Uploading a Powerpoint with embedded videos to a Connect Meeting to work on desktop and mobile; has anyone done this?

[iDoNotBelieveIt]

I would like to upload a Powerpoint file with embedded videos to work on both desktop and mobile clients in a Connect Meeting. Has anyone managed to do this with Presenter 10 because you cannot do this by uploading to a Connect Meeting directly. Adobe tell me that I need to buy Presenter 10.

The problem I find, apart from some really irritating permission errors with Presenter 10 that often means the project fails to be published to Connect, is that the desktop version of Connect uses Flash and does not support HTML5. The mobile client does not support MP4(!). You have to use FLV video to work in both, but Powerpoint does not support this. Also Media Encoder 2014 does not support FLV so you have to use an earlier version.

So unless I am missing something the only way to get video to work on both platforms is to remove it from the PPT/PPTX, convert to FLV and then add the FLVs to a separate pod. This is a major and time consuming endeavour and is becoming a significant problem for me.

Any advice would be appreciated.

TIA

[Jorma_at_CoSo]

OK, so let's just start with the PPT/Presenter side of things, and we'll come back around to the video.

It appears that the mobile app now supports Presenter content from Presenter 10 when published as both html 5 and Flash. Adobe Connect - Android Apps on Google Play

• Support for content created in Adobe Presenter 10 (Publish Format as ‘Both’ is supported)

However it appears that Presenter 10 and Connect 9.3 are required for that to work. I'd have to test whether just uploading a PPT(X) file to the share pod would work (the Connect server should be using the Presenter 10 conversion engine to create a Flash presentation). You might try using the 30 day trial version of Presenter 10 to see if it does solve your problems with displaying the PPT/Presenter content in Connect. It is also worth noting that there is a fair bit of functionality that may not be available on a phone, but is available on a tablet.

For the video, the app does allow FLV video. You can use Presenter to embed video into the PPT presentation and it will play back. You can also just upload the FLV video into another instance of a Share pod. Placing a video in PPT just creates a file path link which is broken when you upload it to Connect.

I see what you mean about AME. Odd, but there are any number of paid and free applications that will convert to FLV.

[iDoNotBelieveIt]

Thanks for the reply.

I am using the Presenter 10 trial (sorry re-reading my post I did not make that clear) and Connect 9.3. I have raised it with Adobe and there is indeed a problem. Connect Meeting 9.3 does not recognise an HTML5 project created in Presenter 10.  When I import an FLV into Presenter 10 I get a placeholder.

What I have been doing is precisely what you recommend for video: I upload it an FLV to a separate pod. It is bizarre that you can play an MP4 in a Connect meeting that works on the desktop but not mobile device. This is becoming a very time-consuming procedure and less than ideal. It means I have to create lots of layouts in the Connect Meeting too.

It is great that Connect Meeting supports mobile devices but those on mobile devices complain when a feature does not work (that's life...). That means I have to plan events that are fully functional on desktop and mobile. Videos are becoming more and more common. Connect Meeting should really support video embedded in Powerpoint out of the box without all the hassle. Adobe says that you need to have Presenter to do this but it does not work.  At the moment you can't do it unless you share Powerpoint as an application (which I could not get to work either so I have no idea how well the videos would stream).

I have also just found that the pointer, supposed to have been fixed in the latest mobile release, does not work either (it works first time but the position is not updated when moved unless you turn off the pointer first then turn it back on). I am not sure how this escaped testing.

However I have foud that Adobe is very responsive to fixing faults so fingers crossed that there will be a solution soon.

[Jorma_at_CoSo]

I_don't_believe_it! wrote:

Connect Meeting 9.3 does not recognise an HTML5 project created in Presenter 10.

This is true for the desktop version of Connect, as it is Flash based and not compatible with HTML, that is why there is the recommendation of publishing the presentation as both Flash and HTML5.

I_don't_believe_it! wrote:

When I import an FLV into Presenter 10 I get a placeholder.

I'm just throwing out an idea here, but does importing an MP4 into presenter and then playing it in the meeting room and on a mobile device work?

I_don't_believe_it! wrote:

At the moment you can't do it unless you share Powerpoint as an application (which I could not get to work either so I have no idea how well the videos would stream).

Please don't screen share videos. It will only cause you more pain and frustration. Screen sharing runs at 3-5 frames per second (FPS) and doesn't broadcast any system audio, while videos run a 24-30 FPS. So you will lose audio and much of the visual information contained in the video if you use screen sharing.

Application sharing is a bit moody when you have dual monitors, so if you chose to share an application that happens to be on your second monitor, it won't be seen, as the Connect application is looking to share it via your primary monitor. Not sure if that was what caused you issue, but it is worth knowing. Personally, I just do desktop sharing and ensure that any applications that contain personal or inappropriate information are closed or only display on the monitor I'm not sharing.

I_don't_believe_it! wrote:

This is becoming a very time-consuming procedure and less than ideal. It means I have to create lots of layouts in the Connect Meeting too.

I can see how it could lead to that. You may find the trick of layering pods more useful than layouts. This is most commonly done by having two (sometimes more) share pods that don't quit fill the allotted space, but 'peek out' from behind the share pods up front. This way you can just click on the frame of the appropriate share pod. Alternatively, with multiple share pods (well multiple of any types of pods) on one layout you can use the keyboard shortcut of Ctrl + F6 (Command + F6 for Mac) to move the focus to the next pod, Adobe Connect 9 * Accessibility features. Maybe that can help you reduce the number of layouts required.

[iDoNotBelieveIt]

Thanks for the suggestions

MP4s won't work in the Connect Meeting apps. I've also had some saving issues with Presenter 10 so testing it has proved 'a challenge'.

For the moment it looks like I will have to use FLVs in separate pods.

I have stayed away from screen sharing for the reasons you have stated, though I thought I would test it. I could not get it to work.

I hope Adobe will sort out the Presenter issues asap. I really like Connect, but this is something that Adobe do need to get working asap. I have been impressed with the way they have responded to bug fixing in the past so I am confident they will. It is just a shame this was not picked up in testing.

[cm23dave]

I am looking forward to an answer to this having wasted 2 days trying to get a swf to play in a PowerPoint that can also be shared via Connect. I would now be grateful to find any single format that will work in both PowerPoint and Connect.

[iDoNotBelieveIt]

At the moment you can't do it. You have to convert to FLV and display in a separate pod. I spent a whole day on it for one webinar.

You should really be able to do this within Connect Meetings as standard, even if it means Adobe specifying a video standard e.g. MP4 for video in the PowerPoint file.  It is unacceptable to require clients to purchase Presenter to do this, especially as it does not work.  I am not sure how this escaped testing of Presenter 10.

Let's hope that Adobe will have a fix shortly (the problem has been acknowledged).  They have fixed some Captivate 8 issues I reported not long ago, so I am confident they will. They will need to otherwise clients will look elsewhere; video is becoming an integral medium in webinars.  Connect is an excellent product otherwise, so fingers crossed for a fix very soon.