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Collection Gap-Fill Strategy ​

Version: 1.0.0 Created: 2025-12-24 Status: Active Philosophy: Max Bitrate Enthusiast


Table of Contents ​

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Current Quality Profile Analysis
  3. Max Bitrate Optimization Recommendations
  4. Gap-Fill Methodology
  5. Curated Seed Lists
  6. Radarr/Sonarr Lists Integration
  7. Automation Recommendations
  8. Implementation Roadmap

1. Executive Summary ​

Context ​

Following the accidental 3TB+ data loss during drive migration, this document serves as the strategic roadmap for rebuilding the media collection with an emphasis on:

  • Maximum quality: Prioritize highest bitrate releases available
  • Canonical curation: Focus on essential films and TV first
  • Persona alignment: Collection should reflect user taste, not just popularity lists
  • Automated gap-filling: Leverage *arr ecosystem for systematic acquisition

Current State ​

ComponentStatusNotes
RecyclarrConfiguredUsing TRaSH templates
Radarr ProfileUHD Bluray + WEBGood baseline, needs optimization
Sonarr ProfileWEB-2160pSuboptimal for max bitrate
Pool Storage~48TB availablemergerfs pool configured
Usenet AccessActiveSABnzbd + Prowlarr operational

Key Recommendations (TL;DR) ​

  1. Upgrade Radarr to Remux + WEB 2160p profile (50-80GB per film vs 15-25GB)
  2. Enable advanced audio custom formats (TrueHD Atmos, DTS-X)
  3. Enable DV Boost and HDR10+ Boost for premium HDR
  4. Add IMAX Enhanced scoring for blockbuster films
  5. Use curated lists (IMDb, Trakt, Letterboxd) via *arr import

2. Current Quality Profile Analysis ​

2.1 Radarr Configuration Review ​

Current recyclarr.yml:

yaml
radarr:
  radarr-4k:
    include:
      - template: radarr-quality-definition-movie
      - template: radarr-quality-profile-uhd-bluray-web
      - template: radarr-custom-formats-uhd-bluray-web

Profile: UHD Bluray + WEB

SettingCurrent ValueMax Bitrate Optimal
Target QualityBluray-2160pRemux-2160p
Quality HierarchyBluray > WEBRemux > Bluray > WEB
Upgrade UntilBluray-2160pRemux-2160p
Min Format Score00 (correct)

Assessment: The current profile settles for Bluray encodes (~15-25GB) instead of Remux (~50-80GB). This conflicts with the "max bitrate enthusiast" philosophy.

2.2 Sonarr Configuration Review ​

Current recyclarr.yml:

yaml
sonarr:
  sonarr-4k:
    include:
      - template: sonarr-quality-definition-series
      - template: sonarr-v4-quality-profile-web-2160p
      - template: sonarr-v4-custom-formats-web-2160p

Profile: WEB-2160p

SettingCurrent ValueAssessment
Target QualityWEB 2160pAcceptable - TV Remux rarely available
Quality HierarchyWEBDL = WEBRipCorrect for TV
Upgrade UntilWEB 2160pCorrect

Assessment: WEB-2160p is appropriate for TV. Unlike films, TV series Remux releases are rare and inconsistent. WEB-DL from premium services (AMZN, NF, ATVP) typically provides the best available quality.

2.3 Custom Format Gaps ​

Currently Commented Out (Should Be Enabled for Max Quality):

Custom FormatTrash IDWhy Enable
TrueHD Atmos496f355514737f7d83bf7aa4d24f8169Best lossless object-based audio
DTS-X2f22d89048b01681dde8afe203bf2e95Alternative lossless object audio
DTS-HD MAdcf3ec6938fa32445f590a4da84256cdHigh-quality lossless audio
TrueHD3cafb66171b47f226146a0770576870fLossless audio baseline
DV Boostb337d6812e06c200ec9a2d3cfa9d20a7Prefer Dolby Vision releases
HDR10+ Boostcaa37d0df9c348912df1fb1d88f9273aPrefer HDR10+ releases
IMAX Enhanced9f6cbff8cfe4ebbc1bde14c7b7bec0deExpanded aspect ratio
IMAXeecf3a857724171f968a66cb5719e152Standard IMAX releases
Criterione0c07d59beb37348e975a930d5e50319Premium film restoration
4K Remastereca37840c13c6ef2dd0262b141a5482fPrefer newer 4K scans

