Skip to main content

Blocklist

The Blocklist prevents Cinephage from re-downloading releases that have previously failed or been rejected. Once a release is blocklisted, it won't be considered for future searches or upgrades.

Why Use the Blocklist?​

Common Scenarios​

  • Failed downloads — Dead torrents, broken NZBs
  • Fake releases — Password-protected RARs, wrong content
  • Wrong language — Hardcoded foreign subtitles
  • Bad quality — CAM/TS when expecting BluRay
  • Import failures — Corrupted files, permission issues

Benefits​

  • Prevents loops — Won't keep trying the same bad release
  • Saves bandwidth — No redundant downloads
  • Cleaner results — Failed releases hidden from search
  • Automatic — Blocks added on failure, manual for other reasons

How Blocking Works​

Automatic Blocking​

Cinephage automatically blocklists releases when:

EventBlock ReasonDuration
Download failsdownload_failedPermanent
Import failsimport_failedPermanent
Manual rejectionmanualPermanent
Wrong languagewrong_languagePermanent

Block Identifiers​

Releases are identified by:

  • Info hash (torrents) — Primary identifier
  • NZB ID (usenet) — For usenet releases
  • Release name — Fallback matching

Managing the Blocklist​

View Blocklist​

Navigate to Settings > Tasks > Blocklist:

ColumnDescription
ReleaseRelease name
Movie/SeriesAssociated title
ReasonWhy it was blocked
DateWhen blocked
ActionsRemove / Details

Manual Blocking​

Block a release manually:

  1. From search results — Click Block next to release
  2. From download history — Click Block on failed item
  3. Bulk block — Select multiple, click Block Selected

Removing Blocks​

Remove items from blocklist:

  1. Single item — Click Remove on blocklist entry
  2. Bulk remove — Select multiple, click Remove Selected
  3. Clear all — Clear Blocklist button (use with caution)

Block Reasons​

System-Generated Reasons​

ReasonWhen Used
download_failedTorrent dead, NZB removed, connection error
import_failedFile corrupted, wrong format, permission denied
upgrade_rejectedBetter release found before download completed
manualUser clicked "Block" manually

Custom Reasons​

When blocking manually, you can specify a custom reason:

Reason: "Wrong episode"
Reason: "Fake release - password protected"
Reason: "Hardcoded Spanish subs"

Blocklist Scope​

Per-Title Blocking​

Blocks apply to specific movies/episodes:

  • Movie A — Blocked release won't be tried for Movie A
  • Movie B — Same release may still work for Movie B

This prevents over-blocking when a release works for some content but not others.

Global Blocking (Future Feature)​

Currently blocks are per-title. Future versions may support:

  • Global block by info hash (all titles)
  • Block by release group
  • Block by uploader

Blocklist in Search Results​

Visual Indicators​

Blocked releases are marked in search:

  • Strikethrough — Release name crossed out
  • "Blocked" badge — Red badge with block reason
  • Hidden by default — Filter to show/hide blocked

Show/Hide Blocked​

Toggle visibility in search:

Search Filters:
  [✓] Show available releases
  [ ] Show blocklisted releases  ← Uncheck to hide

Blocklist and Monitoring​

How Monitoring Uses Blocklist​

When monitoring searches for upgrades:

  1. Search indexers — Get all matching releases
  2. Filter blocked — Remove blocklisted releases
  3. Score remaining — Apply quality/custom format scoring
  4. Grab best — Download highest-scoring unblocked release

Blocked Releases Don't Count​

A blocked release won't:

  • Satisfy "missing content" monitoring
  • Count toward quality cutoff
  • Be considered for upgrades

Exception: Cutoff Unmet​

The "Cutoff Unmet" task ignores the blocklist:

  • If all releases are blocked, it tries the best blocked one
  • Prevents permanent "no releases available" state

Best Practices​

When to Block​

Always block:

  • Dead torrents (0 seeders, won't download)
  • Fake/password-protected releases
  • Completely wrong content

Consider blocking:

  • Releases with hardcoded subs in wrong language
  • Consistently problematic release groups
  • Releases that fail import repeatedly

Don't block:

  • Releases that failed due to temporary issues
  • Good releases that you just don't want right now
  • Items you might want to retry later

Clean Up Regularly​

Blocklist can grow over time:

  • Review monthly — Remove blocks for old issues
  • Clear resolved — If indexer fixed the problem
  • Export before clearing — Keep record if needed

Use Descriptive Reasons​

When blocking manually, be specific:

  • Bad: "Failed"
  • Good: "Dead torrent - 0 seeders for 7 days"
  • Bad: "Wrong"
  • Good: "Wrong episode - S01E01 instead of S01E02"

Troubleshooting​

Release Keeps Being Grabbed​

If a blocked release is still being downloaded:

  1. Check blocklist — Verify it's actually blocked
  2. Check identifier — May have different info hash
  3. Check scope — Blocked for one title but not another
  4. Clear and re-block — Block may be corrupted

Can't Block Release​

If block option is unavailable:

  1. Check permissions — Admin access required
  2. Check if already blocked — May be duplicate
  3. Check search results — Only available on search/history pages

Blocklist Too Large​

If blocklist is impacting performance:

  1. Clear old entries — Remove blocks > 6 months old
  2. Export and archive — Save to file, then clear
  3. Use bulk remove — Filter by reason, remove in batches

Integration with Other Features​

Search & Download​

  • Blocked releases filtered from results
  • Can toggle visibility with filter
  • Block button available on each result

Download History​

  • Failed items show "Block" button
  • Block reason auto-set to failure type
  • Blocked items marked in history list

Quality Profiles​

  • Blocked releases don't count toward cutoff
  • May cause "cutoff unmet" state if all blocked
  • Cutoff unmet task ignores blocklist

See Also​