I have just started using Windows Media Centre. I have my DVD library in two folders on my hard drive. I have Windows Media Centre "watching" the "higher level" folder and its sub-folders - so it can see both folders. One folder is called Movies-2, the other Movies-A.
When I go to DVD library in Media Centre it only shows the DVDs that are in Movies-2. The DVDs in Movies-A are listed in the Video library, but I want them in the DVD library.
Is it a simple as Media Centre only recognises one DVD folder - or is there something else I need to do for all DVDs to be listed in the DVD library.
Appreciate any help anyone can give.
Thanks.
I assume you have patched your registry to enable DVD library "Gallery" view.
The DVD Library has its own "watched folders" that you access by right-click in the gallery. However, any DVR-MS files in a "Recorded TV" watched folder that have "WM/MediaIsMovie" set to "True" will also appear in the DVD Library free of charge. These can be dressed up to look like a DVD by adding cover artwork to the folder. The name of the cover art must match the name of the movie file (e.g.: <moviename>.jpg and <moviename>.dvr-ms).
The "Videos" strip is controlled (more or less) by the main set-up watched folders (Set up > General > Library > Watched Folders, I think), but also has some defaults like <user name>\Videos and Public\Public Videos. Also, Windows Media Player has a part. If it finds video files in its search, they get added to the "Videos" strip.
There are certain criteria for a video to appear in the DVD section, depending on what kind of file it is. If you "rip" a DVD, then DVD Library expects a VIDEO_TS folder containing a VIDEO_TS.IFO file. Adding a DVDID.xml file (see dvdxml.com) will get info from the DvdInfoCache.
You may want to try starting over with what folders are being watched. Stop watching everything, then clear the Windows Media Library cache (c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player), reboot and use hard links in the default folders to point to your movies (run command prompt as administrator and execute mklink /d <linkName> <pathToMovieFolder>). See http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/369625.aspx and http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/368514.aspx for some info I have been collecting along the same lines.
I now have all my dvd's showing in the DVD library! I have added DVDID.xml files for most or jpeg of cover art for the others. When I'm connected to the internet, they all show great pictures!
But, when I'm not on the internet the jpeg of cover art show, but the ones with a DVDID.xml file show nothing. It's almost as if the "cache" is only working when I'm on the internet - but I thought the idea of the cache is that it showed when you were offline.
Any ideas?
I no longer believe it caches the data the same way it would if it was a DVD. I have never seen a file added to the DVDInfoCache when I add a video file.
I spent about 3 hours trying to figure out what the difference was between "Dreamgirls" and "The Cat in the Hat". I can get all the data for "Dreamgirls" with no jpg and no xml file in the folder, but I can't make "The Cat in the Hat" fully function to save my life.
It has to put the data on your drive somewhere, even if it is a temporary internet file, but I haven't found it yet.
There is some decision tree that is not immediately obvious as to what gets displayed. Sometimes <moviename>.jpg will be used as cover art. Sometimes folder.jpg will be used. Sometimes the cover art just appears with no jpgs in the folder at all. Sometimes adding a jpg breaks the "cast+more" data.
I haven't tried anything without an internet connection since I have DSL on all the time.
Very interesting.
That my explain why I put folder.jpg in some of my dvd folders (VIDEO_TS) along with the XML file, but when I go to the DVD Library in VMC, it shows the picture of the cover, but not the description of the movie.
This is only for some movies, others are fine & everything shows up as advertised. Weird.