3. Max Bitrate Optimization Recommendations ​

Switch from uhd-bluray-web to remux-web-2160p:

Updated recyclarr.yml:

yaml
radarr:
  radarr-4k:
    base_url: http://radarr:7878
    api_key: !secret radarr_api_key
    include:
      - template: radarr-quality-definition-movie
      - template: radarr-quality-profile-remux-web-2160p
      - template: radarr-custom-formats-remux-web-2160p

    custom_formats:
      # === ADVANCED AUDIO (ENABLE ALL) ===
      - trash_ids:
          - 496f355514737f7d83bf7aa4d24f8169 # TrueHD Atmos
          - 2f22d89048b01681dde8afe203bf2e95 # DTS X
          - 417804f7f2c4308c1f4c5d380d4c4475 # ATMOS (undefined)
          - 1af239278386be2919e1bcee0bde047e # DD+ ATMOS
          - 3cafb66171b47f226146a0770576870f # TrueHD
          - dcf3ec6938fa32445f590a4da84256cd # DTS-HD MA
          - a570d4a0e56a2874b64e5bfa55202a1b # FLAC
          - e7c2fcae07cbada050a0af3357491d7b # PCM
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: Remux + WEB 2160p

      # === MOVIE VERSIONS (ENABLE PREMIUM) ===
      - trash_ids:
          - eecf3a857724171f968a66cb5719e152 # IMAX
          - 9f6cbff8cfe4ebbc1bde14c7b7bec0de # IMAX Enhanced
          - e0c07d59beb37348e975a930d5e50319 # Criterion Collection
          - 9d27d9d2181838f76dee150882bdc58c # Masters of Cinema
          - db9b4c4b53d312a3ca5f1378f6440fc9 # Vinegar Syndrome
          - eca37840c13c6ef2dd0262b141a5482f # 4K Remaster
          - 570bc9ebecd92723d2d21500f4be314c # Remaster
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: Remux + WEB 2160p

      # === HDR BOOST (BOTH ENABLED) ===
      - trash_ids:
          - b337d6812e06c200ec9a2d3cfa9d20a7 # DV Boost
          - caa37d0df9c348912df1fb1d88f9273a # HDR10+ Boost
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: Remux + WEB 2160p

      # === BLOCK SDR FOR UHD ===
      - trash_ids:
          - 9c38ebb7384dada637be8899efa68e6f # SDR
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: Remux + WEB 2160p

3.2 Enhanced Sonarr Configuration ​

Keep WEB-2160p profile but enable HDR boosts:

Updated recyclarr.yml:

yaml
sonarr:
  sonarr-4k:
    base_url: http://sonarr:8989
    api_key: !secret sonarr_api_key
    include:
      - template: sonarr-quality-definition-series
      - template: sonarr-v4-quality-profile-web-2160p
      - template: sonarr-v4-custom-formats-web-2160p

    custom_formats:
      # === HDR BOOST (BOTH ENABLED) ===
      - trash_ids:
          - 0c4b99df9206d2cfac3c05ab897dd62a # HDR10+ Boost
          - 7c3a61a9c6cb04f52f1544be6d44a026 # DV Boost
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: WEB-2160p

      # === BLOCK SDR ===
      - trash_ids:
          - 2016d1676f5ee13a5b7257ff86ac9a93 # SDR
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: WEB-2160p

3.3 Storage Impact Analysis ​

ProfileAvg File Size100 Films500 Films
UHD Bluray + WEB18 GB1.8 TB9 TB
Remux + WEB 2160p55 GB5.5 TB27.5 TB

Recommendation: With 48TB pool capacity, Remux profile is viable for ~800 films at average size. Prioritize curated essentials first.


