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Make a video file loop off a USB stick?

S

Steve-F

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 17, 2009
43
1
UK
For an exhibition I want to produce a high-def video that will continuously loop.
I've done this before with a standard definition DVD, where in the DVD authoring you can tell it to loop. But I now want to do similar with a higher quality, high definition file. The sequence will be no more than 5 min long and I regularly use FCP to create HD sequences.
I recently called into a local TV shop (yes I'll be buying a new TV for this) and one of their sales guy says a lot of their display sequences in the store run off a memory stick, plugged into the side of the TV and they work from power up in the morning with no special set up required!

So is this a certain kind of file and how do I get it to loop (preferably without having to set up anything each time)??
Or does it require a particular TV??

Steve
 
C

careypo

macrumors member
Oct 15, 2011
71
0
This is a function of the TV that you are using and not Quicktime. Quicktime doesn't have a file format that instructs it to loop. You need to see if you can get a television that will loop a video file.
 
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ibennetch

macrumors member
Aug 9, 2008
39
0
careypo said:
This is a function of the TV that you are using and not Quicktime. Quicktime doesn't have a file format that instructs it to loop. You need to see if you can get a television that will loop a video file.
Click to expand...

Exactly; you'll also need to make sure you're creating a file format that the TV can play -- while I don't have much experience with using TVs in this capacity, it wouldn't surprise me if they have a pretty specific list of supported formats, sizes, and bitrates. Sounds like the easiest thing to do would be to head down to your TV shop, examine one of their USB sticks, and create a test file before making a purchase.
 
Dave Braine

Dave Braine

macrumors 68040
Mar 19, 2008
3,990
352
Warrington, UK
If you are happy to have your Mac connected to the TV, you can do it with a single slide Keynote presentation. Put the video in the slide and set the Quicktime option in the Inspector to Loop.
 
I

initialsBB

macrumors 6502a
Oct 18, 2010
688
2
ibennetch said:
Exactly; you'll also need to make sure you're creating a file format that the TV can play -- while I don't have much experience with using TVs in this capacity, it wouldn't surprise me if they have a pretty specific list of supported formats, sizes, and bitrates. Sounds like the easiest thing to do would be to head down to your TV shop, examine one of their USB sticks, and create a test file before making a purchase.
Click to expand...

Most modern LCD TVs support some flavor of MPEG4-H264 off the USB port.

The looping playback function is what you'll have to find in the TV set.
 
B

boch82

macrumors 6502
Apr 14, 2008
328
24
careypo said:
This is a function of the TV that you are using and not Quicktime. Quicktime doesn't have a file format that instructs it to loop. You need to see if you can get a television that will loop a video file.
Click to expand...

Agreed it is a function of the tv not QuickTime, as QuickTime is not loaded onto the TV. But there is an easy way to loop in QuickTime 7. Just go to the view menu and select loop.

But, to the OP my LG LED set plays files off USB as long as they are MP4/H264 files. I haven't had an opportunity check about looping capabilities but can follow up this weekend. It also will play off the internet via the Wi-FI adapter. You might be able to code a JW Player Script to loop if you want, but would have to test the payback and internet speed at the location.
 
S

Steve-F

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 17, 2009
43
1
UK
Thanks for all those reply's.
I have a colleague who's going to try a test file I've created and copied onto a USB. He has a relatively up to date LCD TV (certainly more up to date than mine).
The crucial factors being file type, will the TV settings allow us to loop it and will it remember those settings (i.e. play file off USB and loop) and do it again on the next power up???

I'm hoping that most modern TV's can do this... I'll just have to double check when I buy.
 
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