# Raspberry Pi Video Looper 2
## Overview
This guide documents an updated version of the Pi Video Looper app from [this outdated guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/raspberry-pi-video-looper/). The old version of the app does not support the Raspberry Pi 4 & 5 or the latest versions of Raspberry Pi OS. The new one, [Pi Video Looper 2](https://github.com/adafruit/pi_video_looper2/), is updated for the latest full versions of Raspberry Pi OS and has been successfully tested on Raspberry Pi 4 & 5 hardware.
Do you need a simple way to display seamless looping video files, like in an art exhibit or digital sign? Check out this Raspberry Pi video looper project to learn how to turn a Raspberry Pi into a dedicated video playback machine. Just stick a USB drive loaded with movies into the Raspberry Pi and it will play them over and over in a loop!
The latest full versions of Raspberry Pi OS include VLC media player which supports seamless playback with no black or colored flashing between videos in the playlist. Pi Video Looper 2 uses the [Python-vlc](https://pypi.org/project/python-vlc/) module to integrate VLC video playback with Python code.
To get started, you'll need a Raspberry Pi computer. Either the Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 will work. All of our testing has been performed on 8gb models, others may work but are untested. You may also want a USB stick that can be used to hold movies for playback.
Continue on to learn how to setup and install the software for the Pi Video Looper 2 project.
## Parts
Featured
### Raspberry Pi 5 - 8 GB RAM
[Raspberry Pi 5 - 8 GB RAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5813)
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the newest Raspberry Pi computer, and the Pi Foundation knows you can always make a good thing _better_! And what could make the Pi 5 better than the 4? How about a _faster_ processor, USB 3.0 ports, and an updated Gigabit Ethernet chip...
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### Raspberry Pi 4 Model B - 8 GB RAM
[Raspberry Pi 4 Model B - 8 GB RAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4564)
The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is the newest Raspberry Pi computer made, and the Pi Foundation knows you can always make a good thing _better_! And what could make the Pi 4 better than the 3? How about a _faster_ processor, USB 3.0 ports, and updated Gigabit Ethernet chip with...
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### Official Raspberry Pi 45W USB-C Power Supply
[Official Raspberry Pi 45W USB-C Power Supply](https://www.adafruit.com/product/6320)
If you want a general-purpose USB Power Delivery supply, the official Raspberry Pi 45W USB-C power supply makes for a good quality PD supply that provides high current at a large option of voltages, including 12V which is not always supported, and 5A and 5V which also is a bit rare but makes...
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[Official Raspberry Pi 27W PD Power Supply 5.1V 5A with USB C](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5814)
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Featured
### HDMI Cable - 1 meter
[HDMI Cable - 1 meter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/608)
Connect two HDMI devices together with this basic HDMI cable. It has nice molded grips for easy installation, and is 1 meter long (about 3 feet). This is a HDMI 1.3 cable.
We're now stocking a very fancy Official Raspberry Pi cable with overmolding and a Pi logo. Please note...
In Stock
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### 7" Display 1280x800 (720p) IPS + Speakers - HDMI/VGA/NTSC/PAL
[7" Display 1280x800 (720p) IPS + Speakers - HDMI/VGA/NTSC/PAL](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1667)
Yes, this is an adorable small HDMI television with incredibly high resolution **and built in 3W stereo speakers**! We tried to get the smallest possible HDMI/VGA display with high-res, high-contrast visibility. The visible display measures only 7" (17.8cm) diagonal, and the TFT comes...
