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How to Add and Play Videos on Your Screens

How to upload a video, add it to a playlist and channel, set it on a screen, and use apps to play video hosted elsewhere.

There are a few ways to show video on your ScreenCloud screens. You can upload a file directly to your Media library, use an app to connect to video hosted on a platform like YouTube or Vimeo, pull in video automatically from social or intranet feeds, or display a live stream. This guide covers all of these options.

Upload your video to Media

Uploading a file to your Media library is the simplest way to get a video onto your screens.

  1. In ScreenCloud Studio, go to Media and select Upload.

  2. Select where you want to upload from. The following options are available:

    • My Device

    • Link (URL)

    • Google Drive

    • Dropbox

    • OneDrive

    • Box

  3. Once the video file is selected and uploaded, wait for it to Process. Larger files take longer, as Studio optimises the video for playback on your screens.

  4. Once processing is complete, your video appears in the Media library and is ready to use.

Uploading from cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive or Box) creates a one off copy in your Media library, so later changes to the original file will not reach your screens. If you want your screens to follow a folder, use the Dropbox or OneDrive app instead, described below.
If your file is rejected during upload, check the supported video file types. Converting to MP4 usually resolves the issue, specifically for certain Android hardware (see here).

Apps that can play video

If your video is hosted elsewhere, you can use an app instead of uploading the file. Go to Apps, find and configure the app you need, and save it. Once saved, it appears in your content library and you can select it for your screens in the same way as an uploaded video.

Video supported apps fall into two groups:

Fixed video sources

Fixed-source apps play a specific video you have chosen, in the same way an uploaded file does.

  • YouTube: plays a single video, or a whole playlist, from a YouTube URL.

  • Vimeo: plays a video or showcase from a Vimeo link, which is useful if your organisation already hosts video there.

Dynamic video sources

Dynamic-source apps play whatever video is currently in a connected folder or feed, so your content can change without anyone touching ScreenCloud.

  • Dropbox and OneDrive: connect to a folder in your account and play the videos inside it, one after another. Add or replace files in the folder and your screens pick up the change automatically.

Feed-based apps can also display video, where the post they are pulling in includes it:

Video support varies between these platforms, so it is worth testing your feed on a screen before relying on it.

With dynamic sources, anyone who can add files to the connected folder or post to the feed can effectively change what appears on your screens. Consider who has access before connecting a dynamic source.

Live streaming

ScreenCloud also supports displaying live streams on your screens. See How to display live streaming and TV on your ScreenCloud screens for the full guide.

Getting your video onto a screen

Once you have uploaded your video or configured an app connected to your video source, simply select it when setting content on your screen. For a full walkthrough of how to assign content to a screen, see How to set content to your screens.

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