Robohelp 2020: Videos not playing in Responsive HTML5 output

[DawnPAmkai]

I would appreciate any help/insight on this issue:

Videos play in the preview in the Author view and when viewing the output in Robohelp and when launching the output from Windows Explorer. But they won’t play when accessing the help output from the server as a client would access it (from the web).

Here are the details:

• I’m using Robohelp 2020.6.76
• The project was converted from Robohelp 2019 (Classic). The issue is occurring with all videos in the project: the ones that existed in the project before the conversion, and the new ones that we add post-conversion. We didn't experience this issue before the conversion.
• The videos were first imported into Contents of the project by right-clicking the folder and selecting Import > File.
• I’m adding the videos to a topic using the Insert Multimedia button and navigating to the folder in Contents where they are stored. The topics containing the video are hyperlinked in another topic.
• The videos are MP4s. They average about 28,000 KBs.
• When I click the Preview button in the Author view in Robohelp, the videos play just fine.
• When I generate Responsive HTML5 output and click View Output in the output view, they also play as expected. (the output opens in Chrome)
• I then push the output to the server where we load them so clients can access them on the web. We’re not using Robohelp server, but a server on Azure where we host the Help output.
• I log into the application (our software product) and click the Help button, which opens the responsive html5 output in Chrome.
• I navigate to the topic where the videos are linked, click the video link, the topic opens, and there’s a video box with a play button, but the total time for the video shows “0” and the video is not showing. (see screenshot)
• I have cleared my cache in Chrome and tried again many times.

[Peter Grainge]

Apart from the obvious one of checking the videos are making it to the server, the only help I can give on this one is to check things are as described here. RH2020 Images, Videos and Captivate (grainge.org) I suspect they will be in which case if no one else has any ideas, then try Support. See https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/enterprise-support.other.html#robohelp for your Adobe Support options. The email link tcssup@adobe.com is recommended as it reaches a team dedicated to Technical Communication Suite products including RoboHelp. 

I assume you have tried other browsers.

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[DawnPAmkai]

Thanks for your reply, Peter.

Yes, the videos are making it to the server, and I've tested this in Edge with the same result. I will open a support ticket with Adobe. Thanks for providing the correct link!

Dawn

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Did you test the output locally (outside of RH) before moving it all up on the webserver? I tend not to trust viewing output via the RH preview options as "that's not how real access happens".

[DawnPAmkai]

Hi Jeff,

Yes, I launched the output from Windows Explorer, and the videos played as expected. thanks.

Dawn

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Ok, good - did you then try launching them on the webserver location directly (i.e. not through your application)? If that works, then it's something to do with the app & the help interacting. If it doesn't, then it must have something to do with where it's located.

[DawnPAmkai]

I can't access the Help from the web directly: it requires a security token from the app (you have to sign in to the application before you can access Help).  In the UX of the utility we use to push the files to the server, I tried launching the output by double-clicking the index file, but the project only opens showing code.  

[Peter Grainge]

I have no knowledge of Azure but a search of the forum shows various issues with Azure involved. ☺️

________________________________________________________
See www.grainge.org for free Authoring and RoboHelp Information

[DawnPAmkai]

Thanks, Peter! I'll look through those posts.