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### Raspberry Pi Monitor - Red and White Colorway
[Raspberry Pi Monitor - Red and White Colorway](https://www.adafruit.com/product/6088)
The Raspberry Pi Monitor is a 15.6" full HD computer display. It's the perfect compact, versatile, user-friendly desktop display companion for Raspberry Pi computers and other devices. Coming in the signature Red and White Colors this ties in perfectly to the
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# Raspberry Pi Video Looper 2
## Install
## Raspberry Pi OS
Begin by installing the latest full version of Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit) on your system using the steps outlined on this [Raspberry Pi Imager learn guide page](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-raspberry-pi-lesson-1-preparing-and-sd-card-for-your-raspberry-pi/raspberry-pi-imager). If you intend to have the Raspberry Pi installed somewhere behind a display and wish to connect to it remotely then be sure to enable SSH and configure your public key in the customization menu of the Raspberry Pi Imager. It's also convenient to configure the WiFi network details inside of the Pi Imager app so that the Pi will automatically connect to your WiFi when it boots up.
After you boot up the Pi for the first time on a fresh Raspberry Pi OS image, run these commands to update the software preloaded in the system.
```terminal
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
```
If these commands fail with network errors, use the WiFi settings in the OS to connect to your network and then try again.
## Disable Auto-Mount Dialog Popup
By default, Raspberry Pi OS will automatically mount any removable storage drives connected via USB which is great because the Video Looper can look for new videos to play automatically whenever a new drive is detected. However the OS also shows a dialog asking the user how they want to open the files on the removable storage drive which is problematic because it can take over the screen and minimize the Video Looper.
To disable the removable storage popup follow these steps.
- Open the file manager by clicking the **folder icon** in the start bar.
- Click **Edit** then **Preferences**.
- Click **Volume Management** in the left navigation list.
- Uncheck checkbox labeled **"Show available options for removable media when the are inserted"**. The change is saved automatically, so just close the window and you're done.
## Pi Video Looper 2
To install Pi Video Looper 2, clone the repo and run the install script inside of it using these commands.
```terminal
cd ~
git clone https://github.com/adafruit/pi_video_looper2
cd pi_video_looper2
sudo ./install.sh
```
If you use a username other than the default, `pi`, then pass the `--user` argument with your username. For example:
```terminal
sudo ./install.sh --user myusername
```
The installation takes a few moments. It will create a Python virtual environment and install all necessary requirements and the Video Looper inside of it.
When the installation is complete it will launch automatically and begin playing videos found on the attached USB thumb drive, or show a message prompting you to insert one if there isn't one connected.
Continue to the next page to learn how to play local video files instead of ones on a thumb drive and other configuration options.
# Raspberry Pi Video Looper 2
## Use
# Playing Videos
After installation, Video Looper is configured to play videos off of USB drives inserted in the Raspberry Pi. The default video player, VLC, can play most videos encoded with the [H.264 video codec](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264/MPEG-4_AVC) and in a video format with an extension like .avi, .mov, .mkv, .mp4, or .m4v. You can even play 720p and 1080p files because VLC will use the Pi's GPU (graphics processing unit) to efficiently play videos!
With Video Looper running, if you insert a USB stick with videos on it, a message will display with the number of detected movies and a 5 second countdown as seen above.
If more than one video is found, then each one will be played in alphabetical order by filename. Once the last video has played, Video Looper will loop back to the first video and play all videos again in order repeatedly.
If only one video is available, it will play continually in a loop as shown in the gif below.
### Audio
When videos are playing, audio will be output on whichever audio output is selected in the system settings. Right click the speaker icon in the top right corner of the start bar to see a list of available sound outputs and click on the one you want audio to play from.
# Configuration
You can customize the behavior of video looper by changing settings in its configuration file. **If you only need to play videos off of USB drives then you don't need to change the configuration, everything is ready to go after installation!** However if you'd like to play videos from a directory on the SD card, display images instead of videos, disable the on-screen display messages, and more then continue reading.
There are a few different possible ways to edit the configuration file. If you have SSH or direct access to the Pi you can use the nano editor. Or if you prefer GUI apps, use the builtin text editor, mousepad.
