FileBot

Hello rednoah,

just wanted to ask if you are aware and following the changes in the TVDB API?
Apparently TVDB wants to start a subscription to their API.

How will FileBot be affected by the change?
Thank you!

We'll figure it out as we go along. FileBot will probably not be affected in the near term, at least not more or less than Plex and friends.


EDIT:

TheTVDB wrote:v4 API keys are project-specific and not required for most users.

FileBot does not currently have an v4 API key. The TheTVDB REST API that's effectively used by all TheTVDB API clients nowadays is still on v3 and I have not been able to find any specific documentation on the new upcoming v4 API. The complete absence v4 API would suggest that we don't need to worry about any of this just yet, though I guess some major changes are on the horizon. AFAIK, even v1 API is still online even though it was supposed to fade into the light some 2-3 years ago.

TheTVDB wrote:Legacy API keys are deprecated and will be discontinued in early 2021. Developers should update their projects to make use of our new v4 API.

TheTVDB User Subscriptions are completely new. I've never seen that page before. I reckon that the details on this will evolve over the next few months. It is unclear if TheTVDB API will remain usable (perhaps in a limited fashion) for non-paying / non-subscribed users. If applied strictly, this new subscription model could have huge implications for everyone, FileBot itself, Plex, Kodi and a myriad of other software products, but we'll have to wait and see. Presumably, TheTVDB has a strong business interest in not losing 99% of their users, yet somehow also needs a source of revenue that is not 0, and strike a balance somewhere in between. Regardless of what happens over the course of the next few months or years, FileBot will adapt.

Thanks for clarification, very much appreciated!

This is bad news...

FYI:

Legacy API key granted
(valid until early 2021)

Any updates on this or what FileBot might do?

FileBot will make things work. We'll remain on the TheTVDB API v2 for the time being because that's what Plex is using. The most recent news is that things will keep working as they are for at least another half year. Wait and see.

If you're worried about TheTVDB, then you can always use TheMovieDB instead for peace of mind.

Was more just curious what all the various platforms are going to do. I know Plex users and then for myself in the Anime-Lists/HAMA/ASS world for anime are also trying to navigate.

Thanks for the info! We'll see how this goes later this year...

FileBot is more of a supporting tool, so FileBot will almost certainly follow wherever Plex and Kodi and friends end up going.

Any updates on where FileBot is deciding to head? Is TVDB support going to go away?

Not really. Where are Plex and Kodi and friends heading? FileBot will follow their lead.

Well Kodi have default tv + movie scraper (for a long time now) = TMDb