[gunnerx]

So I saw a PlayBook commercial which showed the user discarding multiple videos playing. This got me confused as you can only open the Video player once. So, I tried opening up the YouTube app and tried to play a movie at the same time and that did not work. Once I go to one video, the other one playing automatically stops.

Is there any other way to have multiple videos playing or was that commercial just full of BS?

[LaFlamaBlanca]

You need to go into the Options menu, General, and make sure Application Behavior is set to "Showcase".

[gunnerx]

I do have it set to showcase. I can play NFSU and have the movie player going on at the same time.

[BaconMunch]

That second "video" looked like J.Lo and probably from the VeVO Music Video player that was recently announced (but not out yet). So I doubt it was two instances of "Video" working.

Regardless to ensure movies are playing when not maximized, ensure showcase mode is on.

[newcollector]

It's two different apps running video, not the same app trying to run two videos at the same time.

[LaFlamaBlanca]

Interesting Gunnerx. I just tried it with a video podcast and a video saved on my PB and also couldn't get it to work. One video would pause when the other was open. I wonder if it's something they'll update in a future release or if the commercial really was BS?

[Jean-luc_Picard]

That second "video" looked like J.Lo and probably from the VeVO Music Video player that was recently announced (but not out yet). So I doubt it was two instances of "Video" working.

Regardless to ensure movies are playing when not maximized, ensure showcase mode is on.

if you look at the titles, the apps that showed movies running were videos, browser and youtube.

[newcollector]

Interesting Gunnerx. I just tried it with a video podcast and a video saved on my PB and also couldn't get it to work. One video would pause when the other was open. I wonder if it's something they'll update in a future release or if the commercial really was BS?

Remember to set your Playbook options>general>showcase...not default.

[LaFlamaBlanca]

Remember to set your Playbook options>general>showcase...not default.

I thought that was the solution to the OP's problem (see 2nd post in this thread) but it's not. Mine was set to Showcase and still paused the other video.

[gunnerx]

I tried opening up vimeo.com as they use that in their commercials and video player and still doesn't work. Also tried out the youtube player to no avail. It seems to limit it to only one video playing at any moment.

[vecharo]

yup. i agree w/ gunner. even on showcase you can't do more than one audio/video. i think the audio has something to do with the limitation. i opened CB and ran the TAT video, then launched the hi-def PB video that comes on the device. Nada.

then i launched just the video and the music player. again the video stopped.

[Technerd.McLeod]

It's two different apps running video, not the same app trying to run two videos at the same time.

Still doesn't work. Tried watching a movie that I have on my PB and a Youtube video at the same time and I couldn't. I don't know how it happened, but I'm sure it is possible. Although, it was done from a simulator (Right?), so it might not be the same on an actual device.

[Gothamoddisee]

This is a supremely frustrating limitation. Anyone know if there's an app in the appstore or in the sideload wilds that can help with this?

For all those who find this and begin to despair - there IS a way you can listen to music while playing a video file on a playbook: In Showcase mode - the browser playing either Pandora or Grooveshark music, will keep the hits coming once you switch over to the Blackberry video player app.

This of course means though, that if you're like me and you're at a gym without a wi-fi connection, your typical routine of working out to a basketball game whilst listening to some jams is OUT of the question. As far as I know.

Does anyone know a workaround?

[pacoman03]

I'm not exactly sure why anyone would want to do this, but, FWIW, I've got 2 videos running on my PB right now.

[FF22]

I'm not exactly sure why anyone would want to do this, but, FWIW, I've got 2 videos running on my PB right now.

Don't keep everybody in suspense - how? What apps?

[pacoman03]

I can run the Native video player and MovieFLV Player (a native flash player) at the same time. Now, that being said, this doesn't work with all of the flash videos that I've got loaded on my playbook. The only thing I can figure is that I've got 2 kinds of flash that I typically capture on the internet- on demand video (YouTube and the like) and live streams. It seems to only work when playing back captured live streams.
Now, why does anyone really NEED to run 2 vids simultaneously?

[FF22]

Thanks. I tried the video app and MovieSRT last night and only one could be active.

But I guess it is a show off thing? I have to presume the audio tracks would also compete for the speakers if they both had sound.

[Mallet21]

This is a supremely frustrating limitation.

How exactly?? Please provide an example of how you would need to have multiple videos playing simultaneously. Thanks.

[llllBULLSEYE]

Yeah why would you want both playing at the same time other than to showoff.

[Canuck671]

Lets all try to find out what other things the playbook cant do.

I tired to fly with my playbook, it didn't work , what a piece of crap!

Then i tried to cook with my playbook, it didn't taste good either!!

Man what a horrible experience........

[pacoman03]

Well, here's a screenshot of two videos playing at once (trust me). Of course, in order to get both videos to show I had to hold my finger on the screen to center both apps. The audio from both apps were playing. Now, why I would want to do this, I don't have a clue. The only thing I could think of maybe actually wanting to do would be to stream two sports events simultaneously.

[Gothamoddisee]

I feel a bit silly for not stating this more clearly, but the reason multiple videos would be helpful is mostly (for me) because I'd like to be able to play my music and play a video at the same time. So far, the music and video players will each pause once the other gets going. I figure if there were another media player, I could stick my tunes in there and maybe it would play nice with the PB video player.

Thanks for the reply pacoman03, but the flv player you're using plays but one file type.

[FF22]

Lets all try to find out what other things the playbook cant do.

I tired to fly with my playbook, it didn't work , what a piece of crap!

Then i tried to cook with my playbook, it didn't taste good either!!

Man what a horrible experience........

You are doing something wrong. I've flown with my pb. It did take a ticket on my part but we both made it through security.

And I've cooked with it - recipes at hand but flour can obscure the screen! And wet fingers do not swipe well.

So, again, you need to practice your flying and cooking!

[FF22]

Well, here's a screenshot of two videos playing at once (trust me). Of course, in order to get both videos to show I had to hold my finger on the screen to center both apps. The audio from both apps were playing. Now, why I would want to do this, I don't have a clue. The only thing I could think of maybe actually wanting to do would be to stream two sports events simultaneously.

Nope! Not acceptable. I need a VIDEO of your pb playing two VIDEOS!!!!!

I know that I have had two audio "tracks" playing at once but I don't recall what I had going at that time.

[pacoman03]

I feel a bit silly for not stating this more clearly, but the reason multiple videos would be helpful is mostly (for me) because I'd like to be able to play my music and play a video at the same time.

So you really don't want two videos going at once, you want one video going while the music player is running. The problem is that the PB doesn't really want to run two audio sources at once, and there is no way to mute the video player without muting the whole PB. Why would you want to watch a video without sound, anyway? Ahhhh, never mind, I just figured it out. But I'm not here to judge. Anyhow, there IS at least one way to do it. , although it's not ideal. There is an android player called Meridian that can be sideloaded and does work on the PB. Anyhow, you could start one of your "art" vids in Meridian, swipe down from the top and hit mute, then start up the Music player. Both will play together. The major drawback is that Meridian will play some vids and not others. I'm not sure what it can play, but I know it will play some MP4s but not others. Why, I don't know.