diff --git a/app/models/__init__.py b/app/models/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a22049
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+"""Models package for digiserver-v2."""
+from app.models.user import User
+from app.models.player import Player
+from app.models.group import Group, group_content
+from app.models.content import Content
+from app.models.server_log import ServerLog
+from app.models.player_feedback import PlayerFeedback
+
+__all__ = [
+    'User',
+    'Player',
+    'Group',
+    'Content',
+    'ServerLog',
+    'PlayerFeedback',
+    'group_content',
+]
diff --git a/app/models/content.py b/app/models/content.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf29c7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/content.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+"""Content model for media files."""
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Optional, List
+
+from app.extensions import db
+from app.models.group import group_content
+
+
+class Content(db.Model):
+    """Content model representing media files for display.
+    
+    Attributes:
+        id: Primary key
+        filename: Original filename
+        content_type: Type of content (image, video, pdf, presentation, other)
+        duration: Display duration in seconds
+        file_size: File size in bytes
+        description: Optional content description
+        position: Display order position
+        uploaded_at: Upload timestamp
+    """
+    __tablename__ = 'content'
+    
+    id = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
+    filename = db.Column(db.String(255), nullable=False, index=True)
+    content_type = db.Column(db.String(50), nullable=False, index=True)
+    duration = db.Column(db.Integer, default=10, nullable=True)
+    file_size = db.Column(db.BigInteger, nullable=True)
+    description = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=True)
+    position = db.Column(db.Integer, default=0, index=True)
+    uploaded_at = db.Column(db.DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, 
+                           nullable=False, index=True)
+    
+    # Relationships
+    groups = db.relationship('Group', secondary=group_content, 
+                            back_populates='contents', lazy='dynamic')
+    
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        """String representation of Content."""
+        return f'<Content {self.filename} (Type={self.content_type})>'
+    
+    @property
+    def file_size_mb(self) -> float:
+        """Get file size in megabytes."""
+        if self.file_size:
+            return round(self.file_size / (1024 * 1024), 2)
+        return 0.0
+    
+    @property
+    def group_count(self) -> int:
+        """Get number of groups containing this content."""
+        return self.groups.count()
+    
+    def is_image(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if content is an image."""
+        return self.content_type == 'image'
+    
+    def is_video(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if content is a video."""
+        return self.content_type == 'video'
+    
+    def is_pdf(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if content is a PDF."""
+        return self.content_type == 'pdf'
diff --git a/app/models/group.py b/app/models/group.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ad770b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/group.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+"""Group model for organizing players and content."""
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import List, Optional
+
+from app.extensions import db
+
+
+# Association table for many-to-many relationship between groups and content
+group_content = db.Table('group_content',
+    db.Column('group_id', db.Integer, db.ForeignKey('group.id'), primary_key=True),
+    db.Column('content_id', db.Integer, db.ForeignKey('content.id'), primary_key=True)
+)
+
+
+class Group(db.Model):
+    """Group model for organizing players with shared content.
+    
+    Attributes:
+        id: Primary key
+        name: Unique group name
+        description: Optional group description
+        created_at: Group creation timestamp
+        updated_at: Last modification timestamp
+    """
+    __tablename__ = 'group'
+    
+    id = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
+    name = db.Column(db.String(100), nullable=False, unique=True, index=True)
+    description = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=True)
+    created_at = db.Column(db.DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, nullable=False)
+    updated_at = db.Column(db.DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, 
+                          onupdate=datetime.utcnow, nullable=False)
+    
+    # Relationships
+    players = db.relationship('Player', back_populates='group', lazy='dynamic')
+    contents = db.relationship('Content', secondary=group_content, 
+                              back_populates='groups', lazy='dynamic')
+    
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        """String representation of Group."""
+        return f'<Group {self.name} (ID={self.id})>'
+    
+    @property
+    def player_count(self) -> int:
+        """Get number of players in this group."""
+        return self.players.count()
+    
+    @property
+    def content_count(self) -> int:
+        """Get number of content items in this group."""
