Playing Videos

Subsequently installation video looper is configured to play movies off of USB drives inserted in the Raspberry Pi.  The default video actor, omxplayer, can play most videos encoded with the H.264 video codec and in a video format with an extension similar .avi, .mov, .mkv, .mp4, or .m4v.  Yous tin can even play 720p and 1080p movies because omxplayer will utilize the Pi'southward GPU (graphics processing unit of measurement) to efficiently play videos!

With video looper running if you insert a USB stick with movies a message will display with the number of detected movies, and a 10 second countdown as shown beneath:

raspberry_pi_IMG_20150211_145519462.jpg

If only one motion-picture show is bachelor it volition play continually in a loop.

If more than than 1 moving-picture show is institute and so each moving-picture show will be played in alphabetical gild by filename.  One time the last movie has played video looper will loop dorsum to the first video and play all videos once again in order repeatedly.

Single movie playback with omxplayer has more 'seamless' looping compared to multiple video playback.  With multiple videos there volition be a modest visible filibuster between movies, but with simply ane video the loop delay will only exist about 100 milliseconds.  See the tips for looping section for communication on how to get the all-time results with playing videos in a loop.

When videos are playing audio volition exist output on both the HDMI output and the analog sound output on the Raspberry Pi.  You can connect either output to a speaker to hear movie audio.

Configuration

You tin can customize the behavior of video looper past changing settings in its configuration file.If you only need to play movies off of USB drives then you don't need to change the configuration, everything is ready to go after installation!  However if you'd similar to play movies from a directory on the SD carte du jour, alter the video role player, disable the on-screen display messages, or more then continue reading.

The configuration file is stored in the /boot role of the Raspberry Pi'southward SD card which means you can edit it straight on your reckoner.  Shutdown your Raspberry Pi (meet this page if y'all aren't sure how), pull out the micro SD menu, and insert information technology into your computer.  Afterward your calculator displays the files on the bill of fare open the video_looper.ini file in a text editor.

At the top of the configuration file you'll see text like:

# Main configuration file for video looper. # Yous can modify settings like what video histrion is used or where to search for # moving picture files.  Lines that begin with # are comments that volition exist ignored. # Uncomment a line by removing its preceding # character.  # Video looper configuration block follows. [video_looper]  # What video histrion volition be used to play movies.  Can be either omxplayer or # hello_video.  omxplayer can play common formats similar avi, mov, mp4, etc. and # with full audio and video, but it has a pocket-size ~100ms delay betwixt loops. # hello_video is a simpler thespian that doesn't do audio and only plays raw H264 # streams, merely loops seemlessly.  The default is omxplayer. video_player = omxplayer #video_player = hello_video  # Where to observe movie files.  Can be either usb_drive or directory.  When using # usb_drive whatever USB stick inserted in to the Pi will be automatically mounted # and searched for video files (merely in the root directory).  Alternatively the # directory option will search only a specified directory on the SD bill of fare for # flick files.  Notation that you change the directory by modifying the setting in # the [directory] section below.  The default is usb_drive. file_reader = usb_drive #file_reader = directory
# Chief configuration file for video looper. # You can modify settings like what video player is used or where to search for # motion picture files.  Lines that begin with # are comments that volition be ignored. # Uncomment a line by removing its preceding # character.  # Video looper configuration block follows. [video_looper]  # What video player volition be used to play movies.  Can be either omxplayer or # hello_video.  omxplayer can play mutual formats like avi, mov, mp4, etc. and # with full audio and video, only information technology has a minor ~100ms filibuster betwixt loops. # hello_video is a simpler role player that doesn't practice sound and simply plays raw H264 # streams, simply loops seemlessly.  The default is omxplayer. video_player = omxplayer #video_player = hello_video  # Where to observe movie files.  Can be either usb_drive or directory.  When using # usb_drive whatsoever USB stick inserted in to the Pi volition be automatically mounted # and searched for video files (only in the root directory).  Alternatively the # directory option will search only a specified directory on the SD card for # movie files.  Notation that you lot change the directory by modifying the setting in # the [directory] department below.  The default is usb_drive. file_reader = usb_drive #file_reader = directory

Lines that showtime with # are comments which will be completely ignored.  Read the comments to aid understand what options are bachelor in the configuration.

Two of the almost mutual options to change are at the top of the file, the video_player option and the file_read selection.

video_player controls what video player volition exist used to play movies.  You can pick one of 2 options for the video role player configuration:

  • omxplayer is the default video player and works bang-up for playing videos in typical video formats like .avi, .mov, etc.  Videos will play with sound output over both the HDMI and analog audio output by default.  However, omxplayer has a modest delay when looping videos.  See the looping tips department for hints on how to reduce the impact of this delay in your videos.
  • hello_video is a more limited video actor but with very fast and seamless looping of videos.  Unfortunately hello_video does not support playing audio, and requires movies to be converted into a raw H.264 stream.  Video files in formats like .avi, .mov, etc. won't play directly.  You lot can find out how to convert a video into the format used by hello_video on this page.

