4 tips for using pre-built media content

If you have MagicINFO Premium you can choose to use the Web Author as your designing tool to create content, or you use pre-built media that you upload to your MagicINFO account. You can also combine both working methods. That's all up to you. In this blog, we dive into the uploading part and share some practical tips. Make sure to check out our content creation pillar page if you wish to have a thorough step-by-step guide for designing engaging content for your displays. 

A lot of MagicINFO end users use pre-built media content that they upload to their MagicINFO account to create a playlist. Some users are using the Lite version, with Lite you can solely upload ready-to-go content and put it in playlists. We do see that some content designers just like to work with their own designing tools that they are used to, like InDesign or other programs for more animated (video) content. Perhaps you have an agency that's doing the content designing part. And that's all fine. As long as you have stunning content that blows the minds of your audience, or just give them the right information at the right time. Whatever you create, or where you create it, it all comes together in MagicINFO. This is where the publishing takes place. To make sure MagicINFO can work with your created items, here are some things that are good to know.

1. Use files with the right dimensions and resolutions

Content for signage is often in the 1920x1080 pixel resolution. This can be either landscape or portrait. If you don't use this size your item, image, or video will probably be blurred or out of proportion. It can also happen that you have black spaces next to your content item, which is not really that attractive.

2. Use these file extensions and specs

MagicINFO supports all kinds of file types. For images, you can use jpg, gif, png, bmp. The MagicINFO Lite version doesn't support png files. If you want to use Office files, PDF, Word, and PowerPoint files, these can easily be uploaded. For video, you can upload files like mp4, mov, and mpg2. You can only upload files with the file extension in lowercase, this means you need .jpg or .png and not .JPG or .PNG. The uploaded content item looks its best when it has 72 DPI full and it has RGB colors.

3. Prevent large file sizes

If you want to upload files, know that you can upload a maximum of 20 items which are 300 MB each. If you want to upload big files, it will probably take quite some time. This also depends on your internet connection. There are several online tools available that you can use for file compression. We definitely recommend using this.

4. Managing the playtime of an uploaded file

Do you have a video that you want to use in a playlist, or an Office file such as a PDF or PowerPoint, know that adjusting the playback time is not that obvious in MagicINFO. Where normally you change the time at Content or Playlist, changing the interval of an Office file is something you have to do in the Device section. Here's a tutorial explaining just how to do so. If you have a video, keep in mind that the duration of the video itself is leading. So if you want to show parts of the video, you will need to adjust the video outside of MagicINFO, because MagicINFO will publish the file just as you uploaded it. This goes both for Lite and Premium.

Want to learn more about how to create content and all the options that come with it? Go for the MagicINFO training for Content. During a couple of hours, you will learn how to create and the most effective way to work on your playlists.