+        return self.contents.count()
+    
+    def add_player(self, player) -> None:
+        """Add a player to this group.
+        
+        Args:
+            player: Player instance to add
+        """
+        player.group_id = self.id
+        self.updated_at = datetime.utcnow()
+    
+    def remove_player(self, player) -> None:
+        """Remove a player from this group.
+        
+        Args:
+            player: Player instance to remove
+        """
+        if player.group_id == self.id:
+            player.group_id = None
+            self.updated_at = datetime.utcnow()
diff --git a/app/models/player.py b/app/models/player.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..42c66ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/player.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+"""Player model for digital signage players."""
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Optional, List
+
+from app.extensions import db
+
+
+class Player(db.Model):
+    """Player model representing a digital signage device.
+    
+    Attributes:
+        id: Primary key
+        name: Display name for the player
+        location: Physical location description
+        auth_code: Authentication code for API access
+        group_id: Foreign key to assigned group
+        status: Current player status (online, offline, error)
+        last_seen: Last activity timestamp
+        created_at: Player creation timestamp
+    """
+    __tablename__ = 'player'
+    
+    id = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
+    name = db.Column(db.String(255), nullable=False)
+    location = db.Column(db.String(255), nullable=True)
+    auth_code = db.Column(db.String(255), unique=True, nullable=False, index=True)
+    group_id = db.Column(db.Integer, db.ForeignKey('group.id'), nullable=True, index=True)
+    status = db.Column(db.String(50), default='offline', index=True)
+    last_seen = db.Column(db.DateTime, nullable=True, index=True)
+    created_at = db.Column(db.DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, nullable=False)
+    
+    # Relationships
+    group = db.relationship('Group', back_populates='players')
+    feedback = db.relationship('PlayerFeedback', back_populates='player', 
+                              cascade='all, delete-orphan', lazy='dynamic')
+    
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        """String representation of Player."""
+        return f'<Player {self.name} (ID={self.id}, Status={self.status})>'
+    
+    @property
+    def is_online(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if player is online (seen in last 5 minutes)."""
+        if not self.last_seen:
+            return False
+        delta = datetime.utcnow() - self.last_seen
+        return delta.total_seconds() < 300  # 5 minutes
+    
+    def update_status(self, status: str) -> None:
+        """Update player status and last seen timestamp.
+        
+        Args:
+            status: New status value
+        """
+        self.status = status
+        self.last_seen = datetime.utcnow()
diff --git a/app/models/player_feedback.py b/app/models/player_feedback.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0dfc4c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/player_feedback.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+"""Player feedback model for tracking player status and errors."""
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Optional
+
+from app.extensions import db
+
+
+class PlayerFeedback(db.Model):
+    """Player feedback model for tracking player status updates.
+    
+    Attributes:
+        id: Primary key
+        player_id: Foreign key to player
+        status: Current status (playing, paused, error, unknown)
+        current_content_id: ID of currently playing content
+        message: Optional status message
+        error: Optional error message
+        timestamp: Feedback timestamp
+    """
+    __tablename__ = 'player_feedback'
+    
+    id = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
+    player_id = db.Column(db.Integer, db.ForeignKey('player.id'), 
+                         nullable=False, index=True)
+    status = db.Column(db.String(50), nullable=False, default='unknown')
+    current_content_id = db.Column(db.Integer, db.ForeignKey('content.id'), 
+                                   nullable=True)
+    message = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=True)
+    error = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=True)
+    timestamp = db.Column(db.DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, 
+                         nullable=False, index=True)
+    
+    # Relationships
+    player = db.relationship('Player', back_populates='feedback')
+    content = db.relationship('Content', backref='feedback_entries')
+    
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        """String representation of PlayerFeedback."""
+        return f'<PlayerFeedback Player={self.player_id} Status={self.status}>'
+    
+    @property
+    def is_error(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if feedback indicates an error."""
