How do I convert my videos to a compatible Brightsign format?

Last Updated: February 9, 2015

There are many applications and utilities you can use for converting videos. Some work better than others. If someone else is providing your content, it should be encoded in a format that the BrightSign player already supports so you don't have to do any conversion. You may lose video quality when converting from one video format to another.

First, verify whether your files actually need to be converted: See this FAQ to determine if your file is currently supported.

MPEG-2 Files

BrightSign players support MPEG-2 files, including .vob files found on DVDs. If your MPEG-2 file was generated on a Mac, it might use an .mpeg extension. You can rename the extension to .mpg to get it to work properly on your BrightSign player.

H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10) Files

BrightSign players currently support H.264 .ts, .mov, .mp4, .mpg, .vob, and .m2ts files. You can use a program like VLC or tsMuxer to change the container/encapsulation of an H.264 stream to one of these files without re-encoding. 

If you do need to convert from one format to another or between different MPEG formats, below are a few of the applications and utilities that customers have recommended:

• Apple Quicktime Pro
• Elecard Converter Studio
• Final Cut Pro + Compressor (MacOS)
• Pinnacle Studio
• Adobe Premier
• TMPGEnc 4.0 Xpress
• Videoredo

Some free utilities that customers have recommended include the following:

• Mpeg Streamclip
• VLC Media Player
• tsMuxer (changes H.264 MOV files into H.264 transport streams)
• Handbrake

If you are experiencing performance or quality issues with your video, please see the Optimizing Video Quality tech note for more details.