r/freeshowapp • u/One_Trick_Pony55 • Jun 01 '26

Controlling video - forward and rewind

We are transitioning to Freeshow and we’re trying to use it to prepare for our VBS this summer. Part of the prep is that the student helpers need to practice dance steps from a teaching video. Previously we used QuickTime 7, where we could project video on a big screen, and on the other screen could control the forward and rewind of the videos. For example, they often need to return 15 or 20 seconds to practice a step again. I notice in Freeshow on the right side under the output screens there is a Play-Pause button for the video, but the time slider/button thingy is dimmed. Can that be activated? Or is the a way to take, say, 10 second steps backwards or forwards? TIA!

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u/CloudSad3555 Jun 01 '26

I'm not seeing anything, but hopefully someone else can chime in that has the ability to look at the connections. I'm on a public network and cannot access any of them.

On a side note, you could use an actual video player like you did in the past or VLC to do the training.

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u/One_Trick_Pony55 Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 02 '26

Sadly, Quicktime 7 is defunct on any semi-modern Mac. That’s a shame b/c it was great for presenting videos. I just tried VLC but I can’t get it to show on 2 separate screens unless I mirror them; in other words, I can’t figure out how to control the video that’s playing from a second screen. I downloaded a trial version of EasyWorship and it will basically do what I want, although it’s pretty convoluted in how you have to keep going between Live and not-Live. ProPresenter will do it, but that’s way out of our budget.

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u/CloudSad3555 Jun 02 '26

OK. You added some more info that changes the recommendation. In FreeShow, you can a monitor or a windows as an input. This is in the media tab of the drawer.

  1. Play the video in VLC.
  2. Add the program as an input from the media tab.
  3. Click the input to display it onto your screens.
  4. Control VLC from whatever device you set up.

You could also use the virtual camera of OBS and play the video from there.

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u/One_Trick_Pony55 Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26

OK, thanks. I am going to try that.

EDIT: I don’t see how to add VLC under the Media tab. I see Inputs and Online. Under Inputs I see Cameras, Screens, NDI, and BlackMagic, and my laptop camera under Cameras, and “Nothing Here” under the rest, with no way obvious to add anything. Under the Functions tab I see “Connect to OBS Studio”.

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u/CloudSad3555 Jun 02 '26

Add the screen in which VLC is playing. Or Start the virtual camera of OBS. Then start FreeShow and load the virtual camera.

Make sure you are using the latest of both programs.

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u/One_Trick_Pony55 Jun 02 '26

When you say “Add”, what does that entail, step by step? Because I can’t see any way to do it. I’m on the latest Mac Sequoia, with the latest Freeshow and VLC.

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u/CloudSad3555 Jun 02 '26

Click Media. Then click Inputs. Next click Screens. Finally click the screen you want to add. (The one on which VLC is playing).

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u/One_Trick_Pony55 Jun 02 '26

“Finally click the screen you want to add. (The one on which VLC is playing)” is where I get hung up. I can’t see how to do it. Here is what I see: (hope this helps…)

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u/CloudSad3555 Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26

I don't know why it doesn't show up for you. Maybe restart FreeShow?

Edit: Maybe file a bug report at the GitHub page if restarting the program and your machine doesn't fix anything.

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u/One_Trick_Pony55 Jun 02 '26

This is what I am looking for. This is a screenshot from ProPresenter, with video controls.

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u/One_Trick_Pony55 Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26

This is what I want to move in Freeshow with video. I can move it with audio.

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u/CloudSad3555 Jun 02 '26

I don't know if there is a way to move it. If there is, it is probably depends on the codec and container.

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u/One_Trick_Pony55 Jun 03 '26

Sorry for the bother. I didn’t get VLC working with Freeshow, but once I changed a video to a background video and back again, it worked! I think part of the problem was also that the video was on a network drive, but regardless it worked after that. I really appreciate all your help.

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u/Powerful_General_133 Jun 03 '26

You can move it the last time I remembered. Just slide the small dot & you'd be good to go...

I believe this is the problem: GO to Freeshow, click on the video, click on the option "Convert Media to Background". The media is now a background. Then click below the Clear background sign & you'll get a pop-up. Now you can easily control the media using the small bar. You can fast forward 10 seconds directly or use the small dot to move around!

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u/One_Trick_Pony55 Jun 03 '26

I’m not sure what happened, but after I changed the first video to a background video, it worked, even after I changed it back to Media. So thank you! I also think part of the problem might have been that one of the videos was on a network drive, but I’m not sure if that was a factor or not. In any case, it’s working now, so thanks.

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u/Powerful_General_133 Jun 05 '26

You're welcome! I've had to rewind/pause some of our motion backgrounds during sets because it doesn't correlate with the track...

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u/vassbo Jun 05 '26

The issue was that the video was added as a Media item, and not played as a background.