Upload media
Add images and videos to the media library, with the accepted formats and limits.
Upload files
- Open Content > Media.
- Open the folder you want to put the files in. Uploaded files go into the open folder (or the Media root if no folder is open).
- Click Upload and choose one or more files. You can also drag and drop images and videos straight onto the page: the “Drop to upload into” message shows the destination folder.
- Follow the progress in the Uploads panel. Once all files are received, a message confirms they are “being prepared for the screens”.
Files are uploaded one after another from your browser: keep the app open until the uploads finish. You can stop an upload with Cancel, and clear finished rows with Hide finished uploads.
Upload steps
| State in the Uploads panel | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Waiting | The file is waiting its turn. |
| Uploading | The file is being sent, with its progress. |
| Checking | Pixlova checks that the file arrived complete. |
| Received | The file is in the library and its processing starts. |
| Failed | The upload did not succeed; the reason is shown. |
| Cancelled | You cancelled the upload. |
Accepted formats and limits
| Type | Formats | Maximum size | Other limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image | JPEG, PNG, WebP | 50 MB | At most 16,384 pixels on the longest side, at most 100 megapixels |
| Video | MP4, MOV, WebM (including Matroska) | 2 GB | At most 4 hours, at most 8,192 pixels on the longest side |
A few details:
- Pixlova checks the actual content of the file, not just its extension. A renamed file (for example a GIF image renamed to
.png) is rejected. - Animated images are not accepted.
- GIF, SVG and HEIC files are not accepted. Convert them to JPEG, PNG or WebP before uploading.
- A file that is too large or in an unsupported format is rejected before it is even sent, with the message “File too large.” or “Format not accepted.”.
- If your organization’s storage space is not enough for the file, the upload is rejected with the message “Not enough storage space.”. See Storage space.
Processing for the screens
After the upload, each media file goes through a processing step:
- Images: Pixlova creates a thumbnail and, when needed, a version suited to playback (for example when the photo needs to be rotated according to its orientation).
- Videos: a video that is already MP4 H.264 with AAC sound (or no sound) is played as is. Other videos are converted to this format. A video larger than 4K (3840×2160) is scaled down, and the frame rate is capped at 60 frames per second. Pixlova also extracts a thumbnail from the video.
For screens whose video decoder stops at Full HD (Raspberry Pi 4), Pixlova automatically prepares a 1920×1080 version of larger videos. Until it is ready, the video is skipped on those screens, without blocking the rest of the content.
Processing can take a while for long or heavy videos. The page updates on its own.
Media states
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Upload not finished | The upload started but did not finish. |
| Processing | Pixlova is checking and preparing the file. |
| Ready | The media file can be used in your content. |
| Error | Processing failed; the reason is shown on the thumbnail and in the media details. |
Only Ready media files can be used in published content.
See the details of a media file
Click a media file to open its details panel. It shows a preview, the Original file, the date (Added on) and the Variants table: Original (your file), Playback (the version sent to the screens) and Thumbnail, with their format, dimensions and size.
When processing fails
The most common reasons:
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Animated images are not accepted. | Export a still image, or convert the animation to a video. |
| Image too large (pixels). or Image of W×H px. | Reduce the image dimensions below the limits above. |
| Unreadable or incomplete image. | The file is damaged or truncated: export it again. |
| Video too long. | Trim the video so it lasts 4 hours at most. |
| Video of W×H px. | Lower the video resolution (at most 8,192 pixels on a side). |
| Unreadable video (FFprobe analysis). or No usable video track. | The file is damaged or contains no picture: export it again as MP4 H.264. |
If the error comes from a temporary problem, open the media file and click Retry processing. If the file itself is the problem, fix it, upload it again, then move the failed media file to the trash.
Replacing a media file
An uploaded media file is never modified. To update an image or a video, upload the new version, use it in your content, then move the old one to the trash.