Here are the commands to open the file in an editor:
```terminal
# Nano editor via SSH or terminal
sudo nano /boot/video_looper.ini
# GUI Text editor via direct access only
sudo mousepad /boot/video_looper.ini
```
The configuration file is stored in the **/boot/** folder on the Raspberry Pi's SD card which means you can also edit it directly on your computer instead of the Pi. Shutdown your Raspberry Pi ([see this page](http://raspi.tv/2012/how-to-safely-shutdown-or-reboot-your-raspberry-pi) if you aren't sure how), pull out the micro SD card, and insert it into your computer. After your computer displays the files on the card, open the **video\_looper.ini** file in a text editor.
At the top of the configuration file you'll see text like:
```auto
# Main configuration file for video_looper.
# The video_looper works right out of the box by playing any video files that
# are in the root directory of an attached USB drive.
# In this file you can change a lot of the video_looper's behavior, like what
# video player is used or where it looks for media files.
# Lines that begin with # are comments that will be ignored.
# Uncomment (=activate) a line by removing its preceding # character.
# Use ./reload.sh to restart the video_looper with any changed settings.
# Video_looper configuration block follows.
[video_looper]
# Set which video player will be used to play media files. Only vlcplayer is supported at this time.
# The image_player only displays images and for the duration configured in this file under the "image_player" section.
# The default is vlcplayer.
video_player = vlcplayer
#video_player = image_player
# File Reader Location
# Where to find media files. Can be usb_drive, directory or usb_drive_copymode.
# When using usb_drive any USB stick inserted in to the Pi will be automatically
# mounted and searched for media files (only in the root directory).
# Alternatively the directory option will search only a specified directory on the SD
# card for media files.
# You can change the directory to be used in the [directory] section below.
# The default is usb_drive.
file_reader = usb_drive
#file_reader = directory
#file_reader = usb_drive_copymode
```
Lines that start with `#` are comments which will be completely ignored. Many of the settings include commented out lines that show the various options available. Read the comments to help understand what options are available in the configuration file.
Two of the most common options to change are at the top of the file, the `video_player` option and the `file_reader` option.
### Video Player
`video_player` controls whether the looper will play videos or images. `vlcplayer` the only valid choice for videos, and `image_player` is for showing images instead of videos. In the original Pi Video Looper, there were two different video players to choose from, with differing behaviors.
If you'd like to change from videos to images, update the configuration to look like this (notice the `vlcplayer` line is commented and the `image_player` line is uncommented):
```auto
#video_player = vlcplayer
video_player = image_player
```
### File Reader
`file_reader` controls where videos are found. Either on USB drives or from a directory on the Raspberry Pi. The valid options are:
- `usb_drive` is the default and will search all attached USB drives for videos. You can plug in a USB drive and it will automatically be searched for files to play.
- `directory` will search a single directory on the Raspberry Pi for movies. This is useful if you don't want to have a USB drive attached to the Raspberry Pi, or don't need to change videos frequently.
- `usb_drive_copymode` is like a combination of the two. It will play files that are found in the specified directory on the Pi's SDCard. When a USB Drive is inserted, it will copy files from the USB Drive to the SD Card in the specified directory. Further configuration allows replacing all existing media, or adding to the new files while keeping the old. See the `[copymode]` section in the configuration file for more details.
To change the `file_reader` mode, simply uncomment the type you want to use, and comment the rest. For example this would enable the directory file reader mode.
```auto
#file_reader = usb_drive
file_reader = directory
#file_reader = usb_drive_copymode
```
### Directory
By default, the `directory` mode will look for videos in the **Videos** folder in the users home, i.e. **/home/pi/Videos/**. To choose a different folder that will be used for media, scroll down to the `[directory]` part of the configuration and change the value of the `path` configuration to the location your videos are stored.
```auto
# Directory file reader configuration follows.
[directory]
# The path to search for movies when using the directory file reader.
path = /home/pi/Videos
```
### Keyboard Hotkeys
The following keyboard hotkeys are supported to control the Video Looper.
- **ESC** - Exit the Video Looper, however systemd will automatically restart it after a few seconds by default if the service is enabled.
- **K** - Skip ahead to the next media file.
- **B** - Go back to the previous media file.
- **S** - Stop or start video playback.
