Transparent videos in Air for iOS

[MeThY]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to play some transparent FLV files inside my app.  My issue is, It's working as expected in ADL, but not on the device?  (I'm using Air 3.3, iOS 5, iPhone 4s).

Any helps?

Cheers!

[MeThY]

Nobody have any clue on this?  Is it even possible to run transparent video in iOS? 

[random_1_]

I've done it using VP6 and a custom video player, but never tested the app with AIR 3.3.

For anyone with a question about Flash or ActionScript, I'd recommend http://stackoverflow.com/ because you're more likely to get an answer.

[Colin Holgate]

Some of the other forums are worth trying, but I think they are more general Flash, and not mobile specific. Whether you get an answer here may depend on the exact question. If the question only has a little bit of detail answers may not come so quickly.

In this case I had a theory about the question, but feel sure that I'm wrong, so I didn't post. But I'll say it anyway…

In some video cases you have to use Netstream and not FLVPlayBack to get what you want. Playing H.264 may be such a case. In other cases you can use the FLVPlayBack component to play FLV files, possibly even with transparency.

What you will most likely not get anyway with is using a controller skin and FLVPlayback, on iOS. I believe those use external ActionScript, and that isn't allowed.

So, with only the information that it works in Test Movie and not on a device, my guess is that you're using a custom controller skin.

If that's not the case, do you get video that is not transparent, no video at all, or video but no sound?

Whatever the case, do try just Netstream, that has the best chances of working.

[MeThY]

Hey guys, thanks for the information

Sorry I was not more specific.  My app is using a simple Video objected which is attached to a netstream.  I'm using FLV, encoded as H264.  I will look into FLVPlayback and perhaps VP6 as well.

I'll feed back here if I have any luck!

Thanks again.

[mbhagya]

MeThY,

H264 video can be played on iOS using StageVideo object only.

Please use that instead of the simple Video object.

-mayank

[MeThY]

mbhagya, this isn't possible because I require transparent video.  StageVideo sits below the native stage, meaning I cannot overlay it on top of my UI elements.  This is why I am stuck.  I wish I 'could' use StageVideo for this...

[mbhagya]

MeThY,

With StageVideo one can overlay the UI elements on top of a video but not vice-versa.

-mayank

[random_1_]

MeThY,

According to the documentation, Flash doesn't support alpha channels in H.264 video. You'll have to use VP6.

The FLVPlayback component doesn't handle alpha channels very well. You're better off sticking with a Video object.

[Colin Holgate]

If the video is H.264, then it's not FLV. You'll notice that such files that you make with Adobe Media Encoder are .F4V, not .FLV.

So, use an FLVPlayback component that has its controller set to None, and that should work ok. And do make it be a .FLV, VP6, and make sure you clicked on the "encode alpha channel" box.

[retropunk]

using the FLVPlayback Component to load an FLV with transparency works on iOS too?

Can you provide any code example?

I have it working in the desktop preview when I am testing. It looks great, perfect transparency.

But when I load it on the iPad3 you can see the black corners when they should be transparent.

This would be great to use sine the performace of the flv on iOS is great right now

Thanks!