4. Gap-Fill Methodology ​

4.1 Tiered Acquisition Strategy ​

TIER 1: Canon (Must-Have)
   |
   +-- AFI Top 100
   +-- Sight & Sound Top 250
   +-- Academy Award Best Picture Winners
   |
   v
TIER 2: Peak TV
   |
   +-- HBO Golden Age (Wire, Sopranos, etc.)
   +-- AMC Prestige (Breaking Bad, Mad Men)
   +-- FX Anthology (Fargo, Legion)
   +-- Limited Series (Chernobyl, Band of Brothers)
   |
   v
TIER 3: Persona-Aligned
   |
   +-- Genre preferences (inferred from existing collection)
   +-- Director filmographies (auteur completionism)
   +-- LLM recommendations (Claude/GPT curation)
   |
   v
TIER 4: Discovery
   |
   +-- Festival darlings
   +-- International cinema
   +-- Cult classics

4.2 Gap Identification Workflow ​

  1. Export current library from Radarr/Sonarr via API
  2. Cross-reference with canonical lists to find missing titles
  3. Prioritize by tier (Canon > Peak TV > Persona > Discovery)
  4. *Import to arr wanted lists for automated acquisition
bash
# Export Radarr library
curl -s "http://localhost:7878/api/v3/movie?apikey=YOUR_KEY" | \
  jq -r '.[].title' > /tmp/current-movies.txt

# Compare against AFI list
comm -23 <(sort lists/afi-top-100.txt) <(sort /tmp/current-movies.txt) > /tmp/missing-afi.txt

4.3 Quality-First Acquisition ​

Configure Radarr to only grab releases meeting minimum quality:

  1. Set Minimum Custom Format Score: 0 (allow any matching profile)
  2. Set Upgrade Until Score: 10000 (always upgrade if better available)
  3. Enable "Prefer Existing Media": Prevents re-downloading same quality

5. Curated Seed Lists ​

5.1 Film Canon (Tier 1) ​

AFI Top 100 (2007 Edition) ​

Essential American cinema foundation. Import via IMDb list or manual Trakt list.

Key Titles for 4K Remux Priority:

  • Citizen Kane (Criterion 4K)
  • The Godfather I & II (Paramount 4K Restoration)
  • Casablanca (Warner 4K)
  • Schindler's List (Universal 4K)
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey (Warner 4K)
  • Lawrence of Arabia (Sony 4K)
  • Psycho (Universal 4K)
  • Vertigo (Universal 4K)
  • Apocalypse Now (Lionsgate 4K)
  • Raging Bull (Criterion 4K)

Import Method:

Radarr > Lists > Add > IMDb
URL: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls055592025/

Sight & Sound Top 250 ​

Critics' poll representing global cinema canon. Emphasizes international and art house.

Key International Titles:

  • Tokyo Story (Criterion)
  • Seven Samurai (Criterion)
  • 8 1/2 (Criterion)
  • Persona (Criterion)
  • In the Mood for Love (Criterion)
  • Jeanne Dielman (Criterion)
  • Beau Travail (Criterion)
  • Mulholland Drive (Criterion)
  • Stalker (Criterion)
  • Mirror (Mosfilm restoration)

Import Method:

Radarr > Lists > Add > Trakt List
URL: Create custom Trakt list from BFI data

5.2 Peak TV Essentials (Tier 2) ​

HBO Golden Age (1999-2015) ​

SeriesYearsSeasonsNotes
The Sopranos1999-20076All seasons available in HD
The Wire2002-20085Remastered HD
Deadwood2004-20063+ 2019 Movie
Six Feet Under2001-20055
Oz1997-20036
Band of Brothers20011Mini-series
The Pacific20101Mini-series
Boardwalk Empire2010-20145
True Detective S120141Anthology
Chernobyl20191Mini-series

AMC Prestige ​

SeriesYearsSeasonsNotes
Breaking Bad2008-20135+ El Camino movie
Better Call Saul2015-20226
Mad Men2007-20157
The Walking Dead2010-202211First 5 seasons essential

FX Excellence ​

SeriesYearsSeasonsNotes
The Americans2013-20186
Fargo2014-present5Anthology
Atlanta2016-20224
The Bear2022-present3
Shogun20241

