Best Meta Data Program for Movies for Windows File Explorer

I'm not looking for something like Kodi/Plex because not only is it laggy but also I feel that it's not customizable enough. Usually, I think that developers over-customize software with too many options. This is a huge problem today as it detracts from the productivity of the product but in Plex's case and its competitors, they make the program so heavy (slow) and non-customizable. If someone simply made a custom folder for my movie folder in Windows, I think it could do really well. Something similar to the Windows OS font folder. When you simply double-click the font folder, it directly brings up an entirely new interface.

Anyway, I'm looking for a program that automatically adds meta data to my designated movie folder in Windows 10.

Requirements:

1. Automatically searches the internet to find the requested meta data
2. Automatically filling in the meta data details for the movie file itself
3. Inserting a covert art into the movie file itself
4. Downloading a cover art for the Windows file explorer folder

*It doesn't have to do all the above. Just most of them.

Possible Candidates:

1. MetaX
2. MP3Tag
3. Movie411
4. MyMovies
5. Media Center Master

I've done research and found the above. I haven't tried any of these so if anyone could let me know how they are, I'd greatly appreciate it. If there are other possible programs, please do let me know.

CerebralFreeze said:

I'm not looking for something like Kodi/Plex because not only is it laggy but also I feel that it's not customizable enough. Usually, I think that developers over-customize software with too many options. This is a huge problem today as it detracts from the productivity of the product but in Plex's case and its competitors, they make the program so heavy (slow) and non-customizable. If someone simply made a custom folder for my movie folder in Windows, I think it could do really well. Something similar to the Windows OS font folder. When you simply double-click the font folder, it directly brings up an entirely new interface.

Anyway, I'm looking for a program that automatically adds meta data to my designated movie folder in Windows 10.

Requirements:

1. Automatically searches the internet to find the requested meta data
2. Automatically filling in the meta data details for the movie file itself
3. Inserting a covert art into the movie file itself
4. Downloading a cover art for the Windows file explorer folder

*It doesn't have to do all the above. Just most of them.

Possible Candidates:

1. MetaX
2. MP3Tag
3. Movie411
4. MyMovies
5. Media Center Master

I've done research and found the above. I haven't tried any of these so if anyone could let me know how they are, I'd greatly appreciate it. If there are other possible programs, please do let me know.

Hi there

@CerebralFreeze

For command line -- If you know Linux then if you install package atomicparsley (free of course) then that can read and set metadata into mpeg-4 type files e.g iTunes type metadata

AtomicParsley

Read the documentation as it discusses programs that use this and I believe there might even be a Windows GUI .

However using VLC will also get you the appropriate data - which you can then tag insert manually

I think VLC does all this for you including thumbnails.

For example playing an episode from BBC R3's Composer of the Week - William Byrd



For Video - same thing and gets Codec and Metadata details as well if you want them.



(Running VLC on Linux but the VLC GUI is 100% identical on Windows- I tend to use a Linux laptop these days with Windows 10 running as a Virtual Machine)

Cheers

jimbo

I'm not looking for something like Kodi/Plex because not only is it laggy but also I feel that it's not customizable enough. Usually, I think that developers over-customize software with too many options. This is a huge problem today as it detracts from the productivity of the product but in Plex's case and its competitors, they make the program so heavy (slow) and non-customizable

Maybe it's the way I read this but you seem to contradict yourself. 'Not customisable enough'.......then 'over - customized'

Anyway, Kodi is somewhat both of these. It's incredibly customisable but at the same time difficult to customise.

You might want to try Ember Media Manager. It's shown on the Kodi site but it's not part of Kodi and works on Windows Folders.

Ember Media Manager 1.5.x - Download & Discussion Thread

It will pull metadata from a number of customisable sources and produce information files, banners and posters etc and give you Windows Folder Icons e.g



You could also try Tiny Media Manager

tinyMediaManager

I really, really would love to switch to Linux but the time it would take just seems to be too much. ☹

jimbo45 said:

Hi there

@CerebralFreeze

For command line -- If you know Linux then if you install package atomicparsley (free of course) then that can read and set metadata into mpeg-4 type files e.g iTunes type metadata

AtomicParsley

Read the documentation as it discusses programs that use this and I believe there might even be a Windows GUI .

