Media Playback on the Seaty Mobile App
The Seaty mobile app provides professional-grade media playback specifically designed for UK event organisers who need reliable audio and video playback during rehearsals, performances, and events.
At its simplest, media playback answers one question: How can I play my audio and video files reliably during events?
Who uses this: Event organisers, directors, and production staff who need to play music, backing tracks, or video content during rehearsals and performances.
Key capabilities:
- Play audio in the background while your phone is locked
- Control playback from the lock screen or notification centre
- Create position bookmarks (pins) to jump to specific moments
- Automatically continue to the next file in your folder
- Remember where you stopped so you can resume later
- Play video with custom on-screen controls
How It Works
At a glance: Download your media files, then tap to play with full control from anywhere on your phone.
1. Download your files
Before playing, files must be downloaded to your device. Downloaded files play instantly without buffering and work even without an internet connection.
2. Start playback
Tap any audio or video file to begin playing. For audio, a playback bar appears showing your position and controls. For video, the player opens with on-screen controls.
3. Control from anywhere
Audio continues playing even when you switch apps or lock your phone. Control playback from:
- The lock screen
- The notification centre
- The Control Centre (iOS) or quick settings (Android)
4. Mark important moments
Create pins at specific positions to jump back to key moments - perfect for cue points, section markers, or specific dialogue.
5. Continue automatically
When one file finishes, the next file in your folder plays automatically. This is ideal for full runthroughs or continuous background music.
Think of it this way:
- Audio works like a music player - it keeps playing in the background and shows on your lock screen
- Video works like a video player - it needs your attention and pauses when you leave the app
- Pins work like bookmarks - they save your place so you can jump back instantly
Audio vs Video Behaviour
Audio and video are handled differently to match how you use them:
Audio continues in the background:
- Plays while your phone is locked
- Shows controls on your lock screen
- Pauses automatically for phone calls
- Uses minimal battery when backgrounded
Video requires your attention:
- Enters Picture-in-Picture mode when you switch apps (if playing)
- Displays custom on-screen controls
- Opens in fullscreen when you tap expand
Why the difference? Performers need music playing while their phone is in their pocket. Video requires you to watch the screen, so background playback would waste battery.
Supported Formats
Audio formats that work:
- MP3 (most common)
- M4A (Apple audio, high quality)
- WAV (uncompressed, large files)
- AAC (compressed, good quality)
- OGG (open format)
- FLAC (lossless, large files)
- AIFF (uncompressed Apple format)
All audio formats support background playback, lock screen controls, artwork display, and position pins.
Video formats that work:
- MP4 - most compatible, recommended
- MOV - works on both iPhone and Android
- M4V - similar to MP4
- WebM - modern open format
Video formats that may not work:
- WMV (Windows Media Video)
- AVI (older format)
- FLV (Flash Video)
- MKV (container format)
Note: If you have videos in unsupported formats, convert them to MP4 before uploading to Dropbox. Most video editing software can export to MP4.
Position Memory
Each file remembers where you stopped:
- Independent tracking: Each file has its own saved position
- Automatic saving: Your position saves every few seconds during playback
- Survives restarts: Resume playback even after closing the app
- Cleared on delete: Deleting a file removes its saved position
Why this matters: You can switch between files freely. Each one remembers exactly where you left off, so you never lose your place in a long recording or track.
Use Cases for Event Organisers
Theatre Rehearsals
- Play underscore music during scene work
- Reference audio recordings of songs
- Background soundscapes for mood setting
- Director's notes recorded during rehearsal
- Position pins for specific dialogue cues
Music Performances
- Sheet music audio references
- Rehearsal recordings for part learning
- Backing tracks for performances
- Metronome and tuning references
- Pins for section markers (verse, chorus, bridge)
Dance Performances
- Choreography music playback
- Position pins for routine sections
- Background playback during rehearsal
- Music cue sheets with precise timing
- Continuous playback for full runthrough
School Events
- Assembly music and announcements
- Background music for events
- Recorded speeches and presentations
- Educational audio content
- Video announcements and instructions
Video Use Cases
- Promotional videos for events
- Recorded performances for review
- Training and instructional videos
- Digital signage content
- Event highlights and recaps
Playback Controls
Lock screen controls: When audio is playing, you can control it without unlocking your phone:
- Play and pause
- Skip forward or backward
- View the current track name and artwork
- Scrub through the track
Notification centre: Swipe down to access playback controls:
- Quick access without opening the app
- See what's currently playing
- Pause, play, or skip tracks
- Tap to return to the app
Interruptions: The app handles interruptions automatically:
- Phone calls pause playback
- Playback resumes when the call ends
- Other audio apps pause your music
- Alarms and notifications behave as expected
Offline playback: Downloaded files work without internet:
- No buffering or loading delays
- Works even in venues with poor Wi-Fi
- Playback starts instantly
- Full quality with no compression
Continuous Playback
Files in a folder play one after another automatically:
- Enabled by default: Audio and video both continue to the next file
- Skips unavailable files: If a file isn't downloaded, it moves to the next one
- Can be disabled: Turn off continuous playback in the playback controls
- Folder-based: Plays through files in the current folder's order
Why continuous playback? For rehearsals and performances, you often need multiple tracks to play in sequence. This removes the need to manually start each file.
Explore Media Playback
Browse the topics below to learn more about media playback in the Seaty mobile app.
Audio Playback
Play audio files
Video Playback
Play video files
Pins & Bookmarks
Create time-based bookmarks
Background Audio
Play audio in background
Common Questions
Playback
Why does my audio keep playing when I close the app? This is intentional. Audio continues in the background so you can lock your phone during performances. To stop playback, tap the pause button before closing the app.
Why does video go into a small window when I switch apps? When you switch apps while a video is playing, it automatically enters Picture-in-Picture mode on supported devices, allowing you to continue watching in a small floating window.
Can I control the playback speed? Not currently. Playback runs at normal speed to ensure audio quality during performances.
Files and Formats
Why won't my video play? Check the file format. MP4 is the most reliable format. If you have an AVI, WMV, or MKV file, convert it to MP4 before uploading.
Why can't I play a file? Files must be downloaded before playing. Look for the download icon next to files that haven't been downloaded yet.
Where is my position saved? Position saves automatically on your device. If you delete the app or clear its data, saved positions are lost.
Pins
What are pins for? Pins mark specific moments in audio or video files. Use them to jump to cue points, section markers, or important dialogue during rehearsals.
How many pins can I create? There's no limit. Create as many pins as you need for each file.
Can I name my pins? Yes. Tap and hold a pin to rename it with a descriptive label like "Verse 2" or "Fight scene".
Need help? Contact support@seaty.co.uk for assistance with media playback.