Adaptive HTML5 Video in iOS

Question

Level 6

17,265 points

Adaptive HTML5 Video in iOS

I'm working on adaptive web design where the content flows to suit the browser width on various devices.

It is relatively easy to get HTML5 video to expand and contract with browser width and this works fine in all browsers using a computer. On the iOS simulator, the movie container appears to default to what looks like a 16:9 aspect ratio since there is a large margin to the left and right...

http://mobile.ezmacwebdesign.com/html5-video.html

Is there a workaround for this?

Using JQuery, Vimeo and YouTube appear to work well...

http://mobile.ezmacwebdesign.com/vimeo-youtube.html

Flowplayer has proved to be a problem. If anybody has managed to get it to be fluid I would appreciate some hints!

iMac 24, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Nov 23, 2011 11:56 AM

Reply

Answer 1

K T

Level 7

23,889 points

Nov 23, 2011 12:30 PM in response to Roddy

The simulator is not an emulator - unless you know you want to build a simulator-only app, you should be working out details on a suitable device.

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Answer 2

Roddy Author

Level 6

17,265 points

Nov 23, 2011 12:55 PM in response to K T

Does this mean that you have tested the page on an iPhone/iPad and the problem is with the Simulator rather than iOS?

Everything else I have tested on the Simulator seems to work as planned on the actual devices.

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Answer 3

K T

Level 7

23,889 points

Nov 23, 2011 1:29 PM in response to Roddy

Things that don't work:

Can't work with calendar apps
Can't record audio
Can't test backwards compatibility beyond iOS 3.2
Can't test code that writes to local storage
Can't test camera & flash
Can't add groups via the simulator
Can't send email via the simulator
Maximum touches allowed on simulator is 2 - That is now up to 10 on iPhone 4.
Can't test headphones output
Can't simulate plugging in/unplugging TV Out cable(s)
Game Center...?
iOS Simulator doesn’t simulate accelerometer or camera hardware
Simulator has some known leaks that do not occur on the actual device.
Text encoding conversion(s) on the simulator are inherited from Mac OS X, which has more extensive text encoding support than iPhone OS.
The iPhone Simulator is not an emulator
"Works in the Simulator" is rarely a useful piece of information).