+        return self.status == 'error' or self.error is not None
+    
+    @property
+    def age_seconds(self) -> float:
+        """Get age of feedback in seconds."""
+        delta = datetime.utcnow() - self.timestamp
+        return delta.total_seconds()
+    
+    @classmethod
+    def get_latest_for_player(cls, player_id: int) -> Optional['PlayerFeedback']:
+        """Get most recent feedback for a player.
+        
+        Args:
+            player_id: Player ID to query
+            
+        Returns:
+            Latest PlayerFeedback instance or None
+        """
+        return cls.query.filter_by(player_id=player_id)\
+            .order_by(cls.timestamp.desc())\
+            .first()
diff --git a/app/models/server_log.py b/app/models/server_log.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1fb70c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/server_log.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+"""Server log model for audit trail."""
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Optional
+
+from app.extensions import db
+
+
+class ServerLog(db.Model):
+    """Server log model for tracking system events.
+    
+    Attributes:
+        id: Primary key
+        level: Log level (info, warning, error)
+        message: Log message content
+        timestamp: Event timestamp
+    """
+    __tablename__ = 'server_log'
+    
+    id = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
+    level = db.Column(db.String(20), nullable=False, index=True, default='info')
+    message = db.Column(db.Text, nullable=False)
+    timestamp = db.Column(db.DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, 
+                         nullable=False, index=True)
+    
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        """String representation of ServerLog."""
+        return f'<ServerLog [{self.level.upper()}] {self.message[:50]}>'
+    
+    @classmethod
+    def log_info(cls, message: str) -> 'ServerLog':
+        """Create an info level log entry.
+        
+        Args:
+            message: Log message
+            
+        Returns:
+            ServerLog instance
+        """
+        log = cls(level='info', message=message)
+        db.session.add(log)
+        db.session.commit()
+        return log
+    
+    @classmethod
+    def log_warning(cls, message: str) -> 'ServerLog':
+        """Create a warning level log entry.
+        
+        Args:
+            message: Log message
+            
+        Returns:
+            ServerLog instance
+        """
+        log = cls(level='warning', message=message)
+        db.session.add(log)
+        db.session.commit()
+        return log
+    
+    @classmethod
+    def log_error(cls, message: str) -> 'ServerLog':
+        """Create an error level log entry.
+        
+        Args:
+            message: Log message
+            
+        Returns:
+            ServerLog instance
+        """
+        log = cls(level='error', message=message)
+        db.session.add(log)
+        db.session.commit()
+        return log
diff --git a/app/models/user.py b/app/models/user.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8b32b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/user.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+"""User model for authentication and authorization."""
+from datetime import datetime
+from typing import Optional
+
+from flask_login import UserMixin
+
+from app.extensions import db
+
+
+class User(db.Model, UserMixin):
+    """User model for application authentication.
+    
+    Attributes:
+        id: Primary key
+        username: Unique username for login
+        password: Bcrypt hashed password
+        role: User role (user or admin)
+        theme: UI theme preference (light or dark)
+        created_at: Account creation timestamp
+        last_login: Last successful login timestamp
+    """
+    __tablename__ = 'user'
+    
+    id = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
+    username = db.Column(db.String(80), unique=True, nullable=False, index=True)
+    password = db.Column(db.String(120), nullable=False)
+    role = db.Column(db.String(20), nullable=False, default='user', index=True)
+    theme = db.Column(db.String(20), default='light')
+    created_at = db.Column(db.DateTime, default=datetime.utcnow, nullable=False)
+    last_login = db.Column(db.DateTime, nullable=True)
+    
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        """String representation of User."""
+        return f'<User {self.username} (role={self.role})>'
+    
+    @property
+    def is_admin(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if user has admin role."""
+        return self.role == 'admin'
+    
+    def update_last_login(self) -> None:
+        """Update last login timestamp."""
+        self.last_login = datetime.utcnow()
diff --git a/app/utils/__init__.py b/app/utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..170b3f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+"""Utils package for digiserver-v2."""
