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Video Playback

Play video files

The Seaty mobile app includes a full-featured video player for reviewing performance recordings, training content, and promotional materials. Watch videos from your Downloads or cloud storage with playback controls, fullscreen viewing, and position bookmarks.

At its simplest, video playback answers one question: How do I watch and review video content on my device?

Who uses this: Event organisers and staff who need to review recordings, training videos, or promotional content.

Key capabilities:

  • Play video files from Downloads or cloud storage
  • Control playback with play, pause, skip, and scrub
  • Switch to fullscreen for immersive viewing
  • Create position bookmarks (pins) for important moments
  • Resume from where you left off
  • Play through a folder of videos automatically

How It Works

At a glance: Open a video file, tap play to start, use on-screen controls to navigate, and create pins to mark important moments.

1. Open a video file

From Downloads or your cloud file browser, tap any video file (MP4, MOV, M4V, or WebM) to open it. The video preview screen shows the first frame with a large play button overlay.

2. Start and control playback

Tap the play button to begin. Controls appear over the video:

  • Play/Pause: Tap anywhere on the video or use the control button
  • Skip: Jump forward or backward 10 seconds
  • Scrub: Drag the position bar to move to any point
  • Fullscreen: Expand to fill the screen

Controls fade after 3 seconds of inactivity. Tap the video to bring them back.

3. Create pins for important moments

When you find a moment worth remembering, tap the pin button. The current position is saved as a bookmark you can jump back to later. Name your pins to create chapter markers for performances or training sections.

4. Continue watching automatically

When a video ends, the next video in the folder plays automatically after a brief pause. This lets you watch through a collection of recordings without manually selecting each one.

Think of it this way:

  • Downloads stores your video files locally for offline viewing
  • The video player handles playback with familiar controls
  • Pins mark important moments you want to revisit
  • Position memory remembers where you stopped in each video

Opening Video Files

When you tap a video file, it opens in a dedicated preview screen:

  • The video fills the width of your screen
  • File name and details appear above
  • A large play button shows over the first frame
  • Any pins you have created appear below the video
  • Share and other options are available at the bottom

Note: Videos do not auto-play when opened. Tap the play button to begin. This saves battery and lets you choose when to start watching.

Playback Controls

Controls appear over the video when you tap the screen:

Play and Pause

  • Tap anywhere on the video to play or pause
  • A play icon shows when paused, pause icon when playing
  • Controls stay visible while paused

Position Bar

  • Shows current time on the left (e.g., "1:23")
  • Shows total duration on the right (e.g., "8:45")
  • Drag the slider to jump to any position
  • Tap the bar to move to that point
  • Position updates smoothly during playback

Skip Forward and Backward

  • Skip backward 10 seconds (left button)
  • Skip forward 10 seconds (right button)
  • Useful for reviewing specific moments or finding your place

Other Controls

  • Restart from beginning
  • Fullscreen toggle
  • Create a pin at the current position
  • Share the video file
  • Volume is controlled with your device buttons

Note: Controls fade after 3 seconds to give you an unobstructed view. Tap the video to bring them back. They stay visible while you are using them or when paused.

Fullscreen Mode

Tap the fullscreen button to fill your entire screen with the video:

  • The video expands to fill the display
  • Status bar and navigation disappear
  • Controls overlay the video as normal
  • If your device allows rotation, the video rotates to landscape

To exit fullscreen, tap the compress button in the controls. The video returns to its normal position and playback continues without interruption.

Note: Fullscreen respects your device rotation lock setting. If rotation is locked, the video stays in your current orientation.

Continuous Playback

When a video ends, the next video in the folder plays automatically after a brief pause. This is enabled by default and works well for:

  • Watching a series of performance recordings
  • Playing through training videos in sequence
  • Reviewing multiple takes of the same content

The playlist follows the sort order of your folder. Non-video files are skipped. If you are offline, videos that are not downloaded are also skipped.

You can manually select any video in the folder at any time. Continuous playback continues from your new selection.

