, or not.

He can search a title in collectorz - look at the id and instantly know where it is located

Exactly. I wouldn't be surprised if he was some kind of engineer.

CAD,
How much movies do you have at the moment?

[CAD]

Quote from: CAD on June 16, 2010, 08:31:21 am
Are you sure?? This has been populated for me! Sorry - I am at work so can't check right now, but I am sure "media label" was being populated with HD volume name. I will verify when I get home.

I don't use external media, so no, I'm not sure. You would know better than me. But I'm also not sure what you're saying here. Is Media Label not set to the volume label—whether the source is an optical disk or a HDD? I'm assuming it is, and therefore the same method should work whether DVD's or HDD's are used for external storage.

Just to verify - media label does pick up the Hard disk volume name

He can search a title in collectorz - look at the id and instantly know where it is located
Exactly. I wouldn't be surprised if he was some kind of engineer. Grin

I.T. Systems engineer.
The problem with his system (for me) is that there is a total reliance on collectorz.
If he wants something from a certain genre, he needs to fire up collectorz, sort by genre (say comedy)
then scan and select a movie. Go to box and pull it out.

If I want to watch a comedy. I go to the comedy box and flick through until I find one that I want to watch.

CAD,
How much movies do you have at the moment?

I have about 900 DVDs and about 80 more (and growing) on HD.
not including tv (500G on main PC)

Quote
Is there a way for PVD to check the volume label and only update database with that "media label" Huh
ie search for changed paths /added /deleted titles for that disk only.

Unless you've set it to scan on startup, the scan dialog always lets you choose which drives and folders to scan.

I thought of that as I was driving home
Sound like I should be safe from lots of rework if I change my mind on how to store movies on HD.

Thanks Rick / buah

[rick.ca]

You'd faster understood my routine, whether it is justified, or not.

What?

[rick.ca]

Just to verify - media label does pick up the Hard disk volume name

Yes, I have a HDD. It's the optical and external I'm not sure about.

Sound like I should be safe from lots of rework if I change my mind on how to store movies on HD.

At some point, you'll want to manage your media in a way that takes advantage of it being online. I recommend J. River Media Center for that. Just to put your original question into perspective...If sometime in the future you have all your media online and are using MC to manage it, questions of how to name the files will disappear. You'll interact with your media using it's meta data (which is, of course, imported from PVD) any way you like, and the MC will always know where the physical files are. If you like the idea of orderly file pathnames, MC will rename them using the meta data (in any manner of your choosing), even if that means moving the files across drives.

The general point I've been trying to make here is that PVD can be used very effectively to manage videos. It's not a file manager, so some cooperation on that end is required. Although it doesn't matter to PVD, that probably entails using separate folders for videos processed in different ways (e.g., movies, series, home video, etc.). All PVD really needs are file pathnames from which it's scanner can extract an accurate title and year for movies, and a title, season and episode for series. As for recording genres to help in the selection of a movie, or recording an external disk label so it can be found, the most effective system is the one that leaves that up to PVD. I suppose this could be put another way: Using a value in the file system that cannot be read and used by PVD is not helpful. It then has to be manually duplicated in PVD (or, like ID's, generated by PVD and then manually added to the file pathname), which is inefficient and error-prone.

[buah]

What?

I meant we'd spared some lines we both wrote? Whether my routine is good (justified) or not.

I.T. Systems engineer.

Yes, that explains same approach . But...

I have about 900 DVDs and about 80 more (and growing) on HD. not including tv (500G on main PC)

... what I think of, too, is your relatively small number of movies. You'd feel pretty comfortable, whatever system you've chosen with 900 movies. I have ~6k movies, and I couldn't imagine how to pick up one of 1728 comedies to watch?

Let's get back to your friend for a moment, reaching the answer on a previous question.

The problem with his system (for me) is that there is a total reliance on collectorz.

If he'd give a chance to PVD just for a week, he'd forgot any other software. And he wouldn't become totally relied on, but totally addicted to PVD . I'm sure of it, just as I'm sure my nick is buah. Please, tell him that.

If he wants something from a certain genre, he needs to fire up collectorz, sort by genre (say comedy)
then scan and select a movie. Go to box and pull it out.

Ask him. Is it because he's dependent on collectorz, or because he has a looot of movies, and this is the only way to decide which one to watch?
And that is the answer on a question above. When you have a lot of movies will you go to the shelf and pick up one? That's how I see it, and what my experience says.

On which criteria, and how exactly you choose particular comedy now?

P.S. You should be aware of some specific situations while updating file paths, but we can talk about it later.

[CAD]

If he'd give a chance to PVD just for a week, he'd forgot any other software. And he wouldn't become totally relied on, but totally addicted to PVD Grin. I'm sure of it, just as I'm sure my nick is buah. Please, tell him that. Wink

He did try it.
Converted his entire collection (4K) to PVD and tried it for a week.
Said he could see the power (lots of options) but missing fundamental features (grid view).
Also did everything he needed so why change.
I will try and convert him again when PVD-v1 makes an appearance:)

Quote
If he wants something from a certain genre, he needs to fire up collectorz, sort by genre (say comedy)
then scan and select a movie. Go to box and pull it out.
Ask him. Is it because he's dependent on collectorz, or because he has a looot of movies, and this is the only way to decide which one to watch?
And that is the answer on a question above. When you have a lot of movies will you go to the shelf and pick up one? That's how I see it, and what my experience says.

My friend has PC turned on 24 x 7 - easy to fire up collectorz to choose a movie. Filter in grid view and select.

On which criteria, and how exactly you choose particular comedy now?

More like going to video store.
If you know what movie you want - you go in ask kid behind desk and they get it for you.
If you don't have particular movie - then you browse the shelf until one that grabs your fancy pops out.

You could do this with PVD, for me I would more than likely have to fire pc first then start pvd, then select movie, then find movie.
Most of these issues will go away with storage on Hard drive.
 

 
   

[buah]

Yes, my computers are also 24/7 turned on.

More like going to video store.

I see now. According to your routine, you still don't need to rely on PVD, actually. But I'm sure the best system for you will occur to you until the time comes.

P.S. PVD is free, and collectorz isn't as far as I know

[riverus]

So I use a simple and unambiguous initial classification on my hard disk

If you really want the media to be somehow classified in the file system—perhaps so you can relate to it better when using a file manager—I would advise putting this off until PVD has the ability to rename file pathnames from the database (e.g., \Movies\[Classification]\[Title] ([Year].[Ext] ). Using such a facility would allow you to maintain such a file structure so it's perfectly consistent with the meta recorded in the database (e.g., if it's [class] movie, you could be sure to find it in your [class] folder).

Do you know when PVD will have the function to rename file pathnames from the database? I am really looking forward to that.

[rick.ca]

Do you know when PVD will have the function to rename file pathnames from the database? I am really looking forward to that.

It's planned for version 1, which should be out next year sometime.