However using VLC will also get you the appropriate data - which you can then tag insert manually

I think VLC does all this for you including thumbnails.

For example playing an episode from BBC R3's Composer of the Week - William Byrd



For Video - same thing and gets Codec and Metadata details as well if you want them.



(Running VLC on Linux but the VLC GUI is 100% identical on Windows- I tend to use a Linux laptop these days with Windows 10 running as a Virtual Machine)

Cheers

jimbo

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry for not being clear. I was trying to say that nearly all programs today are overcustomizable. There are so many options that it's crazy to figure out what does what.

So, I was surprised that Plex was too simplified. There aren't enough options.

Thanks for the recommendations. Some stuff I read online said that MetaX might be good. Do you know how your recommendations is compared to MetaX? Which one do you prefer between Tiny Media Manager and Ember? I just don't want to download all three of them and spend the next week or so, trying to figure out how to use each of them.

Thanks.

Sam Vimes said:

Maybe it's the way I read this but you seem to contradict yourself. 'Not customisable enough'.......then 'over - customized'

Anyway, Kodi is somewhat both of these. It's incredibly customisable but at the same time difficult to customise.

You might want to try Ember Media Manager. It's shown on the Kodi site but it's not part of Kodi and works on Windows Folders.

Ember Media Manager 1.5.x - Download & Discussion Thread

It will pull metadata from a number of customisable sources and produce information files, banners and posters etc and give you Windows Folder Icons e.g



You could also try Tiny Media Manager

tinyMediaManager

CerebralFreeze said:

I really, really would love to switch to Linux but the time it would take just seems to be too much. ☹



- - - Updated - - -

Sorry for not being clear. I was trying to say that nearly all programs today are overcustomizable. There are so many options that it's crazy to figure out what does what.

So, I was surprised that Plex was too simplified. There aren't enough options.

Thanks for the recommendations. Some stuff I read online said that MetaX might be good. Do you know how your recommendations is compared to MetaX? Which one do you prefer between Tiny Media Manager and Ember? I just don't want to download all three of them and spend the next week or so, trying to figure out how to use each of them.

Thanks.

Hi there

I'd have another look at KODI again then -- but run it simply as a Client. Then just set KODI (Video) to pick up the relevant Video files and set the Audio for the audio files --you don't need any of the other stuff.

I have also KODI installed on an Amazon Firestick plugged into remote TV so I can watch multi-media programs stored on my NAS server - on to a large TV . I don't bother with the live TV / Movie parts of KODI - I just use files on my NAS server so its simple just to use the video and music bits and ignore the rest.

What I also like is the ability to get any subtitles as well for movies / TV series - it can get subtitles from opensubtitles.org and a load more - I just use opensubtitles,org. I find subtitles increasingly helpful these days as modern stuff seems to have overtly loud special effects but often poor / hard to hear spoken Dialog -. Another good thing about this is I can then upload the subtitle .srt file to this address to have the subtitles translated into any language I need -- the google A.i subtitle translation is really good these days -- Machine translation has come on absolutely hugely in recent years.

Translate Subtitles FREE online Subtitles Translator

KODI also will play without any problems (including menus etc) DVD ISO's if you've ripped them to iso on computer as well.

I think your best bet is simply to use KODI (client) and have done with it. Note it installs also on ANDROID devices like Amazon fire TV stick (probably roku stick too ??) . Then Browse network to select where your files are stored and you're done - just play and enjoy !!

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks for the recommendations. Some stuff I read online said that MetaX might be good. Do you know how your recommendations is compared to MetaX? Which one do you prefer between Tiny Media Manager and Ember? I just don't want to download all three of them and spend the next week or so, trying to figure out how to use each of them.

I don't know MetaX but my main choice is Ember. Just occassionally it wont get the correct information so I also have Tiny Media Manager and this can often fill in those that Ember misses. (Both free)

I run Kodi on a Raspberry Pi but have configured the skin using Estuary Mod to make it a much more simpler interface. I've run it on Windows as well just to see how well it works and its good. Kodi does have its own scrappers which are very good but I prefer to do this through a PC networked to the Pi.

