Shuffle videos but keep episode order?

[Pedeadstrian]

I have a bunch of tv shows on my hard drive, and would like to set up a playlist so that each show is in random order, but episode order is always preserved. Example: if I have shows A, B, and C a possible play order would be C1, B1, C2, A1, C3, B2, A2, etc. With a fresh playlist, the first time a particular show is played its first episode is played, then second, and so on. I am currently using a batch file renamer to give each episode a number prefix of a random number and then sorting my playlist by name, effectively shuffling my playlist. Does anyone know of a program that could help me?

 

[Joom]

If you were on Linux or OS X, I've be able to help. This is very easy to do with the find command and sed. I actually wrote a script specifically for this but I use it to make a very large online playlist for chiptunes.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

If you were on Linux or OS X, I've be able to help. This is very easy to do with the find command and sed. I actually wrote a script specifically for this but I use it to make a very large online playlist for chiptunes.

I'm using Windows 10, unfortunately.

 

[Depravo]

http://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:LazyTV

Does this sound like the kind of thing you're after?

2.1.1 Create and launch randomised playlist
Select this option if you want to just start playing the next available episode of a random TV Show.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

http://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:LazyTV

Does this sound like the kind of thing you're after?

Hmm... in fact it does. If I remember correctly, I wasn't a fan of Kodi, but maybe I'd be able to use LazyTV to create a playlist then use it in VLC. I'll go ahead and try it, thanks.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I have a bunch of tv shows on my hard drive, and would like to set up a playlist so that each show is in random order, but episode order is always preserved. Example: if I have shows A, B, and C a possible play order would be C1, B1, C2, A1, C3, B2, A2, etc. With a fresh playlist, the first time a particular show is played its first episode is played, then second, and so on. I am currently using a batch file renamer to give each episode a number prefix of a random number and then sorting my playlist by name, effectively shuffling my playlist. Does anyone know of a program that could help me?

You could use Kodi with this addon: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=90738
It basically automates the entire process and presents it all in a nice interface with a fake "TV Guide"

 

[Pedeadstrian]

You could use Kodi with this addon: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=90738
It basically automates the entire process and presents it all in a nice interface with a fake "TV Guide"

Alrighty, I'll check that out if LazyTV doesn't work, thanks.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Alrighty, I'll check that out if LazyTV doesn't work, thanks.

Actually, scratch that last link, this seems to be a much more up to date version of it: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=244889
LazyTV looks very similar but lacking a lot of features PseudoTV has, like the "TV Guide" and having multiple "channels" to choose from. Though if you don't care about/want those features then LazyTV is for you I suppose.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Actually, scratch that last link, this seems to be a much more up to date version of it: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=244889
LazyTV looks very similar but lacking a lot of features PseudoTV has, like the "TV Guide" and having multiple "channels" to choose from. Though if you don't care about/want those features then LazyTV is for you I suppose.

It turns out LazyTV is exactly what I wanted, and it can even hybridize with PseudoTV. I would have preferred being able to export the playlist it makes, but I guess I can get used to another video player. Thanks for the help, everyone.

 

[FAST6191]

Though it seems you have it sorted now I will have to say as a really crude one, and probably not so useful if you are sporting DVD rips, but what about sort by date?

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Though it seems you have it sorted now I will have to say as a really crude one, and probably not so useful if you are sporting DVD rips, but what about sort by date?

That would work for one show, but wouldn't work well with multiple shows. The Simpsons is the oldest show I have by a long shot, so if I were to sort my videos by date I'd have a huge section of nothing but The Simpsons. I don't mind a few episodes of a show playing back-to-back if RNGesus wills it, but watching several seasons in a row is too much. Unless, of course, I'm not understanding you correctly, which wouldn't be surprising because you're usually way over my head.

 

[FAST6191]

It would fail in that scenario. I was thinking more that you had more or less current series/seasons of TV shows and wanted to catch up on the lot.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

It would fail in that scenario. I was thinking more that you had more or less current series/seasons of TV shows and wanted to catch up on the lot.

Oh, nope. It's my cache of reruns that I watch right before bed to wind down or when I have a headache that would lessen the enjoyment of new episodes. I probably could've been clearer in the OP. Oh well, too late now.