+from app.utils.logger import log_action, log_info, log_warning, log_error, get_recent_logs
+from app.utils.uploads import (
+    save_uploaded_file,
+    process_video_file,
+    process_pdf_file,
+    get_upload_progress,
+    set_upload_progress,
+    clear_upload_progress,
+    get_file_size,
+    delete_file
+)
+from app.utils.group_player_management import (
+    get_player_status_info,
+    get_group_statistics,
+    assign_player_to_group,
+    bulk_assign_players_to_group,
+    get_online_players_count,
+    get_players_by_status
+)
+from app.utils.pptx_converter import pptx_to_pdf_libreoffice, validate_pptx_file
+
+__all__ = [
+    # Logger
+    'log_action',
+    'log_info',
+    'log_warning',
+    'log_error',
+    'get_recent_logs',
+    # Uploads
+    'save_uploaded_file',
+    'process_video_file',
+    'process_pdf_file',
+    'get_upload_progress',
+    'set_upload_progress',
+    'clear_upload_progress',
+    'get_file_size',
+    'delete_file',
+    # Group/Player Management
+    'get_player_status_info',
+    'get_group_statistics',
+    'assign_player_to_group',
+    'bulk_assign_players_to_group',
+    'get_online_players_count',
+    'get_players_by_status',
+    # PPTX Converter
+    'pptx_to_pdf_libreoffice',
+    'validate_pptx_file',
+]
diff --git a/app/utils/group_player_management.py b/app/utils/group_player_management.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da87527
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/group_player_management.py
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+"""Group and player management utilities."""
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+
+from app.extensions import db
+from app.models import Player, Group, PlayerFeedback
+from app.utils.logger import log_action
+
+
+def get_player_status_info(player_id: int) -> Dict:
+    """Get comprehensive status information for a player.
+    
+    Args:
+        player_id: Player ID to query
+        
+    Returns:
+        Dictionary with status information
+    """
+    player = Player.query.get(player_id)
+    
+    if not player:
+        return {
+            'online': False,
+            'status': 'unknown',
+            'last_seen': None,
+            'latest_feedback': None
+        }
+    
+    # Check if player is online (seen in last 5 minutes)
+    is_online = False
+    if player.last_seen:
+        delta = datetime.utcnow() - player.last_seen
+        is_online = delta.total_seconds() < 300
+    
+    # Get latest feedback
+    latest_feedback = PlayerFeedback.query.filter_by(player_id=player_id)\
+        .order_by(PlayerFeedback.timestamp.desc())\
+        .first()
+    
+    return {
+        'online': is_online,
+        'status': player.status,
+        'last_seen': player.last_seen.isoformat() if player.last_seen else None,
+        'last_seen_ago': _format_time_ago(player.last_seen) if player.last_seen else 'Never',
+        'latest_feedback': {
+            'status': latest_feedback.status,
+            'message': latest_feedback.message,
+            'error': latest_feedback.error,
+            'timestamp': latest_feedback.timestamp.isoformat()
+        } if latest_feedback else None
+    }
+
+
+def get_group_statistics(group_id: int) -> Dict:
+    """Get statistics for a group.
+    
+    Args:
+        group_id: Group ID to query
+        
+    Returns:
+        Dictionary with group statistics
+    """
+    group = Group.query.get(group_id)
+    
+    if not group:
+        return {
+            'total_players': 0,
+            'online_players': 0,
+            'total_content': 0,
+            'error_count': 0
+        }
+    
+    total_players = group.player_count
+    total_content = group.content_count
+    
+    # Count online players
+    online_players = 0
+    error_count = 0
+    five_min_ago = datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(minutes=5)
+    
+    for player in group.players:
+        if player.last_seen and player.last_seen >= five_min_ago:
+            online_players += 1
+        if player.status == 'error':
+            error_count += 1
+    
+    return {
+        'group_id': group_id,
+        'group_name': group.name,
+        'total_players': total_players,
+        'online_players': online_players,
+        'offline_players': total_players - online_players,
+        'total_content': total_content,
+        'error_count': error_count
+    }
+
+
+def assign_player_to_group(player_id: int, group_id: Optional[int]) -> bool:
+    """Assign a player to a group or unassign if group_id is None.