5.3 Persona-Aligned Recommendations (Tier 3) ​

Inferred from "Max Bitrate Enthusiast" Profile ​

Visual Spectacle Priority:

  • Films known for cinematography (Blade Runner 2049, Dune)
  • IMAX-shot films (Oppenheimer, Interstellar, The Dark Knight)
  • Heavy VFX with reference-quality transfers (Avatar, Mad Max: Fury Road)

Director Filmographies (Completionist):

  • Christopher Nolan (all films in 4K)
  • Denis Villeneuve (all films in 4K)
  • David Fincher (all films, Criterion preferred)
  • Stanley Kubrick (all films, 4K restorations)
  • Ridley Scott (all films, focus on Director's Cuts)

Reference Demo Material:

  • Planet Earth II & III (BBC 4K)
  • Blue Planet II (BBC 4K)
  • Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
  • Moving Art (Netflix)

LLM-Curated Recommendations ​

Prompt template for Claude/GPT curation:

Given a user who:
- Prioritizes maximum bitrate and visual quality
- Values auteur directors and cinematography
- Already owns: [paste current library]
- Likes: [genres/themes observed]

Recommend 25 films they would love but likely don't own, focusing on:
1. Stunning visual presentation
2. Available in high-quality 4K release
3. Critically acclaimed or cult classic status

Format as: Title (Year) - Director - Why recommend

5.4 Discovery Queue (Tier 4) ​

Festival Circuit ​

  • Cannes Palme d'Or winners (recent decade)
  • Venice Golden Lion winners
  • A24 catalog (completionist approach)
  • Neon catalog (specialty distributor)

International Cinema by Region ​

RegionKey TitlesNotes
KoreanParasite, Oldboy, The Handmaiden4K releases available
JapaneseKurosawa catalog, Ghibli filmsCriterion/GKids
FrenchNew Wave classicsCriterion restorations
MexicanDel Toro catalog, RomaNetflix originals in 4K
ScandinavianBergman catalogCriterion

6. Radarr/Sonarr Lists Integration ​

For Radarr (Films) ​

SourceTypeURL PatternNotes
IMDbCuratedhttps://www.imdb.com/list/ls000000000/User-created lists
IMDbChartshttps://www.imdb.com/chart/topTop 250
TraktListhttps://trakt.tv/users/{user}/lists/{list}Requires API key
LetterboxdListVia Trakt syncIndirect import
TMDBDiscoverAPI-basedFilter by quality/year

For Sonarr (TV) ​

SourceTypeURL PatternNotes
IMDbListUser listsRequires conversion to TVDB
TraktListhttps://trakt.tv/users/{user}/lists/{list}Best source for TV
TVDBFavoritesVia Trakt

6.2 List Configuration in Radarr ​

Add IMDb List:

Settings > Lists > + > IMDb Lists

Name: AFI Top 100
List URL: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls055592025/
Monitor: All Movies
Search on Add: Yes
Quality Profile: Remux + WEB 2160p
Minimum Availability: Released
Tags: canon, afi

Add Trakt List:

Settings > Lists > + > Trakt Lists

Name: Sight & Sound 2022
Access Token: [configure OAuth]
List Name: sight-sound-2022
Monitor: All Movies
Search on Add: Yes
Quality Profile: Remux + WEB 2160p
Tags: canon, bfi

6.3 List Configuration in Sonarr ​

Add Trakt List:

Settings > Import Lists > + > Trakt List

Name: Peak TV
Access Token: [configure OAuth]
List Name: peak-tv-essentials
Monitor: All
Season Folder: Yes
Quality Profile: WEB-2160p
Tags: prestige

6.4 Trakt OAuth Setup ​

  1. Create Trakt account at https://trakt.tv
  2. Create API app at https://trakt.tv/oauth/applications
  3. Get Client ID and Client Secret
  4. In Radarr/Sonarr: Settings > Lists > Trakt > Authenticate

7. Automation Recommendations ​

7.1 Prowlarr Indexer Optimization ​

Ensure high-quality indexers are prioritized:

Settings > Indexers

Priority Order:
1. NZBGeek (general, reliable)
2. DrunkenSlug (quality focus)
3. NZBFinder (backup)
4. [Torrent indexers as fallback]

