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Interactive Document (PDF) where the video works on iPad

May 10, 2012 11:27 AM

Has anyone been able to use video in an InDesign interactive document (CS5.5) that works on the iPad? I tried using the mp4 format but it still doesn't play on the iPad (it doesn't even show up in the document). I'd love to be able to create a document that works on the iPad too.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Dave

 
Replies
  • Currently Being Moderated
    May 10, 2012 11:30 AM   in reply to Kurrykid

    The key is to use the correct PDF reader to view the video. MP4 is the correct format. Most of the readers don't yet support much interactivity. See my blog posts:

     

    For Interactive PDF, Not All Readers Are Equal

     

    A Much Improved Adobe Reader for Tablets Appears

     
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    May 10, 2012 12:33 PM   in reply to Kurrykid

    This may not be exactly what you are looking for, but if you convert your InDesign layout to HTML5 web-app with eDocker Tablet Publisher, you may add MP4 videos into it.

    Readers need just default iPad Safari for reading your publication (and watching videos)

     

    http://www.edocker.fi/index.php/en/products/edocker-tablet-publisher/

     
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    Jul 5, 2012 6:53 AM   in reply to Petteri_Paananen

    That's prohibitively expensive - exactly what I at least am NOT looking for. I'm starting to suspect the free Reader will never play video, because Adobe would then be offering us a free alternative to the highway robbery of the $399 per-publication Digital Publishing Suite.

     
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    Jul 5, 2012 8:03 AM   in reply to Mary Baum

    But. I did just find an app called EZpdf reader that plays video! A google search of the phrase "play video in pdf on iPad" brought up an App Store entry for that gem, and it actually works! Much better to bundle a $3 app with the book, or discount the price accordingly, than to lay out $399 per publication without knowing if we'll ever recoup the costs on a first venture - or a tenth! I may well email them to see what we can do about postering if the options are as limited as they seem on first test.

     
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    Jul 5, 2012 8:10 AM   in reply to Mary Baum

    Except you can't do that. Apple won't let you.

     

    Bob

     
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    Jul 5, 2012 8:29 AM   in reply to Bob Levine

    Not on the iBooks store. And I suppose they won't let me bundle the app on our server. You're right - pricing adjustment if it's their first purchase may be the way to go.

     
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    Jul 5, 2012 9:00 AM   in reply to Mary Baum

    Good luck keeping that straight. But if you're going that route you best test that PDF thoroughly. Interactive PDF on tablets is still a crapshoot and you're going to need to be very specific in recommending a PDF reader for each device it's being marketed for.

     

    Bob

     
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    Jul 5, 2012 5:05 PM   in reply to Bob Levine

    Goes without saying - nothing will kill an already-minuscule market faster than a product that doesn't deliver on its main feature. But we will start by specifying iPad only to start - I don't see this audience as a heavy Android community anyway - it's mature women. They may be Windows computer users, but my experience is that their phones are iOS, and their tablets tend to be iPads. (Even if their husbands are practically holding up silver crosses on chains on the way in and out of the Apple store . . .)

     
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    Jul 5, 2012 5:22 PM   in reply to Mary Baum

    Just keep in mind that a PDF can be viewed on any device with a reader.

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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    Aug 6, 2012 8:08 AM   in reply to Kurrykid

    I created an interactive PDF with mp4 video (using IDCS5) that doesn't display on any Apple device - including Mac computers.  Works just fine on PC.  Any suggestions?  Is it as simple as a reader problem in that case as well?  When sending out a sales pitch, it seems kind of ridiculous to have to demand the potential client to upgrade their Reader version before watching the content.

     

    Thanks for the help!

     
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    Aug 6, 2012 8:27 AM   in reply to adschnelle78

    Ridiculous or not, that’s the state of things on tablets.

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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    Aug 6, 2012 8:37 AM   in reply to Bob Levine

    Bob -

     

    Do you have any insight into why my video wouldn't play on a Mac, aside from the tablet issue?  I'm using mp4 video format and the video displays just fine on a PC.  I'm somewhat at a loss here and not sure where to turn for assistance.

     

    Thanks.

     
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    Aug 6, 2012 8:42 AM   in reply to adschnelle78

    Honestly, I don’t do a lot of interactive PDF work and this is one of the reasons. I feel the same way about EPUB.

     

     

     

    Way too many variables and quite frankly not enough money in it (for me) to justify it.

     

     

     

    End of Rant.

     

     

     

    On the Mac, are you trying to view it in the Mac’s Preview app? If so, switch to Acrobat or Reader.

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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    Aug 6, 2012 9:00 AM   in reply to adschnelle78

    I'm viewing on a PC.  I sent it to my client who is viewing on their Mac and they informed me the video isn't there - FAIL.  I've uploaded to the web and tested on other machines, but only PC's and they are downloading the video just fine.  But the clients Macs in their office are neither able to open the standalone PDF to view the video or download the PDF from a website to see the interactive content.

     

    This is the first time I've created an interactive PDF and thought it seemed too easy

     
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    Aug 6, 2012 9:10 AM   in reply to adschnelle78

    It's quite likely if they're viewing it on a Mac, they're viewing in the automatically installed Apple Preview PDF viewer. While this works for many PDFs reasonably well, it fails for video, some kinds of forms and other stuff.

     

    You should ask them to download the free Adobe Reader.

     
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    Sep 4, 2012 12:31 PM   in reply to Kurrykid

    Hi Dave

     

    Readdle just came out with an app called PDF Expert 4.2 that will play video on an iPad.

     
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    Sep 4, 2012 12:48 PM   in reply to kjacks445

    PDF Expert provides the best experience for multimedia I've found on an iPad.

     
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    Sep 4, 2012 12:52 PM   in reply to Steve Werner

    The problem of course is that you can’t be sure what the recipient will have as far as a PDF reader.

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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    Sep 4, 2012 1:39 PM   in reply to Bob Levine

    That's true. However, if the PDF is being used by an internal group--let's say a sales force--a company could invest in this reader. Obviously that decision would be driven by how many iPads the PDF would run on, how often they use this format, etc.

     
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    Sep 4, 2012 1:41 PM   in reply to kjacks445

    That is true, but to be honest for something like that I’ve found DPS to be a great tool and far more powerful than PDF.

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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    Sep 4, 2012 2:39 PM   in reply to Bob Levine

    DPS looks great, but most designers I've talked to are reluctant to use it because of the cost. Even though the single issue option is available, there seems to be confusion about how that works. Can you use it for a one-off publication (vs. a monthly publication), paying the fee once but have unlimited downloads? And is it only distributed through the Apple Store or by logging into Acrobat.com?

     
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    Sep 4, 2012 2:45 PM   in reply to kjacks445

    There is no cost for a small group sharing via the Adobe Content Viewer.

     

     

     

    For actual publications that are one-offs, Adobe has the DPS Single Edition which costs $395 with no other Adobe fees. An unlimited number of these apps will be added to the Creative Cloud offering in the next month or so.

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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    Sep 4, 2012 4:25 PM   in reply to Bob Levine

    Thanks Bob, that's good to know!

     
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