Problem playing simultaneous video (keynote APP)

Hi TSG13,

Same issue here. I'm using Keynote '09 on my MBP with a test slide with two videos on it - the videos are in m4v format. On my MBP the movies play simultaneously, but when I transfer the test file to my iPad I'm in the same boat as you. I played around with various options using the builds as you have. I find no solution. I think we've hit upon a major bug in the app for the iPad.

Also, my videos are set to loop until the next slide. Once the first cycle's done, the playback begins to get very choppy. Why would the iPad have issues with rendering a 2D movie object is beyond me. I think it would behoof Apple to focus on these issues pronto.

I don't own an iPad but I would be surprised if it had the processing power to play several videos simultaneously. Even on an iMac, I know I can't play more than two HD movies at the same time smoothly and two isn't always smooth. You are simply asking too much of the iPad.

Hi Laurie,

Ordinarily I would agree with you 100%. However, one thing I hadn't told you is that the movies are not HD format. In fact, they are rather simple and close to 400x400 pixels (I know odd format ;-) fully converted into m4v format. As such, I suspect they're closer to standard video.

BUT, all of the above is not terribly important since I don't get to see both movies playing simultaneously at all. If I simply define the builds and have the second one start with the first one, the 2nd one just doesn't play. If I reverse the order, of course, I get to see the 2nd movie to play and not the 1st. So, it is much more basic than horsepower issues.

Now, the work around of combining multiple movies into a single movie object is really a cludge and, unfortunately, I just don't have the resources to pull that off.

So, I'm left with the surprising observation that no one from the Apple team(s) has commented on this. Anyone?

Don't know if this would help but as an aside I always use movies in either ProRes 422 or H.264. M4V is a container and the inside movie probably is H.264 but I would remove the container element. Most of the software for professionally playing videos on the mac (PlaybackPro, ProPresenter, etc.) recommend using ProRes422 or H.264 for the smoothest playback.

The Keynote app for iPad is definitely not the same as the "real" version, that's already known.

One thing I don't understand from what you have said is, why do you have builds on elements that are supposed to just play? Try not setting any builds and see if they start playing together. Movies in Keynote are set to just play by default.

I'll try that idea of removing the container. I can tell you that meanwhile I have tried using no build defs at all. The movies do play by themselves but still not simultaneously. What I can do though (and I may use this until this gets sorted out) is to have Keynote play the first movie and then by tapping the second file have it play that one. So, they play sequentially more or less. Not so elegant but at least I can show both movies.