7.2 Recyclarr Scheduled Sync ​

Configure automatic profile updates:

yaml
# In recyclarr container environment
CRON_SCHEDULE: "0 4 * * *"  # Daily at 4 AM
TZ: America/Los_Angeles

7.3 Custom Scripts ​

Gap Analysis Script ​

bash
#!/bin/bash
# gap-analysis.sh - Compare library against canonical lists

RADARR_API="http://localhost:7878/api/v3"
RADARR_KEY="your-api-key"

# Get current library
curl -s "${RADARR_API}/movie?apikey=${RADARR_KEY}" | \
  jq -r '.[].imdbId' | sort > /tmp/current-imdb.txt

# Compare against AFI list (stored locally)
comm -23 lists/afi-top-100-imdb.txt /tmp/current-imdb.txt > /tmp/missing-afi.txt

echo "Missing from AFI Top 100:"
wc -l /tmp/missing-afi.txt

# Convert IMDb IDs to titles for readability
while read imdb_id; do
  curl -s "https://www.omdbapi.com/?i=${imdb_id}&apikey=YOUR_OMDB_KEY" | \
    jq -r '.Title'
done < /tmp/missing-afi.txt

Upgrade Checker Script ​

bash
#!/bin/bash
# upgrade-check.sh - Find movies that can be upgraded

RADARR_API="http://localhost:7878/api/v3"
RADARR_KEY="your-api-key"

# Find movies not at Remux quality
curl -s "${RADARR_API}/movie?apikey=${RADARR_KEY}" | \
  jq -r '.[] | select(.movieFile != null) |
         select(.movieFile.quality.quality.name != "Remux-2160p") |
         "\(.title) - \(.movieFile.quality.quality.name)"' | \
  sort

7.4 Notification Integration ​

Configure Discord/Gotify webhooks for acquisition alerts:

Radarr > Settings > Connect > + > Discord

Name: Media Acquisitions
Webhook URL: https://discord.com/api/webhooks/xxx/yyy
On Grab: Yes
On Import: Yes
On Upgrade: Yes
Include Health Warnings: No

8. Implementation Roadmap ​

Phase 1: Profile Optimization (Day 1) ​

  • [ ] Backup current recyclarr.yml
  • [ ] Update Radarr profile to Remux + WEB 2160p
  • [ ] Enable advanced audio custom formats
  • [ ] Enable DV Boost and HDR10+ Boost
  • [ ] Run recyclarr sync to apply changes
  • [ ] Verify profiles in Radarr/Sonarr UI

Phase 2: Canonical Lists (Week 1) ​

  • [ ] Create Trakt account and API credentials
  • [ ] Create curated Trakt lists for each tier
  • [ ] Add AFI Top 100 list to Radarr
  • [ ] Add Sight & Sound Top 250 to Radarr
  • [ ] Add Peak TV list to Sonarr
  • [ ] Configure search and monitoring options

Phase 3: Gap Analysis (Week 1-2) ​

  • [ ] Export current library
  • [ ] Run gap analysis against Tier 1 lists
  • [ ] Prioritize missing canonical titles
  • [ ] Queue high-priority acquisitions
  • [ ] Monitor Prowlarr for availability

Phase 4: Persona Curation (Week 2-4) ​

  • [ ] Analyze existing collection patterns
  • [ ] Create LLM-curated recommendations
  • [ ] Build director filmography lists
  • [ ] Add reference demo material list
  • [ ] Schedule lower-priority acquisitions

Phase 5: Ongoing Maintenance (Ongoing) ​

  • [ ] Weekly gap analysis review
  • [ ] Monthly recyclarr profile updates
  • [ ] Quarterly quality audit (upgrade opportunities)
  • [ ] Annual canonical list refresh

