Adding episode thumbnails manually
#1
Hi,

I've always been using tvdb for scraping images for my tv shows, but sometimes I just want to add some images manually. More specifically, the unique thumbnail that shows up for every episode. Unfortunately I can't seem to find the right naming convention. I'm using a tv show folder containing dvd iso files of all the seasons: S01E01E02, S02E01E02 etc. So within that folder I'd like to add the thumbnails.
If anyone knows, please let me know!

Thanks,
Daan
Reply
#2
You give them exactly the same name as the video file, your also need to refresh them if they are already in your library
Reply
#3
I did that, I renamed the jpg to e.g. S01E01 but they don't show up. But like I said, I just iso files containing multiple episodes. Perhaps it can only work for separate episode videos..? Or maybe there's a priority setting I can change somewhere?
Reply
#4
You didn't say that exactly but yes that's your problem you need separate video files with an image for each one with matching file name
Reply
#5
That's a shame, so there's no workaround of some sorts to make it work?
Reply
#6
Well there is, but it's a bit of work...

Your DVD ISO files contain multiple episodes in one iso file. What you can do is open the ISO file in a program like DVD Decrypter. That program can then copy the individual episodes to a folder of choice without compressing them or loss of quality.
Then you can add individual episode thumbs...

The thumbs are linked to physical files on your harddisk. Not to episodes...
Reply
#7
Quote:Well there is, but it's a bit of work...

Your DVD ISO files contain multiple episodes in one iso file. What you can do is open the ISO file in a program like DVD Decrypter. That program can then copy the individual episodes to a folder of choice without compressing them or loss of quality.
Then you can add individual episode thumbs...

The thumbs are linked to physical files on your harddisk. Not to episodes...

Yeah.. unfortunately it requires episode ripping, while I'd like to retain the original dvd structure. BTW, the images that are scraped from tvdb are stored in the cache folder right? Of course, in that case, I could consider replacing those but that would be far from ideal. Maybe there is a way to do something with fake files, change something in the xml. I dunno... I find it hard to believe it's absolutely impossible to add individual thumbs when using iso files with multiple episodes.
Reply
#8
What if you go for LNK files? just create a windows shortcut and add it to the list of files that need to be scraped... when you select the file, it will select the iso that you made the lnk from.

I still am a bit confused though because your iso file is 1 file. you can not have multiple nfo files or thumbnails for a single file. Also, even if you could with fake files, if you select episode 3 for example, it would still playback the normal ISO files which shows you the directory structure... Why are you so keen on ripping the episodes? what is the downside?
What do you mean with losing the DVD structure? If you play the iso now, first of all you have to wait probably 10 seconds for the dvd intro to play.
Then the menu pops up, then you have to select the episode you want, then another menu animation starts to kick in, and then finally the episode is being played....
If you rip the episodes from the DVD there is no loss of quality.

Hmm, i just thought of something...
If it's the menu that you're interrested in, you can consider stripping episodes from it...

example:

Your dvd now is 4.3 Gbyte and has 4 episodes...
with DVD decrypter you should rip the dvd menus to harddisk and only the first episode. When you're done with that, create a new ISO of your files. The size will be roughly 1 Gbyte and contains your DVD structure and just 1 file...and therefore you can add a thumbnail and an NFO.
repeat this for the other episodes as well. You will end up with 4 dvd's each just 1Gbyte in size, all with the dvd structure...
What you also can do is rename the files to:
TVshowtitle Disc1.iso
TVshowtitle Disc2.iso
TVshowtitle Disc3.iso
TVshowtitle Disc4.iso

I did that for the movie The 10th Kingdom which is on 3 dvd's...
WHen i select the movie, xbmc shows me a new menu and asks which cd should be played...

just giving you some ideas....
Reply
#9
Thanks for your informative reply Wink

Quote:What if you go for LNK files? just create a windows shortcut and add it to the list of files that need to be scraped... when you select the file, it will select the iso that you made the lnk from.
Seems an interesting idea. So the scraper will recognize them and create individual thumbnails for them right?

Quote:you can not have multiple nfo files or thumbnails for a single file.
Well, maybe not manually but it works at least for tvdb scraping.

Quote:Why are you so keen on ripping the episodes? what is the downside?
Yeah, I'm asking myself the same thing. Chances are I'll still rip it in the future, but while I'm still uncertain I'd at least like to have a way to have it displayed decently.

Quote:if it's the menu that you're interrested in, you can consider stripping episodes from it...
Considered that myself yes.. well, to be honest it would be quite a task and I would be a dumbass not to just rip the episodes themselves in that case. :p

Alright, I'll try the shortcut method as soon as I can. Thanks once again!
Reply
#10
KeyMs92 Wrote:Well, maybe not manually but it works at least for tvdb scraping.

If that's the case why don't you export your library to separate files then your see how its done or use XWMM to change the thumbnails
Reply

Logout Mark Read Team Forum Stats Members Help
Adding episode thumbnails manually0