what is the best way to publish to avi, using Captivate 4

[hlearn]

I am trying to insert some Captivate simulations into another product for publication. Unfortunately, the swf files (my preferred option) do not play nicely with the other product. It has been recommended that I insert movies rather than swf files. I have been trying to publish via Captivate 4 to avi with unsatisfying results. If I use the default Indeo video format, I usually get an undefined error (even when resizing to all odd numbers or all even numbers). I can actually get an avi file to publish when using the Cinepak Codec; however, the video quality is rather poor. Also, I find that while the recorded narration files are okay, any background audio (typing and mouse clicks) get out of sync the longer the file runs.

I've seen some recommendations on installing XVid, but I tried that and could not figure out how to use it. If I install and reboot will it become an option with Captivate or will I need to use it in some other manner? (I'm not very techie about stuff like this).

[Erik_Lord]

Try publishing to SWF or FLV...then converting that to AVI using one of the many video conversion tools on the web (I mentioned 'Super' converter in some other thread).

When I check my CP4 install, I have two Indeo options. Do you? Try the other one?

OR, assuming you're on Windows, you can install Windows Media codecs:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=507

and after a restart, those should be listed below the default codecs as options.

Helps?

[hlearn]

I got a message that Windows media player was incompatible, followed by another message that install was successful.

Regardless, I rebooted, reopened Captivate and have now tried every converter in the list. Either I get an error during initialization and cannot proceed, or I get audio with no video, audio with fuzzy or jumping up and down video, or audio that is out of sync with the video.

Heidi Learn

Senior Technical Trainer

Sunquest Information Systems, Inc.

250 S. Williams Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85711

Direct: +1-814-410-3080

Fax: +1-520-901-9534

www.sunquestinfo.com<http://www.sunquestinfo.com/>

[Erik_Lord]

Well...that's not encouraging. Maybe that sort of result is why publishing to such movie formats are no longer an option in Captivate

Of all those results, the audio sync I've seen before - it's a difficult process, apparently, to keep audio in sync when not publishing to a Flash format.

So, can you publish to FLV, then convert that to a different format? You may have better luck. There are many such converters out there. I've had luck with this for similar needs in the past:

http://www.erightsoft.com/S6Kg1.html

OR, of course, if you can publish to FLV and just use that file format for integration into "another product for publication", that would seem optimal...

Let us know how it goes...

[hlearn]

How would I publish to flv? I’m only seeing swf as an option.

Heidi Learn

Senior Technical Trainer

Sunquest Information Systems, Inc.

250 S. Williams Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85711

Direct: +1-814-410-3080

Fax: +1-520-901-9534

www.sunquestinfo.com<http://www.sunquestinfo.com/>

[Harry28586]

goto publish and on the left side there is an option that says media,select that and in Media option you will find AVI as an option,select that and publish.

[Harry28586]

Here is the image

[hlearn]

Yes, that is what I have been trying, but none of the output files I am generating are acceptable.

Heidi Learn

Senior Technical Trainer

Sunquest Information Systems, Inc.

250 S. Williams Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85711

Direct: +1-814-410-3080

Fax: +1-520-901-9534

www.sunquestinfo.com<http://www.sunquestinfo.com/>

[Harry28586]

go ahead and download the VLC media payer from google,its free from this link

http://download.cnet.com/VLC-Media-Player/3001-13632_4-10267151.html?spi=cbc075f7469625bea94e366f505...

and try and play the output.

[hlearn]

What is that going to buy me? I need to insert these files into another application and have them run through that. I don’t know that a different media player is going to solve my problem.

Heidi Learn

Senior Technical Trainer

Sunquest Information Systems, Inc.

250 S. Williams Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85711

Direct: +1-814-410-3080

Fax: +1-520-901-9534

www.sunquestinfo.com<http://www.sunquestinfo.com/>

[Harry28586]

Avi is the universal format and if the third party tool is not accepting it,i think that is suppose to work.

[Erik_Lord]

Ack, I hope it's there and I'm not misleading. Let me check tomorrow when I have access to a computer that still has CP4 installed...

[hlearn]

Were you ever able to figure out if this can be done in Cap4?

Heidi Learn

Senior Technical Trainer

Sunquest Information Systems, Inc.

250 S. Williams Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85711

Direct: +1-814-410-3080

Fax: +1-520-901-9534

www.sunquestinfo.com<http://www.sunquestinfo.com/>

[Erik_Lord]

Ack! So sorry, totally slipped my mind!

Will see what I can find out today...

Sorry, the one computer with CP4 is in use! I'll try to check tomorrow. Apologies for the delays...

In the meantime, you can definitely export a project to FLV with CP5 or later. Would it be worth downloading a trial version, opening a copy of your project, and exporting to FLV with that?

Actually, in CP5+ the export is to 'F4V' but that's essentially the same thing (under the “Media” tab).