Appendix A: Quick Reference ​

Updated recyclarr.yml (Complete) ​

yaml
# Recyclarr configuration - Max Bitrate Optimized
# Version: 1.1.0 (Gap-Fill Strategy Update)

sonarr:
  sonarr-4k:
    base_url: http://sonarr:8989
    api_key: !secret sonarr_api_key
    include:
      - template: sonarr-quality-definition-series
      - template: sonarr-v4-quality-profile-web-2160p
      - template: sonarr-v4-custom-formats-web-2160p

    custom_formats:
      - trash_ids:
          - 0c4b99df9206d2cfac3c05ab897dd62a # HDR10+ Boost
          - 7c3a61a9c6cb04f52f1544be6d44a026 # DV Boost
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: WEB-2160p

      - trash_ids:
          - 2016d1676f5ee13a5b7257ff86ac9a93 # SDR
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: WEB-2160p

radarr:
  radarr-4k:
    base_url: http://radarr:7878
    api_key: !secret radarr_api_key
    include:
      - template: radarr-quality-definition-movie
      - template: radarr-quality-profile-remux-web-2160p
      - template: radarr-custom-formats-remux-web-2160p

    custom_formats:
      # Advanced Audio
      - trash_ids:
          - 496f355514737f7d83bf7aa4d24f8169 # TrueHD Atmos
          - 2f22d89048b01681dde8afe203bf2e95 # DTS X
          - 417804f7f2c4308c1f4c5d380d4c4475 # ATMOS (undefined)
          - 1af239278386be2919e1bcee0bde047e # DD+ ATMOS
          - 3cafb66171b47f226146a0770576870f # TrueHD
          - dcf3ec6938fa32445f590a4da84256cd # DTS-HD MA
          - a570d4a0e56a2874b64e5bfa55202a1b # FLAC
          - e7c2fcae07cbada050a0af3357491d7b # PCM
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: Remux + WEB 2160p

      # Movie Versions
      - trash_ids:
          - eecf3a857724171f968a66cb5719e152 # IMAX
          - 9f6cbff8cfe4ebbc1bde14c7b7bec0de # IMAX Enhanced
          - e0c07d59beb37348e975a930d5e50319 # Criterion Collection
          - 9d27d9d2181838f76dee150882bdc58c # Masters of Cinema
          - db9b4c4b53d312a3ca5f1378f6440fc9 # Vinegar Syndrome
          - eca37840c13c6ef2dd0262b141a5482f # 4K Remaster
          - 570bc9ebecd92723d2d21500f4be314c # Remaster
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: Remux + WEB 2160p

      # HDR Boost
      - trash_ids:
          - b337d6812e06c200ec9a2d3cfa9d20a7 # DV Boost
          - caa37d0df9c348912df1fb1d88f9273a # HDR10+ Boost
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: Remux + WEB 2160p

      # Block SDR
      - trash_ids:
          - 9c38ebb7384dada637be8899efa68e6f # SDR
        assign_scores_to:
          - name: Remux + WEB 2160p

Custom Format Trash IDs Reference ​

FormatTrash IDProfile
TrueHD Atmos496f355514737f7d83bf7aa4d24f8169Radarr
DTS X2f22d89048b01681dde8afe203bf2e95Radarr
DTS-HD MAdcf3ec6938fa32445f590a4da84256cdRadarr
TrueHD3cafb66171b47f226146a0770576870fRadarr
DV Boostb337d6812e06c200ec9a2d3cfa9d20a7Radarr
HDR10+ Boostcaa37d0df9c348912df1fb1d88f9273aRadarr
DV Boost (Sonarr)7c3a61a9c6cb04f52f1544be6d44a026Sonarr
HDR10+ Boost (Sonarr)0c4b99df9206d2cfac3c05ab897dd62aSonarr
IMAXeecf3a857724171f968a66cb5719e152Radarr
IMAX Enhanced9f6cbff8cfe4ebbc1bde14c7b7bec0deRadarr
Criterione0c07d59beb37348e975a930d5e50319Radarr
SDR (Radarr)9c38ebb7384dada637be8899efa68e6fRadarr
SDR (Sonarr)2016d1676f5ee13a5b7257ff86ac9a93Sonarr

Document History ​

VersionDateChanges
1.0.02025-12-24Initial gap-fill strategy document

This document integrates with POST_MIGRATION_PLAN.md and provides the collection curation strategy for the post-migration media server rebuild.

Built with ❤️ following Bell Labs standards. Dedicated to Stan Eisenstat.