If you'd like to modify from omxplayer to hello_video, update the configuration to look like (discover the omxplayer line is commented and the hello_video line is uncommented):

#video_player = omxplayer video_player = hello_video
#video_player = omxplayer video_player = hello_video

file_reader controls where videos are found, either on USB drives or from a directory on the Raspberry Pi.  Over again you lot can pick i of two options:

  • usb_drive is the default and will search all fastened USB drives for movies.  You tin plug in a USB bulldoze and it volition automatically exist searched for movies to play.
  • directory will search a single directory on the Raspberry Pi for movies.  This is useful if you can't accept a USB drive attached to the Raspberry Pi.

If you'd like to change from usb_drive to directory, update the configuration to look like:

#file_reader = usb_drive file_reader = directory
#file_reader = usb_drive file_reader = directory

To choose the directory that will be used for movies, curl downwardly to this part of the configuration and change the value of the path configuration:

# Directory file reader configuration follows. [directory]  # The path to search for movies when using the directory file reader. path = /domicile/pi
# Directory file reader configuration follows. [directory]  # The path to search for movies when using the directory file reader. path = /domicile/pi

There are more setting in the full configuration file which will alter video looper's beliefs and advent, similar if it prints letters on the screen, the colour of the background, and more than.  Information technology'due south not common to change these settings but you tin read through the the comments in the configuration to learn more most them.

Once you've finished editing the configuration file you should save it, dismount the micro SD card from your figurer, and insert the card back in the Raspberry Pi.  Boot up the Raspberry Pi and video looper should load the updated configuration.

Disable Video Looper

Once installed video looper volition run automatically every time the Raspberry Pi is booted.  If you lot'd like to stop or disable video looper you have a few options available.

To temporarily stop video looper, connect to the Raspberry Pi in a terminal/SSH session (you tin can utilize Pi Finder like mentioned in the installation) and run this command:

sudo supervisorctl cease video_looper
sudo supervisorctl cease video_looper

After a few moments video looper should stop playing movies and exit.  TVideo looper volition not run over again until the Raspberry Pi is rebooted.

To permanently disable video looper, i.e. to prevent it from ever starting on kick again, you can run a small script included with the video looper code.  Connect to the Raspberry Pi in a terminal/SSH session and navigate to the folder where video_looper was downloaded.  If you followed the installation in this guide then run:

cd pi_video_looper
cd pi_video_looper

Now run the disable script by executing:

sudo ./disable.sh
sudo ./disable.sh

Don't worry if you see an error message displayed that video looper is already stopped (this might happen if video looper isn't running when its disabled).  Later on running the script above video looper will be disabled and should not run on kicking.

To ever enable video looper again but run the installation steps once again.

Tips for Looping Videos

To improve operation and go near seamless looping of videos, go on in mind some of these tips:

  • If you lot take multiple videos, combine them all into a single video.  Looping a unmarried video is a little bit faster and more seamless compared to looping multiple videos (there will exist a brief intermission and bare screen with multiple videos).  You can utilize a video editing tool like iMovie to combine multiple videos into one longer video and even add transitions between videos similar cantankerous-fades, wipes, etc.  Make sure to consign your movie from the editing plan in a H.264 video format in a .avi, .mov, .mkv, .mp4, or .m4v file.
  • Start and end your moving picture with the same epitome and with audio faded down.  This way when the video loops to the first it will not exist noticeable if there is a modest delay or hiccup.  Alternatively allow the stop of the moving picture and start of the movie be a natural point for a cut so it appears that the video flows direct from the end back to the start.
  • If you need the absolute most seamless looping of video only (audio is not supported unfortunately), consider changing to the hello_video video player.  This video player can only play raw H.264 video and can't play sound, but it does loop without any noticeable filibuster.  See the configuration section for details on changing to hello_video, and the hello_video page for details on how to convert a video to the required format.

Shutting Downwards the Raspberry Pi

Once yous're upward and running with the video looper yous might be curious how to shut down your Raspberry Pi.Resist the temptation to but yank out the power cord every bit you lot will likely corrupt the Pi's SD card and require a total operating system and video looper reinstallation!Instead you should cleanly shutdown the Pi and so that in that location is no gamble of corrupting the operating system.

To cleanly shut down the Pi you lot can use the Pi Finder tool that was used to install the software.  Run Pi Finder like when you did the installation and find your Raspberry Pi.  Then click the Shutdown push in Pi Finder and your Pi should shutdown.  After the green low-cal on the excursion board stops flashing and the blood-red calorie-free is steadily lit you can safely remove the Pi's power cord.

Again unless yous absolutely can't avoid it, exercise not abruptly remove power from the Raspberry Pi without cleanly shutting it down first!

This guide was outset published on Feb 13, 2015. It was last updated on Feb xiii, 2015.

This page (Usage) was last updated on Apr 10, 2022.

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