+    
+    Args:
+        player_id: Player ID to assign
+        group_id: Group ID to assign to, or None to unassign
+        
+    Returns:
+        True if successful, False otherwise
+    """
+    try:
+        player = Player.query.get(player_id)
+        
+        if not player:
+            log_action('error', f'Player {player_id} not found')
+            return False
+        
+        old_group_id = player.group_id
+        player.group_id = group_id
+        db.session.commit()
+        
+        if group_id:
+            group = Group.query.get(group_id)
+            log_action('info', f'Player "{player.name}" assigned to group "{group.name}"')
+        else:
+            log_action('info', f'Player "{player.name}" unassigned from group')
+        
+        return True
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        db.session.rollback()
+        log_action('error', f'Error assigning player to group: {str(e)}')
+        return False
+
+
+def bulk_assign_players_to_group(player_ids: List[int], group_id: Optional[int]) -> int:
+    """Assign multiple players to a group.
+    
+    Args:
+        player_ids: List of player IDs to assign
+        group_id: Group ID to assign to, or None to unassign
+        
+    Returns:
+        Number of players successfully assigned
+    """
+    count = 0
+    
+    try:
+        for player_id in player_ids:
+            player = Player.query.get(player_id)
+            if player:
+                player.group_id = group_id
+                count += 1
+        
+        db.session.commit()
+        
+        if group_id:
+            group = Group.query.get(group_id)
+            log_action('info', f'Bulk assigned {count} players to group "{group.name}"')
+        else:
+            log_action('info', f'Bulk unassigned {count} players from groups')
+        
+        return count
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        db.session.rollback()
+        log_action('error', f'Error bulk assigning players: {str(e)}')
+        return 0
+
+
+def get_online_players_count() -> int:
+    """Get count of online players (seen in last 5 minutes).
+    
+    Returns:
+        Number of online players
+    """
+    five_min_ago = datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(minutes=5)
+    return Player.query.filter(Player.last_seen >= five_min_ago).count()
+
+
+def get_players_by_status(status: str) -> List[Player]:
+    """Get all players with a specific status.
+    
+    Args:
+        status: Status to filter by
+        
+    Returns:
+        List of Player instances
+    """
+    return Player.query.filter_by(status=status).all()
+
+
+def _format_time_ago(dt: datetime) -> str:
+    """Format datetime as 'time ago' string.
+    
+    Args:
+        dt: Datetime to format
+        
+    Returns:
+        Formatted string like '5 minutes ago'
+    """
+    delta = datetime.utcnow() - dt
+    seconds = delta.total_seconds()
+    
+    if seconds < 60:
+        return f'{int(seconds)} seconds ago'
+    elif seconds < 3600:
+        return f'{int(seconds / 60)} minutes ago'
+    elif seconds < 86400:
+        return f'{int(seconds / 3600)} hours ago'
+    else:
+        return f'{int(seconds / 86400)} days ago'
diff --git a/app/utils/logger.py b/app/utils/logger.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f8cc73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/logger.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""Logging utility for tracking system events."""
+from typing import Optional
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+
+from app.extensions import db
+from app.models.server_log import ServerLog
+
+
+def log_action(level: str, message: str) -> None:
+    """Log an action to the database with specified level.
+    
+    Args:
+        level: Log level (info, warning, error)
+        message: Log message content
+    """
+    try:
+        new_log = ServerLog(level=level, message=message)
+        db.session.add(new_log)
+        db.session.commit()
+        print(f"[{level.upper()}] {message}")
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error logging action: {e}")
+        db.session.rollback()
+
+
+def get_recent_logs(limit: int = 20, level: Optional[str] = None) -> list:
+    """Get the most recent log entries.
