Source of Episode Numbering

[tlunde]

What is the ultimate upstream source of the episode numbers? I anticipate that you'll say XMLTV, but the ultimate issue is that the episode numbers that the HDHR gives to some of its recording files don't match what other metadata providers/systems use and that's causing confusion.

Here are two examples of differences on the same series: Using Device ID: 10A3250E in Minneapolis MN (554xx), I record shows from PBS for my kids. A recording this spring got a name starting with "Wild Kratts S07E05 20230926" but the content in that recording is the "Backpack the Camel" episode (title at 4:22 in my recording).

If I should move the recording to Plex or Jellyfin, this episode number doesn't match what those systems expect. These days, it seems that the TMDB is the default source for their metadata (so the recording file with this name shows up with the metadata of The Blue and Green World -- n.b. the whole thing, no parts 1 or 2). The TVDB is available (which if I used that, then the recording file with this name shows up with the metadata for Part 1 of the Blue and Green World and Part 2 would be S07E06).

S07E05 on these are here:
https://thetvdb.com/series/wild-kratts/ ... s/11762188 vs.
https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/35094-wil ... /episode/5

These systems do list the "Backpack the Camel" episode, but they each have it under a different number
S07E07 -- https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/35094-wil ... /episode/7
OR
S07E08 -- https://thetvdb.com/series/wild-kratts/ ... s/10311803
depending on who you ask.

Since the distant past is harder to diagnose, here's a (smaller) issue from today:

https://thetvdb.com/series/wild-kratts/episodes/4516796 knows an episode as "Aqua Frog" and
https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/35094-wil ... episode/13 knows that same episode as "Aquafrog"

The HDHR app shows the title of this episode that was recorded earlier today as "Aqua Frog". So, can I infer that The TVDB is the upstream source or that you and they have the same upstream source of metadata?

While I don't care about the space between Aqua Frog and Aquafrog, the instances where the number is off as in the first example are rather more labor intensive to fix. Different episode numbering between TVDB and TMDB and HDHR recordings are visible in many animated series that I get or have gotten: Curious George, Thomas the Tank Engine, etc. etc.

Thanks for any light you can shed on this and suggestions for how to map the episode numbers that the HDHR uses to those of the metadata provider for my other systems (Plex/Jellyfin) would be very welcome!

[tlunde]

Since posting this, I've learned that the Backpack the Camel has production code 705 but was aired as the 8th episode.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_W ... 2%80%9326)
(Why TheMovieDB lists it as episode number 7 is still a bit of a mystery, though.)

For detail on Production Codes: https://www.simpsonsarchive.com/guides/pcodes.html

For examples on kid shows that combine episode numbers in a single broadcast slot (e.g. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood) see more at:
https://www.reddit.com/r/jellyfin/comme ... _episodes/

So it looks like whatever source that the HDHR DVR is using relies on Production Codes rather than Air Date-based episode numbering. If anyone at SiliconDust can confirm that, it'd be good to know for sure.