TSVConverter: What is it and how do I use it?
.TSV (TinyScreen Video) is a file format used to play video on our TinyScreen products, including the TinyTV DIY Kit, our TinyScreen+, the Tiny Arcade, and Pocket Arcade. This page will cover how to use the Windows and MacOS program to convert a video file to a .TSV file. It will also demonstrate how to play .TSV files on your TinyScreen+ with the Micro SD TinyShield.
For more information on how to load .TSV files to your Tiny Arcade, please refer to the How to Load Tiny Arcade Games & Videos onto an SD Card tutorial.
Using the Program
Download either the MacOS or Windows version below:
MacOS Download:
If the download does not initiate when clicking the below link, right-click the link and select "Save link as..." and choose your desired location for the download.
The Mac operating system has some extra security measures, so to open the MacOS TSV Converter, you might need to select "Open When Done" or "Keep" to force it to complete the download:
Navigate to where the program has downloaded in Finder, double click the zip file to unzip it, then right click to Open the file.
By selecting Open, the app is saved as an exception to your security settings, and you can open it in the future by double-clicking it just as you can with any registered app.
Once the TSV Converter has successfully downloaded, you should be able to open it:
You are now ready to select some video files to convert!
Click "Open File". This will open your file explorer and allow you to select a video file. The video will load into the TSVConverter application. From here you can press "Convert File"
That's it! The .tsv file should appear in the same folder as your selected file, you can navigate there by clicking "Open Folder". If you want to edit the output of your movie, you can select your output's aspect ratio, and then convert the video again for a different ratio.
The last step is moving your .tsv files onto your SD Card. Once you plug the SD Card into your computer, your SD Card will appear as a clickable icon on your Mac Desktop. Double click on this SD Card icon to open its contents. Click and drag any .tsv file you want on your TV into this SD Card folder. Once you are done adding .tsv videos, safely eject the SD Card by right-clicking on the SD Card icon and selecting "Eject "[SD Card Name]"".
Remove the SD Card from your computer and plug it into the bottom of the TinyTV to watch your converted videos!
Windows Download:
Download the TSV Converter by clicking the following link:
Unzip the downloaded .zip file to reveal the TSVConverter.exe file, double-click to run.
A Microsoft Defender screen may come up when launching the .exe file - select "More info" in order to access the "Run anyway" button. Click the button to launch the TSV Converter.
Once the program is open, click "Open File".
This will open your file explorer and allow you to select a video file:
The video will load into the TSVConverter application. From here you can press "Convert File"
That's it! The .tsv file should appear in the same folder as your selected file, you can navigate there by clicking "Open Folder". If you want to edit the output of your movie, you can select your output's aspect ratio, and then convert the video again for a different ratio.
Playing .TSV Files on the TinyScreen+
If this is your first time using the TinyScreen+, please refer to the TinyScreen+ Setup Tutorial. Make sure to add the Micro SD and Audio TinyShield to the stack.
After converting your .tsv file, you will need to add them to your micro SD card. Copy and paste the file into your micro SD card directory as shown below.
Once you have added the file(s) you wish to play on your SD Card, all you need to do is plug the SD Card into the bottom of the TinyTV.
The TinyTV Kit and Tiny Video Player kit come pre-loaded with software, but if you have the necessary boards, or you are interested in learning more about the software behind these kits, check out the TinyTV & Tiny Video Player Programming tutorial.