DearScenario
Download Player

A network-controlled video player for exhibitions and interactive spaces.

Install it on the machine behind each screen. Any control system can play, pause, and check it over HTTP or OSC. No playlist, no cloud account.

Download DearScenario PlayerRun the 5-minute quickstart

Free for commercial useNo device limitsWorks fully offline

One command, and the screen plays.

cURL Request
curl -X POST http://<player-ip>:18290/api/command \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "cmd": "play_media",
    "params": {"source": "C:/media/intro.mp4"}
  }'

Your control system

HTTP / OSC
DearScenario PlayerRunning

DearScenario Player

HDMI
intro.mp4

Your screen

Playback is the easy part.

  • The engine ships in the package

    Drop the installer or a portable build onto a locked-down PC. No host codec packs, and no missing DLLs.

  • One command model, from Pi to PC

    Windows 7, 10, and 11 share the same commands and status as Raspberry Pi 4B/5 on standard Raspberry Pi OS.

  • Service a player without a keyboard

    Start Maintenance mode, open the Web Console on the LAN, and use Remote Debug to view the engineering panel with no VNC.

  • Projection masks stay on the player

    Draw polygon masks with feathering during commissioning. They are saved in the player configuration while playback keeps running.

  • Know every screen is still playing

    Ask any player for status over HTTP. Screenshot checks before doors open catch a black screen that a sent command will not.

  • Built for the fanless box already there

    Plays 1080p on low-power x86 industrial PCs with no discrete GPU, including unattended Windows 7 fleets.

FAQ

What can control it?

Anything that can send an HTTP request or an OSC message. That covers show controllers, touch panels, PLC gateways, media servers, and a few lines of Python. Every command and status field is in the API reference, so you can test from a terminal before you wire up the real system.

Can it run a playlist or schedule on its own?

No, and that's deliberate. DearScenario Player waits for commands. What plays, and when, is decided by your control system, so the show logic lives in one place instead of being split across every screen.

How is it different from VLC or mpv?

It's built on libmpv, so format support is the same. The difference is what comes around playback: network control, status you can query, a Web Console you can reach from a phone, and tools for commissioning and running an unattended show.

Does it support video walls or multiple screens?

Each player drives one full-screen output. For a continuous video wall, use a video-wall controller or GPU display grouping so the wall appears as one display, then run a single player. For separate screens, run one player per screen and let your control system cue them. Players are not frame-locked to each other.

Is it really free? Does it need an account or internet?

Yes, it's free for commercial use with no device limit. No account, no activation, no outbound internet, and no telemetry. If you need help with a deployment, see Custom Deployments & Services.

Next Step

Put a player on the display

Free for commercial use. Point the system that owns the scenario at the local network API.

DownloadOpen API reference

Got a specific integration question? Join the Community Forum to chat with us and other developers.