- **Spacebar** - Pause or resume video playback.
- **P** - Stop playing and shut the Pi down. Be sure to shut down before you unplug the Pi!
### GPIO Inputs
You can also assign triggered actions based on GPIO pins with buttons, PIR motion sensors, or other components with basic HIGH/LOW pin output. To set up GPIO triggers, look for the `gpio_pin_map` variable in the `[control]` section of the configuration file. It's value can be set to a key/value pairing of GPIO pins to trigger actions. Pins are the keys and are specified by their Blinka `board` object names like `D4`, `D7`, `D18` etc...
Actions are triggered when the specified pin is pulled **LOW**. The values can be a number or string containing one of following trigger actions.
- Media file index - An int number like `0`, or `3` that specifies the index of the media item to launch. When the pin is pulled **LOW** the video will play.
- Jump forward or back - A string with a `+` or `-` followed by a number. For example `"+2"` or `"-1"`. When triggered it will jump forward or backwards in the playlist by the specified number.
- Video filename - A string containing the name of a video file to play when triggered. i.e. `"video.mp4"`. The video must be in the playback directory or USB drive.
- Keyboard hotkey - A string containing a pygame key event specifier of one of the keys for the keyboard hotkeys listed above. Valid values are: `"K_SPACE"`, `"K_ESCAPE"`, `"K_p"`, `"K_k"`, `"K_b"`, or `"K_s"`,
There are more setting in the [full configuration file](https://github.com/adafruit/pi_video_looper2/blob/main/assets/video_looper.ini.template) which will change Video Looper's behavior and appearance, like if it prints messages on the screen, the color of the background, and more. It's not common to change these settings but you can read through the the comments in the configuration to learn more about them.
Once you've finished editing the configuration file, you should save it and close the editor. If you edited the file on your computer, dismount the micro SD card from your computer, and insert the card back in the Raspberry Pi. Then boot up the Raspberry Pi. The Video Looper should load the updated configuration.
To force the Video Looper to reload the latest configuration at any time, you can use the reload script that is included in the repo.
```terminal
cd ~/pi_video_looper2/
sudo ./reload.sh
```
# Disable Video Looper
Once installed, Video Looper will run automatically every time the Raspberry Pi is booted. If you'd like to stop or disable Video Looper, you have a few options available.
To temporarily stop Video Looper, connect to the Raspberry Pi in a terminal/SSH session and run this command.
```terminal
sudo systemctl stop video_looper.service
```
After a moment, Video Looper should stop playing and exit. Video Looper will not run again until the Raspberry Pi is rebooted, or the service is started again.
To permanently disable Video Looper, i.e. to prevent it from _ever_ starting on boot again, you can run the **disable.sh** script included with the Video Looper code. Connect to the Raspberry Pi in a terminal/SSH session and navigate to the folder where **pi\_video\_looper2** was downloaded. If you followed the installation in this guide then these commands.
```terminal
cd ~/pi_video_looper2
sudo ./disable.sh
```
Don't worry if you see an error message displayed that video looper is already stopped (this might happen if video looper isn't running when its disabled). After running the script above video looper will be disabled and should not run on boot.
To enable video looper again later, just run the **enable.sh** script.
```terminal
cd ~/pi_video_looper2/
sudo ./enable.sh
```
## Uninstall
To completely uninstall Video Looper, and cleanup configuration/virtual environment files, use the **uninstall.sh** script. If you use a username other than the default "pi", add the `--user` argument followed by your username.
Warning: This will delete your configuration file. If you have custom configurations that you intend to use again in the future, make a backup of the file **/boot/video_looper.ini** before uninstalling Video Looper
```terminal
cd ~/pi_video_looper2/
sudo ./uninstall.sh
# For usernames other than pi
sudo ./uninstall .sh --user myusername
```
# Shutting Down the Raspberry Pi
Once you're up and running with the video looper you might be curious how to shut down your Raspberry Pi. **Resist the temptation to just yank out the power cord as you could corrupt the Pi's SD card and require a full operating system and video looper reinstallation! ** Instead, you should cleanly shutdown the Pi so that there is no chance of corrupting the operating system.
