About embedding audio & video files into PDF texts

[HabMer123]

Hi everyone,

Please see if you can help me with my question:

I am using Microsoft Word for a language project and at the end I will save it in PDF format because I want the users view the pages exactly as I design. I need to embed (insert) audio and video files into the text of my project. I assume that the user will click the audio or video icon on the text, open and view it.

I know one of the Adobe Readers Pro or DC is capable of embedding audio & video files into PDF text.

However not any user has Acrobat reader Pro or DC on his/her pc.

What I need to know is will that user be able to read my project and have access to the audios and videos embedded into its text using a pc that only has a regular consumer-grade pdf reader?

[Joel Geraci]

Do you need the audio and video to play on mobile devices? How long into the future do you anticipate these files being used?

[HabMer123]

Joel, thanks for your response.

Yes, I want my project to work on pc, Mac, ipad and other portables. I would choose the solution which helps the project work longest into the future. 

[try67]

The PDF files are not the solution, unfortunately. They used to be, but not any longer due to the wide spread of sub-par PDF readers and the difficulties of using all features on mobile devices. If you stick to Adobe software and instruct the users to not open the file on a mobile device, then yes, the PDF format is still the best one to use.

[Joel Geraci]

You can use PDF but you don't want to embed the files. Instead link to the files that are served up using some other platform.

[try67]

Acrobat Reader (not Pro) is free and certainly a "consumer-grade PDF reader"... Recommend your readers to use it for best results.

[HabMer123]

Hi Try67,

Do you mean that any computer with consumer-grade adobe reader would play the audio & video files embedded into my pdf pages?

[try67]

In theory, yes, although there have been issues with playing media files on Catalina lately.