diff --git a/data_centre/data.py b/data_centre/data.py
index 14f674d..fe1a1e5 100644
--- a/data_centre/data.py
+++ b/data_centre/data.py
@@ -231,6 +231,25 @@ class Data(object):
         else:
             return False
 
+    def get_background_colour(self):
+        colour_name = self.settings['video']['BACKGROUND_COLOUR']['value']
+        colour_argb = (255,0,0,0)
+        if colour_name == "black":
+            colour_argb = (255,0,0,0)
+        elif colour_name == "white":
+            colour_argb = (255,255,255,255)
+        elif colour_name == "green":
+            colour_argb = (255,0,255,0)
+        elif colour_name == "blue":
+            colour_argb = (255,0,0,255)
+        elif colour_name == "pink":
+            colour_argb = (255,255,0,255)
+        elif colour_name == "none":
+            colour_argb = (0,0,0,0)
+        colour_hex = '%02x%02x%02x%02x' % colour_argb
+        print(colour_hex)
+        return colour_hex
+
     @staticmethod
     def _get_mb_free_diskspace(path):
         st = os.statvfs(path)
diff --git a/data_centre/json_objects/settings.json b/data_centre/json_objects/settings.json
index 4f8a0c3..2ae7cad 100644
--- a/data_centre/json_objects/settings.json
+++ b/data_centre/json_objects/settings.json
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
                 "on",
                 "off"
             ],
-            "value": "off"
+            "value": "on"
         },
         "QUIT": {
             "action": "quit_the_program",
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
                 "on",
                 "off"
             ],
-            "value": "on"
+            "value": "off"
         },
         "LOAD_NEXT": {
             "action": "update_video_settings",
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@
                 "nothing",
                 "switch"
             ],
-            "value": "switch"
+            "value": "nothing"
         },
         "ON_LOAD": {
             "action": "update_video_settings",
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@
                 "hide",
                 "show"
             ],
-            "value": "show"
+            "value": "hide"
         },
         "ON_START": {
             "action": "update_video_settings",
@@ -178,6 +178,18 @@
         }
     },
     "video": {
+        "BACKGROUND_COLOUR": {
+            "action": null,
+            "options": [
+                "pink",
+                "blue",
+                "black",
+                "white",
+                "green",
+                "none"
+            ],
+            "value": "none"
+        },
         "COMPOSITE_PROGRESSIVE": {
             "action": "change_composite_setting",
             "options": [
diff --git a/video_centre/video_player.py b/video_centre/video_player.py
index 87629c0..db421fb 100644
--- a/video_centre/video_player.py
+++ b/video_centre/video_player.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class VideoPlayer:
             is_dev_mode, first_screen_arg, second_screen_arg = self.set_screen_size_for_dev_mode()
             arguments = ['--no-osd', '--layer', str(layer), '--adev', 'local', '--alpha', '0', first_screen_arg, second_screen_arg]
             if not is_dev_mode:
-                arguments.append('-b') ##=0x000000FF')
+                arguments.append('--blank=0x{}'.format(self.data.get_background_colour()))
             self.status = 'LOADING'
             print('the location is {}'.format(self.location))
             self.omx_player = OMXPlayer(self.location, args=arguments, dbus_name=self.name)