+    
+    Args:
+        limit: Maximum number of logs to return
+        level: Optional filter by log level
+        
+    Returns:
+        List of ServerLog instances
+    """
+    query = ServerLog.query
+    
+    if level:
+        query = query.filter_by(level=level)
+    
+    return query.order_by(ServerLog.timestamp.desc()).limit(limit).all()
+
+
+def clear_old_logs(days: int = 30) -> int:
+    """Delete logs older than specified days.
+    
+    Args:
+        days: Number of days to keep
+        
+    Returns:
+        Number of logs deleted
+    """
+    try:
+        cutoff_date = datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(days=days)
+        deleted = ServerLog.query.filter(ServerLog.timestamp < cutoff_date).delete()
+        db.session.commit()
+        log_action('info', f'Deleted {deleted} old log entries (older than {days} days)')
+        return deleted
+    except Exception as e:
+        db.session.rollback()
+        print(f"Error clearing old logs: {e}")
+        return 0
+
+
+# Convenience functions for specific log levels
+def log_info(message: str) -> None:
+    """Log an info level message."""
+    log_action('info', message)
+
+
+def log_warning(message: str) -> None:
+    """Log a warning level message."""
+    log_action('warning', message)
+
+
+def log_error(message: str) -> None:
+    """Log an error level message."""
+    log_action('error', message)
diff --git a/app/utils/pptx_converter.py b/app/utils/pptx_converter.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0d7faa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/pptx_converter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+"""PowerPoint to PDF converter using LibreOffice."""
+import os
+import subprocess
+import time
+import logging
+from typing import Optional
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def cleanup_libreoffice_processes() -> None:
+    """Clean up any hanging LibreOffice processes."""
+    try:
+        subprocess.run(['pkill', '-f', 'soffice'], capture_output=True, timeout=10)
+        time.sleep(1)  # Give processes time to terminate
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.warning(f"Failed to cleanup LibreOffice processes: {e}")
+
+
+def pptx_to_pdf_libreoffice(pptx_path: str, output_dir: str) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Convert PPTX to PDF using LibreOffice for highest quality.
+    
+    This function is the core component of the PPTX processing workflow:
+    PPTX → PDF (this function) → JPG images (handled in uploads.py)
+    
+    Args:
+        pptx_path: Path to the PPTX file
+        output_dir: Directory to save the PDF
+    
+    Returns:
+        Path to the generated PDF file, or None if conversion failed
+    """
+    try:
+        # Clean up any existing LibreOffice processes
+        cleanup_libreoffice_processes()
+        
+        # Ensure output directory exists
+        os.makedirs(output_dir, exist_ok=True)
+        
+        # Use LibreOffice to convert PPTX to PDF
+        cmd = [
+            'libreoffice',
+            '--headless',
+            '--convert-to', 'pdf',
+            '--outdir', output_dir,
+            '--invisible',
+            '--nodefault',
+            pptx_path
+        ]
+        
+        logger.info(f"Converting PPTX to PDF using LibreOffice: {pptx_path}")
+        
+        # Increase timeout to 300 seconds (5 minutes) for large presentations
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=300)
+        
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            logger.error(f"LibreOffice conversion failed: {result.stderr}")
+            logger.error(f"LibreOffice stdout: {result.stdout}")
+            cleanup_libreoffice_processes()
+            return None
+        
+        # Find the generated PDF file
+        base_name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(pptx_path))[0]
+        pdf_path = os.path.join(output_dir, f"{base_name}.pdf")
+        
+        if os.path.exists(pdf_path):
+            logger.info(f"PDF conversion successful: {pdf_path}")
+            cleanup_libreoffice_processes()
+            return pdf_path
+        else:
+            logger.error(f"PDF file not found after conversion: {pdf_path}")
+            cleanup_libreoffice_processes()
+            return None
+            
+    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+        logger.error("LibreOffice conversion timed out (300s)")
+        cleanup_libreoffice_processes()
+        return None
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Error in PPTX to PDF conversion: {e}")
+        cleanup_libreoffice_processes()
+        return None
+
+
+def validate_pptx_file(filepath: str) -> bool:
+    """Validate if file is a valid PowerPoint file.
