Trouble Adding Titles

[DVDcollector]

I have 1200 or so movies in my DVDpedia database, but lately I have had a problem adding new titles without typing in the name of the movie. If I enter the numeric bar code or scan using my hand scanner the DVDpedia program simply searches each site but never connects with the correct title. It is almost as if it is searching for the wrong zone.

Sorry if I am missing something, I simply can't figure this out. Thanks & Merry Christmas!

[DVDcollector]

More specifically - I just noticed that a title that I am attempting to scan via isight is showing a UPC number that does not match the number on the blu-ray. The scan turns up no meaningful searches, & there is seemingly nothing I can do to change this.

I am using DVDpedia 4.6.5 on a mac running 10.6.8

[Nora]

Start by downloading DVDpedia version 4.6.8 please since that is the last stable release of version 4 before the jump to the latest version 5.
If you still have trouble with the search after that, please let me know.

[Conor]

Thank you for the details. The old DVDpedia should not incorrectly interpret the barcode lines. The new version does a better job of scanning, but is also more aggressive at guessing for the low resolution iMac that has a long focus. The behavior can be changed in the new version with the following preference that needs to be set via the Terminal program in /Applications/Utilities:

Code: Select all

defaults write com.bruji.bookpedia "BarcodeScannerDisableNewiMac" -bool YES

However all this is for version 5.1.3+. If you are sticking with the old version do try changing light sources if possible. The more contrast the iSight is able to get of the image due to the increased light or light position the better the scanning will be. A few users also reported getting really good results with scanning the barcode on the top edge of the iSight frame. E.i. the barcode is cut off by the top of the video window.

[DVDcollector]

Thank you both for the responses. Nora, I will update the software and see if that helps the issue. I will get back to you after the holidays to let you know if any of this helped my problem.

Thanks again & MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[DVDcollector]

Hello Nora,
I have just gotten around to messing with this. In attempting your suggestion of downloading an older version - I did this and the first title I attempted to enter was fine. (interestingly, it worked via isight scanner but not by entering the UPC code. In looking at the code that came up when the title scanned correctly it had added a "0" at the beginning of the UPC code that appears on the movie...).

Since this may work for me, I am wondering if there is a way around having to re-enter all the titles that exist in my newer version of the program. Can the older version (4.6. be made to recognize the library from my later 5.1.3 version?

[Nora]

You can import data from DVDpedia 5.1.3 to 4.6.8 using the native .dvdpedia export format.

[DVDcollector]

I continue to have a problem. I went back to v 4.6.5, but none of the scanning works. The system does not recognize either numeric codes or bar codes, the only way for me to enter dvd titles is by typing in the name. This does not work well either, as a few dvd titles were not recognized and none of my blu ray titles were recognized.

I have not had any of these issues until relatively recently. I would appreciate any help you can provide.

[Conor]

Why version 4.6.5 over 4.6.8 that is the most updated of the old version of DVDpedia? Do please try 4.6.8 that can be found at this link. If the does not find the barcodes, do send us a couple of samples of the barcodes you are searching so we can try them out.

[DVDcollector]

I'm sorry Conor. I thought I was using the older version that Nora suggested until I read your reply. Sorry about that! I will get back to you with an update as to how this works. Based on testing 3 titles, I found that a DVD that would not scan or come up with the UPC code last night when I was unknowingly using the older v6.8.5 came up immediately on 4.6.8. Interestingly, neither of the blu rays that I tested (using isight) were identified, but they came up when I entered the UPC.

I will do more and let you know. Assuming this will work fine, I am wondering if there is a fix for my problem in a more current (or upcoming) version of DVDpedia? Thanks, I hope to enter more titles over the next day or two.

[DVDcollector]

Success (pretty much). I still seemed to have trouble reading blu ray titles with the isight, but the isight read all of the dvds that I attempted to scan. I would say that everything worked pretty normally, thank you again.

I will upgrade back to the latest v5 so I can update pocketpedia. Thanks again.