Media Matching

When you add media to your library, Norri automatically identifies each file and matches it to the correct movie or TV show. This page explains how the matching process works and how to get the best results.

How Matching Works

The matching process happens in several stages:

File Discovery scans your library folders for media files
Filename Parsing extracts title, year, and other identifying information
Metadata Search queries TMDB (and TVDB for TV shows) for potential matches
Confidence Evaluation determines how reliable each match is
Automatic or Review: high-confidence matches are applied automatically, and the rest get flagged for you to review

What Gets Parsed from Filenames

Movies

Norri extracts the following from movie files:

Element	Example	Notes
Title	`The Matrix`	From folder name or filename
Year	`(1999)`	In parentheses after title
Quality	`1080p`, `4K`	Used for display, not matching

TV Shows

For TV shows, additional elements are extracted:

Element	Example	Notes
Show Name	`Breaking Bad`	From top-level folder
Season	`S01`, `Season 01`	From folder or filename
Episode	`E05`, `1x05`	Episode number within season
Episode Title	`Pilot`	Optional, after episode number

Matching Sources

Primary: TMDB

The Movie Database (TMDB) is Norri’s primary metadata source for both movies and TV shows. It provides:

Comprehensive movie and TV databases
Artwork (posters, backdrops, stills)
Cast and crew information
Multi-language support

Secondary: TheTVDB

For TV shows, TheTVDB provides additional data:

Episode ordering variations (aired, DVD, absolute)
Specials and extras
Alternative series artwork

Optional: NFO Files

If you have existing NFO files from other media software, Norri can read them:

Kodi-format NFO files are supported
NFO must be enabled in library settings
TMDB data takes priority over NFO for freshness
Useful for manual overrides or rare content

Tip

For most users, TMDB provides all necessary metadata. NFO files are only needed for unusual cases.

Match Confidence

Norri evaluates each match for confidence based on several factors:

High Confidence (Automatic Match)

Title matches exactly (accounting for punctuation)
Year matches (if year is in filename)
Only one reasonable result from search

Flagged for Review

Matches are flagged when:

No year in filename, so multiple movies might share the same title
Title differs significantly from any exact match (fuzzy match only)
Multiple equally good results came back
No results at all
Year mismatch between the filename and the best match

Reviewing Flagged Items

Go to Settings > Libraries > [Your Library]
Look for the Needs Review badge
For each flagged item, you can:
- Confirm the suggested match
- Search for a different match
- Manually enter a TMDB ID

Field Locking

When you manually edit metadata for a movie or TV show, those fields become “locked” to preserve your changes.

How It Works

Edit any field (title, description, artwork, etc.)
That field is automatically locked
Future automatic refreshes skip locked fields
Your customizations are preserved

Unlocking Fields

If you want to allow automatic updates again:

Navigate to the item’s detail page
Open the edit menu
Find the Locked Fields section
Unlock specific fields as needed

Note

Locked fields appear with a lock icon in the edit interface.

Best Practices for Naming

Following standard naming conventions makes matching much more reliable.

Movies

Movies/
  Movie Name (Year)/
    Movie Name (Year).mkv
    Movie Name (Year).en.srt

Examples:

Movies/
  The Matrix (1999)/
    The Matrix (1999).mkv
  Inception (2010)/
    Inception (2010).mkv

TV Shows

TV Shows/
  Show Name (Year)/
    Season 01/
      Show Name - S01E01 - Episode Title.mkv
      Show Name - S01E02 - Episode Title.mkv
    Season 02/
      Show Name - S02E01 - Episode Title.mkv

Examples:

TV Shows/
  Breaking Bad (2008)/
    Season 01/
      Breaking Bad - S01E01 - Pilot.mkv
      Breaking Bad - S01E02 - Cat's in the Bag.mkv
  The Office (2005)/
    Season 01/
      The Office - S01E01 - Pilot.mkv

Supported Filename Patterns

Norri recognizes many common naming patterns:

Standard (most reliable):

Show Name - S01E01 - Episode Title.mkv
Show Name - S01E01.mkv

Alternative formats:

Show Name 1x01.mkv
Show.Name.S01E01.mkv

Multi-episode:

Show Name - S01E01-E02.mkv
Show Name - S01E01E02.mkv

Absolute numbering (anime):

Anime Name - 001.mkv
Anime Name - 426.mkv

Date-based (daily shows):

Talk Show - 2024-01-15.mkv

Forcing a Match with Database IDs

For difficult matches, you can include the TMDB or TVDB ID in the folder name:

TV Shows/
  Show Name (2020) {tmdb-12345}/
    Season 01/
      ...
  Anime Name (2019) {tvdb-67890}/
    Season 01/
      ...

This tells Norri exactly which entry to match, bypassing the search process entirely.

Tips for Better Matching

Always include the year in folder names. It prevents confusion between remakes and originals.
Use official titles. If you’re not sure, check TMDB for the exact spelling.
Keep one folder per movie or TV show.
Be consistent with naming throughout your library.
Check the review queue regularly to make sure flagged items get accurate metadata.

Troubleshooting

Wrong Match

If a movie or show was matched incorrectly:

Go to the item’s detail page
Click the Edit button
Select Search TMDB
Find the correct match and select it

No Match Found

If Norri couldn’t find a match:

Check the filename follows naming conventions
Search TMDB directly to confirm the entry exists
Try adding the year to the filename
Use a database ID hint in the folder name

Metadata Not Updating

If automatic updates aren’t applying:

Check if fields are locked
Try a manual metadata refresh
Verify your internet connection
Check that the TMDB API is accessible