1. Can I use a website with a video player and will it play automatically?
If you're using a website that has a video player embedded, it will not be able to automatically play the video upon loading it in the ScreenCloud player. The reason for this is that websites have scripts which detect the operating system (OS) of the device you're using to display digital signage (e.g. Android, Amazon, iOS, etc). Though the challenge here is that modern operating systems and devices have policies that restrict allowing autoplay to work on videos and in some cases audio without a user gesture (e.g. manually clicking the play button).
For example, Google currently has this in effect with its Chrome OS devices. You can learn more about Google's Autoplay policy and how it affects you by clicking here.
2. How can I get the video player to autoplay from a site?
If you own the website that you're trying to use with a video player, you may have the ability to control how the autoplay policy affects your video. We recommend connecting with your development team, or any applicable administrators or support specialists who can assist with your website, and add the following line of code into your video script on the backend:
<video webkit-playsinline="webkit-playsinline" playsinline="" preload="auto" src="path/to/vidoe.mp4" style="object-fit: contain; display: block;"></video>
Our team is currently working through developing a workaround for videos being able to autoplay on websites, though this is an enhancement that will be available in the future. If using the script update is not an available option, we recommend using one of the following methods to display video content for digital signage:
i) Streaming apps: Use one of our streaming apps for videos, such as our Youtube app, Vimeo app, Live News app, or YouTube Live app.
ii) Upload MP4 videos into your content library: You can upload MP4 videos directly into your Content Library, removing the need to rely on streaming apps or a WiFi connection.