How to: Compress Image and Video Files for Playback

Task: Reduce the file size of large images or videos using FreeConvert.com to prevent menu crashes and lag.

Platform: Budvue Dashboard / Any Web Browser

Use this article when: You are uploading new marketing content to your playlist and want to ensure it is optimized for the TVs.

Use this article when: Your TV screen is crashing, freezing, lagging, or skipping a specific slide in the playlist loop.

Why are my media files causing issues?

Digital signage media players process content most smoothly when file sizes are kept lightweight. If an image or a video has a massive file size, the device's memory will quickly become overwhelmed trying to load and display it continuously. This can cause the Budvue app to freeze, skip content, or crash entirely.

For the best performance, your media should hit these targets:

• Images should be under or around 2-3MB in size.

• Videos (typically 10-15 seconds long) should be under or around 10MB in size.

Running heavy files through a compressor takes about a minute and prevents the menus from lagging or crashing on the devices.

Steps for Video Files

Step 1: Adjust the FreeConvert Video Settings

1. Go to the free compressor site: https://www.freeconvert.com/video-compressor
2. Before uploading your video file, scroll down to the Advanced Settings section.
3. Make sure the Video Codec is set to H.264.
4. Set the Compression Method to "Target a video quality (CRF)" and leave the quality slider at the default setting of 21.
5. Click Apply Settings.
6. Scroll back up and upload your video file into the box.
7. Click the Compress button.
8. Once complete, click Download to save the new, optimized video to your computer.

Expected result: The video file downloads with a significantly reduced file size (around 10MB) while maintaining high quality.

Steps for Image Files

Step 1: Compress Your Image

1. Go to the free image compressor site: https://www.freeconvert.com/image-compressor
2. Upload your large image file (PNG or JPEG) into the box.
3. Leave the settings at default, as the tool will automatically shrink the file size while maintaining excellent quality for the TV.
4. Click Compress, then click Download to save the lighter image to your computer.

Expected result: The image file downloads with a reduced file size (around 2-3MB), optimized for the media player.

Step 3: Upload to the Budvue Dashboard

1. Log in to dashboard.budvue.com and navigate to the Content Library.
2. Go to the "My Content" section and delete the old version that was causing issues 
3. Click "Upload New" and select your newly compressed image or video file to upload and add to the playlist you would like to utlize it in. 

Expected result: The file uploads quickly, and your TV screen displays the playlist's content smoothly without freezing or lagging.

Resolution

Once the compressed media replaces the heavy file in your playlist, the media player will automatically download the lighter version on the next update (approximately 20 minutes) and resume smooth playback.

Contact Support

If your TV screen continues to freeze or crash even after uploading a compressed version of your file, email tvsupport@budvue.com with:

• The name of the Playlist you are updating.

• The name and original file size of the asset you are trying to use.

• Steps you have already tried.