Inserting audio/video into PDF

[RicardoApples]

So it seems to be possible in Acrobat Pro to insert video and audio into PDFs.

But when you do go through the "Rich Media" and then add a video file, it comes up with this message.

You can then just click 'cancel' and it seems to insert a placeholder for the video. Then if you save the PDF and open it, you get this message...

and Flash Player is no longer supported.

So can anyone tell me whether adding audio or video is possible at all? If it's not, surely these options should be removed from Acrobat...

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

The PDF file format doesn't accomodate A/V at this time.

Plus, depending upon what software the end user launches to view the PDF, it most likely will have difficulty processing the A/V.

Best solution at this time: Place a still frame from the A/V clip in the PDF. Add a hyperlink that will launch the A/V clip in a browser (which handles A/V just fine) from a location on a website, possibly your own, YouTube, or a video hosting website like Vimeo.

[RicardoApples]

Thanks. It seems very strange then that they would still have this option in the latest version of Acrobat then...given they also own what was Flash and the Flash Player. They should remove it to avoid confusion.

Just a question...what do you think would be the best way to create a Presentation that runs standalone on a tablet (iPad or Android tablet) that could use audio and video...other than Powerpoint or Keynote?

Flash Projectors used to be my way of doing this...where you could bundle everything up. But finding it very difficult to find a solution now.

[try67]

I don't think you have the latest version of Acrobat if you still see this option.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

#1 choice: HTML website. HTML and their browsers are good at handling A/V (hence, YouTube, TikToc, etc.).

#2 choice: EPUB. It's self-contained file based on HTML. You can embed the A/V clip in it so that the clip and the EPUB is standalone and doesn't need a live internet connection.

#3 choice: Have users download the mp4 video file from your website. They can then launch it in any video player they have on their device.

[Test Screen Name]

What is the exact version of Acrobat (not "latest" please)?  Like 2016.987.12345?

[RicardoApples]

2018.009.20050

Creative Cloud Desktop says it is up to date.

[try67]

That doesn't mean it's the latest version. In fact, it's a pretty old version. The newest versions start with 2022.xxx...

[RicardoApples]

I've tried running an update through the program...it keeps throwing some kind of licensing error. But I am a fully paid Adobe subscriber. Weird. Might try uninstalling and reloading.

[Test Screen Name]

Yes, that version is 4 years old, and Flash was removed 2 years ago. There have been countless updates (well, not countless, maybe 50) since then. You could share the message about the licensing error...? 

[RicardoApples]

It eventually updated to the 2022 version. The licensing error...no idea what caused that. I've been a CC subscriber for years.

[RicardoApples]

I had to uninstall Acrobat and reinstall for it to get to the 2022 version. No idea what the licensing issue was...seems to be OK now.

[RicardoApples]

So can I just confirm once and for all...it is not possible to create a PDF with an embedded video that will actually play back, even though the latest version of Acrobat still allows me to embed?

I can get it to play back the audio of an embedded MP4 but it won't play the video for me.