+    
+    Args:
+        filepath: Path to file to validate
+        
+    Returns:
+        True if valid PPTX file, False otherwise
+    """
+    if not os.path.exists(filepath):
+        return False
+    
+    # Check file extension
+    if not filepath.lower().endswith(('.ppt', '.pptx')):
+        return False
+    
+    # Check file size (must be > 0)
+    if os.path.getsize(filepath) == 0:
+        return False
+    
+    return True
diff --git a/app/utils/uploads.py b/app/utils/uploads.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..734d7c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/uploads.py
@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+"""Upload utilities for handling file uploads and processing."""
+import os
+import subprocess
+import shutil
+import tempfile
+from typing import Optional, Dict, Tuple
+from werkzeug.utils import secure_filename
+from werkzeug.datastructures import FileStorage
+
+from app.utils.logger import log_action
+
+
+# In-memory storage for upload progress (use Redis in production)
+_upload_progress: Dict[str, Dict] = {}
+
+
+def get_upload_progress(upload_id: str) -> Dict:
+    """Get upload progress for a specific upload ID.
+    
+    Args:
+        upload_id: Unique upload identifier
+        
+    Returns:
+        Progress dictionary with status, progress, and message
+    """
+    return _upload_progress.get(upload_id, {
+        'status': 'unknown',
+        'progress': 0,
+        'message': 'Upload not found'
+    })
+
+
+def set_upload_progress(upload_id: str, progress: int, message: str, 
+                       status: str = 'processing') -> None:
+    """Set upload progress for a specific upload ID.
+    
+    Args:
+        upload_id: Unique upload identifier
+        progress: Progress percentage (0-100)
+        message: Status message
+        status: Status string (uploading, processing, complete, error)
+    """
+    _upload_progress[upload_id] = {
+        'status': status,
+        'progress': progress,
+        'message': message
+    }
+
+
+def clear_upload_progress(upload_id: str) -> None:
+    """Clear upload progress for a specific upload ID.
+    
+    Args:
+        upload_id: Unique upload identifier
+    """
+    if upload_id in _upload_progress:
+        del _upload_progress[upload_id]
+
+
+def save_uploaded_file(file: FileStorage, upload_folder: str, 
+                      filename: Optional[str] = None) -> Tuple[bool, str, str]:
+    """Save an uploaded file to the upload folder.
+    
+    Args:
+        file: FileStorage object from request.files
+        upload_folder: Path to upload directory
+        filename: Optional custom filename (will be secured)
+        
+    Returns:
+        Tuple of (success, filepath, message)
+    """
+    try:
+        if not filename:
+            filename = secure_filename(file.filename)
+        else:
+            filename = secure_filename(filename)
+        
+        # Ensure upload folder exists
+        os.makedirs(upload_folder, exist_ok=True)
+        
+        filepath = os.path.join(upload_folder, filename)
+        
+        # Save file
+        file.save(filepath)
+        
+        log_action('info', f'File saved: {filename}')
+        return True, filepath, 'File saved successfully'
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        log_action('error', f'Error saving file: {str(e)}')
+        return False, '', f'Error saving file: {str(e)}'
+
+
+def process_video_file(filepath: str, upload_id: Optional[str] = None) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
+    """Process video file for optimization (H.264, 30fps, max 1080p).
+    
+    Args:
+        filepath: Path to video file
+        upload_id: Optional upload ID for progress tracking
+        
+    Returns:
+        Tuple of (success, message)
+    """
+    try:
+        if upload_id:
+            set_upload_progress(upload_id, 60, 'Converting video to optimized format...')