To cleanly shut down the Pi, you can use either connect to it via SSH and run `sudo shutdown now`, or connect a USB keyboard and press the `P` key, which is set as a hotkey for shutting down.
**Again unless you absolutely can't avoid it, do not abruptly remove power from the Raspberry Pi without cleanly shutting it down first!**
## Guide Products
### Raspberry Pi 5 - 8 GB RAM
[Raspberry Pi 5 - 8 GB RAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5813)
The Raspberry Pi 5 is the newest Raspberry Pi computer, and the Pi Foundation knows you can always make a good thing _better_! And what could make the Pi 5 better than the 4? How about a _faster_ processor, USB 3.0 ports, and an updated Gigabit Ethernet chip...
In Stock
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[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5813/guides)
### Raspberry Pi 4 Model B - 8 GB RAM
[Raspberry Pi 4 Model B - 8 GB RAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4564)
The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B is the newest Raspberry Pi computer made, and the Pi Foundation knows you can always make a good thing _better_! And what could make the Pi 4 better than the 3? How about a _faster_ processor, USB 3.0 ports, and updated Gigabit Ethernet chip with...
In Stock
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[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4564/guides)
### Official Raspberry Pi 45W USB-C Power Supply
[Official Raspberry Pi 45W USB-C Power Supply](https://www.adafruit.com/product/6320)
If you want a general-purpose USB Power Delivery supply, the official Raspberry Pi 45W USB-C power supply makes for a good quality PD supply that provides high current at a large option of voltages, including 12V which is not always supported, and 5A and 5V which also is a bit rare but makes...
In Stock
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[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/6320/guides)
### Official Raspberry Pi 27W PD Power Supply 5.1V 5A with USB C
[Official Raspberry Pi 27W PD Power Supply 5.1V 5A with USB C](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5814)
The official Raspberry Pi PD USB-C power supply is here! Superfast with just the right amount of cable length to get your Pi 5 projects up and running! With true Power Delivery support, this supply can easily supply 5 A of current!
Comes in gothy Adafruit Black! Great for use with Pi 4...
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[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5814/guides)
### HDMI Cable - 1 meter
[HDMI Cable - 1 meter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/608)
Connect two HDMI devices together with this basic HDMI cable. It has nice molded grips for easy installation, and is 1 meter long (about 3 feet). This is a HDMI 1.3 cable.
We're now stocking a very fancy Official Raspberry Pi cable with overmolding and a Pi logo. Please note...
In Stock
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[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/608/guides)
### Official Raspberry Pi A2-Class microSD Card - 32GB Blank
[Official Raspberry Pi A2-Class microSD Card - 32GB Blank](https://www.adafruit.com/product/6010)
Optimise data transfer speeds on your Raspberry Pi computer with an official Raspberry Pi **32GB** microSD card. Rigorously tested to ensure optimal performance on Raspberry Pi computers, these Class A2 microSD cards help ensure you get the smoothest user experience from your...
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[7" Display 1280x800 (720p) IPS + Speakers - HDMI/VGA/NTSC/PAL](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1667)
Yes, this is an adorable small HDMI television with incredibly high resolution **and built in 3W stereo speakers**! We tried to get the smallest possible HDMI/VGA display with high-res, high-contrast visibility. The visible display measures only 7" (17.8cm) diagonal, and the TFT comes...
In Stock
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[Raspberry Pi Monitor - Red and White Colorway](https://www.adafruit.com/product/6088)
The Raspberry Pi Monitor is a 15.6" full HD computer display. It's the perfect compact, versatile, user-friendly desktop display companion for Raspberry Pi computers and other devices. Coming in the signature Red and White Colors this ties in perfectly to the
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## Related Guides
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- [DOOM on Fruit Jam](https://learn.adafruit.com/doom-on-fruit-jam.md)
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