Position Memory

The app remembers where you stopped in each video:

  • Your position is saved automatically during playback
  • When you return to a video, it resumes from where you left off
  • Each video maintains its own position independently
  • Position is preserved across app restarts and device restarts

When a video ends:

  • Playback stops and position resets to the beginning
  • If continuous playback is on, the next video starts automatically
  • You can tap play to watch again from the start

Supported Video Formats

The video player works best with common mobile-friendly formats:

FormatCompatibility
MP4Recommended - works on all devices
MOVFully supported
M4VFully supported
WebMSupported on most devices

For best results:

  • Use MP4 format
  • Keep resolution at 1080p or lower for mobile viewing
  • Standard frame rates (24-30 fps) work best

Formats that do not work:

  • WMV (Windows Media Video)
  • AVI (older format)
  • FLV (Flash Video)
  • MKV (Matroska)

If you have videos in an unsupported format, convert them to MP4 using a video converter before uploading to your cloud storage.

Use Cases

Reviewing performances Watch recordings of shows or rehearsals. Create pins to mark specific scenes, blocking issues, or moments to discuss with cast and crew.

Training content Play instructional videos for volunteers and staff. Use pins as chapter markers. Pause during training sessions to discuss key points.

Choreography reference Review dance routines and movement sequences. Jump between sections using pins. Share videos with performers for practice.

Technical rehearsals Document lighting cues, sound checks, and stage setups. Mark problem areas with pins to address later.

Background Behaviour

Video playback requires your active attention. Playback pauses automatically when:

  • You switch to another app
  • Your screen locks
  • You receive a phone call
  • Your device goes to sleep

When you return to the app, your position is preserved. Tap play to continue from where you left off.

Why does video pause in the background? Video is designed for watching, not background listening. Keeping video running in the background would drain your battery quickly without providing value. This matches how video apps typically behave on mobile devices.

Seeking and Scrubbing

Dragging the position bar provides smooth, responsive seeking:

  • Position updates in real-time as you drag
  • The video jumps to your selected position when you release
  • Seeking works smoothly even on longer videos

Note: The actual playback position after seeking may be slightly different from where you dragged to (typically within half a second). This is normal behaviour due to how video compression works.

Pins and Bookmarks

Create position bookmarks to mark important moments:

  1. Tap the pin button in the controls
  2. The current position is saved
  3. Give your pin a name to identify it later
  4. Tap any pin to jump directly to that position

Pins appear below the video player. Use them to create chapter markers, mark scenes to review, or note moments to discuss with your team.

See Pins and Bookmarks for more details.

Sharing Videos

Tap the share button to send a video file to others:

  • Opens your device's share sheet
  • Send via messages, email, or other apps
  • Large files may be compressed for sharing

Common Questions

Playback issues

The video will not play

  • Check the file is downloaded (look for the checkmark indicator)
  • Verify the format is supported (MP4 works best)
  • Try closing and reopening the app
  • Check your device has sufficient storage
  • Re-download the file if it may be corrupted

Playback is choppy or stuttering

  • Close other apps to free up memory
  • If streaming from cloud storage, check your internet connection
  • Download the file for smoother local playback
  • Restart your device if problems persist

Position and controls

My position is not being saved

  • Position only saves for downloaded files, not cloud files
  • Play for at least a few seconds before closing
  • If you re-download a file, it creates a new copy with fresh position data

Controls are not appearing

  • Tap anywhere on the video to show controls
  • Try pausing and resuming playback
  • Close and reopen the file
  • If the first frame is not visible, the video may not have loaded properly

Fullscreen and orientation

Fullscreen is not working

  • Check your device rotation lock is off if you want the video to rotate
  • Use the fullscreen button in the controls
  • Close and reopen the video if it becomes unresponsive

File format issues

The file will not play or shows an error

  • Check the file extension is MP4, MOV, M4V, or WebM
  • Older devices may not support some newer video codecs
  • Convert the file to MP4 format and try again
  • Test that the file plays correctly on your computer

Need help? Contact support@seaty.co.uk