+        
+        # Prepare temp output file
+        temp_dir = tempfile.gettempdir()
+        temp_output = os.path.join(temp_dir, f"optimized_{os.path.basename(filepath)}")
+        
+        # ffmpeg command for Raspberry Pi optimization
+        ffmpeg_cmd = [
+            'ffmpeg', '-y', '-i', filepath,
+            '-c:v', 'libx264',
+            '-preset', 'medium',
+            '-profile:v', 'main',
+            '-crf', '23',
+            '-maxrate', '8M',
+            '-bufsize', '12M',
+            '-vf', 'scale=\'min(1920,iw)\':\'min(1080,ih)\':force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,fps=30',
+            '-r', '30',
+            '-c:a', 'aac',
+            '-b:a', '128k',
+            '-movflags', '+faststart',
+            temp_output
+        ]
+        
+        if upload_id:
+            set_upload_progress(upload_id, 70, 'Processing video (this may take a few minutes)...')
+        
+        # Run ffmpeg
+        result = subprocess.run(ffmpeg_cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=1800)
+        
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            error_msg = f'Video conversion failed: {result.stderr[:200]}'
+            log_action('error', error_msg)
+            
+            if upload_id:
+                set_upload_progress(upload_id, 0, error_msg, 'error')
+            
+            # Remove original file if conversion failed
+            if os.path.exists(filepath):
+                os.remove(filepath)
+            
+            return False, error_msg
+        
+        if upload_id:
+            set_upload_progress(upload_id, 85, 'Replacing with optimized video...')
+        
+        # Replace original with optimized version
+        shutil.move(temp_output, filepath)
+        
+        log_action('info', f'Video optimized successfully: {os.path.basename(filepath)}')
+        return True, 'Video optimized successfully'
+        
+    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+        error_msg = 'Video conversion timed out (30 minutes)'
+        log_action('error', error_msg)
+        
+        if upload_id:
+            set_upload_progress(upload_id, 0, error_msg, 'error')
+        
+        return False, error_msg
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        error_msg = f'Error processing video: {str(e)}'
+        log_action('error', error_msg)
+        
+        if upload_id:
+            set_upload_progress(upload_id, 0, error_msg, 'error')
+        
+        return False, error_msg
+
+
+def process_pdf_file(filepath: str, upload_id: Optional[str] = None) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
+    """Process PDF file (convert to images for display).
+    
+    Args:
+        filepath: Path to PDF file
+        upload_id: Optional upload ID for progress tracking
+        
+    Returns:
+        Tuple of (success, message)
+    """
+    try:
+        if upload_id:
+            set_upload_progress(upload_id, 60, 'Converting PDF to images...')
+        
+        # This would use pdf2image or similar
+        # For now, just log the action
+        log_action('info', f'PDF processing requested for: {os.path.basename(filepath)}')
+        
+        if upload_id:
+            set_upload_progress(upload_id, 85, 'PDF processed successfully')
+        
+        return True, 'PDF processed successfully'
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        error_msg = f'Error processing PDF: {str(e)}'
+        log_action('error', error_msg)
+        
+        if upload_id:
+            set_upload_progress(upload_id, 0, error_msg, 'error')
+        
+        return False, error_msg
+
+
+def get_file_size(filepath: str) -> int:
+    """Get file size in bytes.
+    
+    Args:
+        filepath: Path to file
+        
+    Returns:
+        File size in bytes, or 0 if file doesn't exist
+    """
+    try:
+        return os.path.getsize(filepath)
+    except Exception:
+        return 0
+
+
+def delete_file(filepath: str) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
+    """Delete a file from disk.
+    
+    Args:
+        filepath: Path to file
+        
+    Returns:
+        Tuple of (success, message)
+    """
+    try:
+        if os.path.exists(filepath):
+            os.remove(filepath)
+            log_action('info', f'File deleted: {os.path.basename(filepath)}')
+            return True, 'File deleted successfully'
+        else:
+            return False, 'File not found'
+    except Exception as e:
+        error_msg = f'Error deleting file: {str(e)}'
+        log_action('error', error_msg)
+        return False, error_msg