SongShow Plus

Video file types / extensions / specifications supported in SSP

4/28/2025

Applicable SongShow Plus Versions:
This article applies to all versions of SongShow Plus.

* Updates affecting this feature may be available. Ensure that you are using the most current build of SongShow Plus from the Download page before proceeding. *

Video file type support within SongShow Plus will depend on which version you have installed.

In this context, the term "support" means that the video file type is visible within the SSP control panel. Keep in mind that regardless of the SSP version, the required codec/filter still needs to be available on the system for proper playback of the supported file formats.

Please keep in mind, the fact that a particular video plays outside of SSP does not necessarily mean it will function properly within SSP. Please check KB MI018 for additional information on supported configurations.

For SongShow Pus Version 8 and later

In SongShow Plus 8, the file type support was simplified so no user selections are necessary. SongShow Plus can recognize any or all of the following Video File types:

Video (*.mp4) (Recommended)
Windows Media Audio/Video File (*.wmv) (Recommended)
Video (*.3gp)
Video Clip (*.avi)
Video (*.f4v)
Video (*.m4v)
Video (*.mp4v)
Video (*.mpg4)
Movie Clip (*.mpg)
Movie Clip (*.mpeg)
Movie Clip (*.mpe)
Movie Clip (*.m1v)
Movie Clip (*.mpv2)
Movie Clip (*.mp2v)
Video (*.m2p)
Video (*.mov)
SongShow Plus Video Chain (*.sspvc)
SongShow Plus Video Timer (*.ssptimer)

Recommended Video Specifications

For use with SongShow Plus we recommend that the user re-size videos to match the projected resolution. For example if your projector is a standard format 1024 x 768 resolution, this should be the maximum resolution of the videos that are used in SongShow Plus.

We recommend a maximum resolution height of 1080 pixels. This is equal to full HD video. The width may vary according to the aspect ratio of the video but would not typically be any wider that 1920 pixels. Is some extreme widescreen setups this may exceed 1920 and in those cases, the user might consider a max height of 720.

Video File Requirements:

The video portion of the file must be encoded with a supported video CODEC - Please check KB MI018 for additional information
The audio portion of the file must be encoded with a supported audio CODEC - Please check KB MI018 for additional information
Videos should be rendered at as close to 30 fps (frames per second) as possible for the smoothest playback. Lower or higher frame rates may play acceptably but can also induce "choppiness" or "judder" during playback.
Video resolutions of up to 1920 x 1080 (1080p - FullHD) may be acceptable - Typical resolutions are 720 x 480 (480p DVD quality SD), 1280 x 720 (720p - HD) and 1920 x 1080 (1080p - FullHD). There are other variations in the width x height ratio that are valid but these are the most common. Higher resolutions, such as 4K Video, are possible but may cause increased CPU Utilization and poor playback performance. Consider your target display resolution and aspect ratio to avoid unnecessarily using an "over-rendered" video. If your display or projector is only SD capable then it is a waste of time and system resources to push HD video to the output. This can be affected by the specs of your projection system.
Target video bit-rate of 4500 kbps or lower is recommended - Higher bit-rates are possible but may cause increased CPU Utilization and poor playback performance. Higher bit-rates will also create unnecessarily large video files. This spec has the biggest impact on playback in SongShow Plus. A difference of as little as 2x the recommended video bit-rate can make the video unacceptable to use in SongShow Plus.

Adjusting Videos
There are several free and easy to use tools available online to re-size and/or re-render videos. You can also consult with your media provider for options.

**LEGACY INFO ONLY**

For SongShow Pus Version 7

There was a change made in the November 2008 Edition that brings additional flexibility to video file type support within SongShow Plus. With the default settings, SongShow Plus recognizes the following Video File types:

SongShow Plus Video Chain (*.sspvc)
Shockwave Flash Object (*.swf) (if the SSP flash plug-in is installed - now deprecated)
Video Clip (*.avi)
Movie Clip (*.mpg)
Movie Clip (*.mpeg)
Movie Clip (*.mpe)
Movie Clip (*.m1v)
Windows Media Audio/Video File (*.wmv)

The changes in the November 2008 release allow the user to select additional file types to be recognized by SSP as video files. This new feature simply lets you add these file types to the list of those recognized as videos. The settings for this are found in the SSP Utilities Panel at Start > Programs > SongShow Plus > Utilities > Video Files Settings. Please read the note found on the settings page carefully.

With these optional settings, SongShow Plus can recognize any or all of the following Video File types:

SongShow Plus Video Chain (*.sspvc)
Shockwave Flash Object (*.swf) (if the SSP flash plug-in is installed - now deprecated)
Video Clip (*.avi)
Video (*.flv)
Video (*.mp4)
Video (*.m4v)
Video (*.mp4v)
Video (*.mpg4)
Movie Clip (*.mpg)
Movie Clip (*.mpeg)
Movie Clip (*.mpe)
Movie Clip (*.m1v)
Movie Clip (*.mpv2)
Movie Clip (*.mp2v)
Video (*.m2p)
Windows Media Audio/Video File (*.wmv)
Video (*.mov)
Video (*.3gp)

Prior SongShow Plus Editions
The following Video file extensions may be supported in SongShow Plus Editions prior to the November 2008 release, meaning they can be imported and utilized in a program or slide show. The following Video file extensions are recognized in SSP:

SongShow Plus Video Chain (*.sspvc)
Shockwave Flash Object (*.swf) (if the SSP flash plug-in is installed)
Windows Media Audio/Video File (*.asf)
Video Clip (*.avi)
Movie Clip (*.m1v)
Movie Clip (*.m2v)
Movie Clip (*.mod)
Movie Clip (*.mp2)
Movie Clip (*.mp2v)
Movie Clip (*.mpa)
Movie Clip (*.mpe)
Movie Clip (*.mpeg)
Movie Clip (*.mpg)
Movie Clip (*.mpv2)
Windows Media Audio/Video File (*.wm)
Windows Media Audio/Video File (*.wmv)

These formats have varying degrees of popularity and have pros and cons related to size, video quality and portability. The most common of these seem to be avi, mpg and wmv. For more information on these formats you can do a simple Wikipedia or Google search.

In some cases, other file extensions that may otherwise play on the system can be made available within SSP by changing the file extension to either .avi or .mpg but this is no guarantee that it will work, simply a way for SSP to "see" the file. This is no longer necessary when using the November 2008 Edition or later.

If this article does not resolve the issue, contact the Support Team.

(MI010)