For a simple TV folder structure, the recommended folder layout is Series (year)\Season #\Episode. The Episode name itself should contain the show name, the season and the episode episode number which is covered below.
When setting up the library make sure to select TV as the content type. Having the year in the series name is not strictly mandatory as Emby can usually match a series without it but it helps tremendously with rebooted series and those that have broadcast in different years such as Battlestar Galactica (1978) and Battlestar Galactica (2003). The year is also very helpful for some series such as Africa (2013) which could potentially match to a few different shows without the year.
For example:
\TV
\Glee (2009)
\Season 1
Glee S01E01.mp4
Glee S01E02.mp4
\TV
\Seinfeld (1989)
Seinfeld S01E01.mp4
Seinfeld S01E02.mp4
Complex Folder Structure
In more complex situations where your top-level directory is further sub-divided before the show folders, the recommended option is to create a TV media folder and add the sub-folder locations instead of the top level folder.
For example:
\TV
\A-M
\Glee (2009)
\Season 1
Glee S01E01.mp4
\N-Z
\Seinfeld (1989)
\Season 1
Seinfeld S01E01.mp4
In the above example, the recommended setup is to create a TV media folder, and then add the A-Mand N-Z library paths.
For more information on setting up the library, see Library Setup
see Library Setup.
DVD and Blu-ray episodes
Dvd and Blu-ray folder structures are also supported. The folders can have any name, but using episode numbers will improve the ability to download and display metadata.
To be recognized as a dvd structure, the folder must contain either a VIDEO_TS subfolder, or a VIDEO_TS.ifo file. To be recognized as a blu-ray structure, the folder must contain a BDMV subfolder.
\TV
\Glee (2009)
\Season 1
\Glee S01E01-E04
\VIDEO_TS
\Glee S01E05-E08
VIDEO_TS.IFO
\Glee S01E09-E10
\BDMV
Mixed Content Libraries
TV series are supported in mixed content libraries using the Unset content type, but season sub-folders are required in this scenario.
Episode naming conventions
A number of naming conventions are supported:
- show name - S01E01 - Episode Name.ext
- show name S01E01 Episode Name.ext
- anything_s01e02.ext
- anything_s1e2.ext
- anything_s01.e02.ext
- anything_s01_e02.ext
- anything_1x02.ext
- anything_102.ext
- anything_1x02.ext
- 02 Episode Name.ext
- s01e02.ext
- 1x02.ext
By date
Common for long-running daily shows, you can also use the date the episode aired.
- anything_1996.11.14.ext
- anything_1996-11-14.ext
- anything_14.11.1996.ext
Multi-Version Episode
Multi-Version Episodes are best using the following format:
- show name - S01E01 - Display Name 1.ext
- show name - S01E01 - Display Name 2.ext
For example: Star Trek, The Next Generation - S01E01 - Original Broadcast.mkv Star Trek, The Next Generation - S01E01 - Digital Remix.mkv
anything following the "-" (dash) up to the file extension will be used in the drop down version selector in your Emby client. In this case the two versions show in the interface will be "Original Broadcast" & "Digital Remix".
Multi-episode files
All multi-episode files must be part of the same season.
The following conventions are supported:
- 01x02x03 episode name.ext
- S01x02x03 episode name.ext
- S01E02E03 episode name.ext
- S01xE02xE03 episode name.ext
- S01E02-E03 episode name.ext
- S01E02-X03 episode name.ext
- 01x02 01x03 episode name.ext
- 01x02 - 01x03 episode name.ext
- 01x02 - 01x05 episode name.ext (includes episodes 2,3,4 and 5)
- 01x02 - x03 episode name.ext
- 01x02 - x05 episode name.ext
- S01x02.S01x03 episode name.ext
- S01x02 - S01x03 episode name.ext
- show name 01x02x03 episode name.ext
- show name S01x02x03 episode name.ext
- show name S01E02E03 episode name.ext
- show name S01xE02xE03 episode name.ext
- show name S01E02-E03 episode name.ext
- show name S01E02-E05 episode name.ext
- show name S01E02-X03 episode name.ext
- show name S01E02-X05 episode name.ext
- show name 01x02 01x03 episode name.ext
- show name 01x02 - 01x03 episode name.ext
- show name 01x02 - x03 episode name.ext
- show name S01x02.S01x03 episode name.ext
- show name S01x02 - S01x03 episode name.ext
Specials
Specials should be named using one of the following season folder names:
- Season 0
- Season 00
- Specials
For example:
\TV
\Glee (2009)
\Season 0
Glee S00E01.mp4
TIP: Please see Ordering TV Show Special/Extras to learn how to place these specials in the proper timeline.
Series & Season Images
Images are supported in both series and season folders. Below is a table of the supported image file names. Supported image extensions are jpg, jpeg, png and tbn.
Several image types support multiple file names. They are listed in the order that they're checked for.
Image Type | Supported file names |
---|---|
Primary | folder.ext |
poster.ext | |
cover.ext | |
default.ext | |
show.ext (series folder only) | |
Art | clearart.ext |
Backdrop | backdrop.ext, backdropX.ext |
fanart.ext, fanart-X.ext | |
background.ext, background-X.ext | |
art.ext, art-X.ext | |
extrafanart (subfolder)/fanartX.ext | |
Banner | banner.ext |
Disc | disc.ext |
cdart.ext | |
Logo | logo.ext |
Thumb | thumb.ext |
landscape.ext |
For backdrops, X represents a number, and you can have any amount of numbered backdrops. For example:
\TV
\Glee (2009)
backdrop.ext
backdrop1.ext
backdrop2.ext
backdrop3.ext
Season images without season folder
If season folders are not used, season images can still be supplied directly in the series folder, using a naming convention to indicate the season.
Image Type | Supported file names |
---|---|
Primary | seasonXX-poster.ext |
season-specials-poster.ext | |
Backdrop | seasonXX-fanart.ext |
season-specials-fanart.ext | |
Banner | seasonXX-banner.ext |
season-specials-banner.ext | |
Thumb | seasonXX-landscape.ext |
season-specials-landscape.ext |
For example:
\TV
\Glee (2009)
season01-poster.jpg
season-specials-poster.jpg
season01-fanart.jpg
season-specials-fanart.jpg
season01-banner.jpg
season-specials-banner.jpg
season01-landscape.jpg
season-specials-landscape.jpg
Episode Images
The following naming conventions are supported for episode images:
- {name}-thumb.ext (in same folder)
- {name}.ext (in metadata sub-folder)
Supported image extensions are jpg, jpeg, png and tbn.
For example:
\TV
\Glee (2009)
\Season 1
Glee S01E01.mp4
Glee S01E01-thumb.jpg
\Season 2
Glee S02E01.mp4
3D episodes
3D episodes files are supported. See 3D videos.
Media stubs
Media stubs are supported as episodes. See media stubs.
Strm files
Strm files are supported as episodes. See strm files.
Subtitles
Subtitles for episode files are supported. See subtitles.
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