Hi there

@Sam Vimes
@CerebralFreeze

Here's an image from KODI running on Linux -- (Identical interface to Windows though) - also with the Estuary interface .

It will get meta data and thumbnails etc from the video files. Set the settings to Advanced or Expert rather than Basic to get these options.



I also run KODI though remotely normally from my Amazon firestick rather than use the computer application - simply connect to the firestick (a bit like you with the Raspberry PI) -- Interface is the same when run directly on the computer -- I rarely though watch movies etc on a computer (unless I'm travelling) but wanted to show the way to extract meta data from the video files and my remote TV / Firestick is switched off currently.

Hint also -- simply use the Music and Video folders - don't bother with "Library" either -- keeps things much simpler !!!.

Cheers
jimbo

Jimbo,

Thanks for your helpful suggestions.

I actually tried Plex a couple of times and could never come to like it. But, I'll try to give Kodi a shot as you recommended.

Can I ask you a question about forced subtitles? How do you set up a movie file so that it will play only the forced subtitles without the regular subtitles? It seems that the subtitles on my movie files are always mixed up. Can I have Kodi fix this?

jimbo45 said:

Hi there

I'd have another look at KODI again then -- but run it simply as a Client. Then just set KODI (Video) to pick up the relevant Video files and set the Audio for the audio files --you don't need any of the other stuff.

I have also KODI installed on an Amazon Firestick plugged into remote TV so I can watch multi-media programs stored on my NAS server - on to a large TV . I don't bother with the live TV / Movie parts of KODI - I just use files on my NAS server so its simple just to use the video and music bits and ignore the rest.

What I also like is the ability to get any subtitles as well for movies / TV series - it can get subtitles from opensubtitles.org and a load more - I just use opensubtitles,org. I find subtitles increasingly helpful these days as modern stuff seems to have overtly loud special effects but often poor / hard to hear spoken Dialog -. Another good thing about this is I can then upload the subtitle .srt file to this address to have the subtitles translated into any language I need -- the google A.i subtitle translation is really good these days -- Machine translation has come on absolutely hugely in recent years.

Translate Subtitles FREE online Subtitles Translator

KODI also will play without any problems (including menus etc) DVD ISO's if you've ripped them to iso on computer as well.

I think your best bet is simply to use KODI (client) and have done with it. Note it installs also on ANDROID devices like Amazon fire TV stick (probably roku stick too ??) . Then Browse network to select where your files are stored and you're done - just play and enjoy !!

Cheers
jimbo

- - - Updated - - -

Sam,

Can you explain what information that Ember misses? I've installed Ember and it looks like it's going to take a couple of weeks, if not months, to figure out all the software options. If you could a general summary on how to set Ember up as well as how to set up Tiny Media Manager so it fills in the gaps that Ember misses, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I know this could take a lot of time so something brief will be fine. Anything that will make the learning process easier. Thanks!

Apologies for late reply.

Ember queries a couple of databases such as IMDB, TMDB and occassionally it wont find the Movie information. Sometimes this might be due to having the wrong title or possibly there are several versions of the same name. Usually if this happens I look on IMDB.com manually and check I have the correct folder name - often you need to add the year since there may be a number of releases.

Sometimes Ember still wont find the data so I'll try Tiny Media Manager and it may find the information. To be honest I seldom have to do this so I can't recall how to use it but I think its basically the same. Choose the video source and scrappers and then let it run.


For setting up Ember all I have done is go into Settings and then click on the Movie tab. Here you can select the Files and Sources. You can have more than one source. It will also allow you to select the Scrappers and I just use IMDB. All other settings I leave alone.

Similarly you can do this for TV Shows under the TV Shows tab.

Then once you've done this you can then go back to the main screen and use the Update Library tab. You can do all or just Movies or TV Shows. Once you do this the left hand pane should fill with all your videos.

You can use the Scrape Movies tab at the top to search for the metadata or you can right click on an invidual video and just scrape that.

There are also choices for how much data you want such as Actors, Fanart etc - choose what you want. I just do everything.

Hope this helps