I submited my iBooks Author app created book to Apple a couple of days ago and received this ticket message today:
"Please embed all YouTube videos directly in the book file. Do not have them linked so that they require an internet connection."
I had no idea videos need to be playable even when an internet connection is not available. How do I do this?
Thank you in advance.
Luis
iBook, iOS 5.1.1
I think the inherent licensing would merit rejection during review...
When it says "your YouTube videos", it means those videos that belong to you.
Thanks for the response. I'm not being argumentative but they never said anything about "your YouTube videos". Regarding the "inherent licensing", are you saying that I can include a link to a YouTube video (i.e. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uW-E496FXg) in the book but can't embed the video in the book because is isn't mine?
I do appreciate any clarity you can offer.
Thanks.
Luis
Any clarity you need should come from the owners of the videos you intend to use. I don't know what videos you intend to use, who owns, them, if they're restricted, etc. It's up to you to check and be prepared to show proof should Apple ask - see your books contract for details, etc.
Thanks for the responses but hopefully someone can give me a more definitive answer who has gone through this process.
Your contract is the most definitive source you can use.
Google is your friend to learn how to download YT videos. Once you have them on your computer and in the correct format, you can add them to your book.
See this tech note: iBooks Author: Add video to your iBooks - Support - Apple.
If you read the YouTube license, it does say that you can link to a video or embed it, but you can't download it and use it in something like an iBook. If you made the video, that's not an issue. If you didn't make the video, it's 99.99% sure that you can't download it and put it into your book without permission from the video's creator, even though the tools exist to do so.
Thanks, Scrugg. I appreciate you and K T helping me understand this issue. I now understand.
In short, for other iBooks Author would-be publishers, although the tools (Dashcode, YouTube Downloader, iBooksGenerator) exist to embed a YouTube video in an iBooks Author file so it plays with or without an internet connection, you should first secure permission from its creator, assuming the video isn't yours to begin with.
Although Apple may approve the book with the embedded video you risk its creator alleging copyright infringement and compelling you to remove the video. In addition, you may have to answer to Apple who may ask for proof that you secured permission to use a particular video.
What I've done instead of embedding video is i to use a screenshot of a video and put underneath it the following:
"Touch here to watch the video trailer in YouTube"
I hope this method passes muster with Apple and iBookstore. The book, Super Apps, has been re-submitted and I will post in this thread what happens.
I had not seen the link but the widget, classwidgets, is in effect the same thing as changing the iBooks Author app interactive widget using Dashcode or using iBooksGenerator to point to a YouTube video. The problem with all of these methods is an internet connection is necessary to watch the video, something Apple specifically said was not allowable:
"Please embed all YouTube videos directly in the book file. Do not have them linked so that they require an internet connection."
Thanks.
We have 3 iBooks that have been published within the last few months that all have YouTube links contained in HTML5 widgets. We created the videos, so we have complete ownership, but to say that linking to YouTube videos via a widget is not allowed is incorrect.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/macbeth/id511169208?mt=11
there's a link to one of them ...
May I know the result?
I just uploaded an iBook and got this message "Enhanced content online (the YouTube video on page 28) need to be embedded directly onto the book file itself."
Thanks.
iBookstore's explicit policy is the following:
"Please embed all YouTube videos directly in the book file. Do not have them linked so that they require an internet connection."
If you are going to embed a video, it should be owned by you or you should have permission from its owner to use it. iBookstore won't necessarily ask you upfront for proof of ownership but it could come up later in which case the book could be withdrawn from iBookstore.
Someone above mentions they included a link to a YouTube video via a widget and I don't doubt this isn't true but very likely a result of an oversight on iBookstore's part instead of a proactive approval.
My book was ultimately published and selected by iTunes as New & Notable:
itunes.apple.com/us/book/super-apps/id532923907?mt=11
The iBookstore won't allow widgets created using the YouTube link like the one you can create using the Class Widgets site. They will allow widgets created using the actual embed code as long as it is a video you own.
I have finally removed the youtube video widget as it is only an additional resource and does not affect my book too much. My book is now published and it is free until 2012-07-18.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/peter-rabbit-story-and-games/id541439316?mt=11&i gn-mpt=uo%3D4
how can i ad some puzzel to my ibook?
Embed YouTube Videos in iBooks Author So Internet Connection Unnecessary???
