iBook video playback problem in ePub exported from Pages 09

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iBook video playback problem in ePub exported from Pages 09

I've added several videos (5) to my Pages 09 document that I'm using to export an ePub for an iBook. I've adjusted each to show a unique poster frame using the Inspector. After export and sync to my iPad and iPhone, the video placeholders with their poster frames display fine. However, when I tap any of the videos to play, they all play the content of the first video.

For example, these are the five videos in the order they appear throughout the book (Pages document):

1.) How to shoot

2.) How to change a lens

3.) How to import image files into Aperture

4.) How to apply image adjustments to a photo

5.) How to apply brush adjustments to a photo

Each of these look like the correct video because the poster frame shows the correct content. But when I tap to any of the five, the video that plays is the first, How To Shoot.

I've tried different methods of adding the videos (dragging, using the Media panel, using Insert from the menu), different video file types (.m4v - which I used in my multitouch textbook with iBooks Author), .mov), different dimensions on the pages, spreading the videos out over several chapters (to avoid any size limits as there are with images), using poster frames and not using poster frames, etc. Nothing seems to work.

What's more frustrating is I've spent the better part of the day searching to web, only to find I seem to be the only one experiencing this problem.

I didn't know if anyone else has experienced this problem - and if so, what they did to correct it. I've posted this message in the iWork > Pages forum, as well - didn't know which was most appropriate, so I was hoping to get input from both groups.

Thanks for any help.

MacBook Pro 2009

OS X 10.7.4

Pages 09 4.2 from Apple App Store

iBooks 2 (2.1.1)

iOS 5.1.1 (iPhone 4, iPad 2)

Pages 09 - OS X-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jul 31, 2012 1:13 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

deltond

Level 1

5 points

Aug 16, 2012 12:17 AM in response to BGBetz

You're not the only one experiencing that problem. I am too. I called iBook support and they have a ticket open about the issue. This didn't happen for me until I updated to the latest version of pages.

I'll call them tomorrow and point out that you have the same issue.

THANK YOU FOR POSTING!!!!!

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Answer 2

BGBetz Author

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Aug 16, 2012 9:04 AM in response to deltond

I'm sorry to hear you're having the same problem, but I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I ended up posting links to the videos at my YouTube account for those parts of the book in the meantime.

I've heard from some people that there's a size limit (~11MB) on videos in Pages as there is (apparently) with images. But I've experimented with smaller sized video clips and still have the same issue.

I wish iBooks Author had an ePub export option - perhaps one day...

Please keep me posted with what you find out - I'll do likewise!

And thanks for the response!

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Answer 3

Aug 23, 2012 2:30 PM in response to BGBetz

Hi there,

I'm also here searching for an answer to this exact issue. Sorry I can't be helpful, but I'm posting here in hopes someone with a solution will take notice and help us out!

MacBook Pro 2009

OS X 10.7.4

Pages 09 4.2 from Apple App Store

iBooks 2 (2.1.1)

iOS 5.1.1 (iPhone 4s, iPad 2)

I also didn't have this issue until I updated to the most recent version of Pages from the app store.

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Answer 4

Aug 23, 2012 6:54 PM in response to eliasjohn1

ps I also put a call in to iBooks support today, they told me since they were primarily responsible for admin stuff that they would pass my issue on to the tech team and I received an email stating I should hear back in a couple days. Will post any relevant info!

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Answer 5

deltond

Level 1

5 points

Aug 24, 2012 1:05 AM in response to eliasjohn1

Hi gang.

Still no answer in regards to the video issue. Upon their request I submitted my .epub file to them the other day.

I even tried sending my .pages file to my friends mac and saved it as an .epub on their mac and emailed the .epub file to myself and it still had the same issues....

I thought about creating my ebook on another mac to see if that would rememdy the issue. However, I don't have another mac. :/

Thanks for posting that you all are having the same issue. I asked the rep has anyone else called in with the same issue and they said no.

I'll be sure to post any results when I get them and I ask if you all would do the same.

Happy Publishing

Delton

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Answer 6

BGBetz Author

Level 1

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Aug 24, 2012 6:47 AM in response to deltond

Thx for the update! eliasjohn1, too...

I tried a few more attempts to see if I could figure it out, but to no avail. At the moment, I'm working in iBA on something new, so I won't be using Pages for an ePub until late next month. But in the meantime, I hope we hear something back from Apple that provides some sort of fix.

Thx to both of you for staying on top of this!

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Answer 7

deltond

Level 1

5 points

Aug 24, 2012 9:24 AM in response to BGBetz

I liked your idea of routing the vids to youtube (Works perfectly) However, now my audio that I have embed in the ebook is dong the same thing as when I had the videos. Every audio file is playing the 1st audio file I have embed.. UUHHHHGGGGG

Glad your able to move on. I have my ebook available for the iPad (luv the features and very easy to work with) I'm trying to make the same book available for the iPhn and iPod touch now...

I'm open to any suggestions..

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Answer 8

BGBetz Author

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Aug 24, 2012 4:07 PM in response to deltond

I tried another option - making one larger video instead of several smaller ones, then attempting to have them play separately by using the same video again and again (since Pages was doing that for me anyway!) and positioning the start/stop positions using the Quicktime panel of the Inspector. Unfortunately, this too failed - all the videos played ffrom the beginning. Awfully frustrating because I was optimistic this might work!

If I hit a lull with my iBA stuff, I'll try and experiment some more this weekend. My next scenario will be to use several extremely short videos to see if it's a file size problem. I have doubts about this though because I've of other people making ePubs for iBooks with tons of embedded instructional videos and they never ran into this issue.

Good luck guys - I'll be in touch if I figure anything out!

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Answer 9

BGBetz Author

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Aug 27, 2012 12:29 PM in response to BGBetz

Doesn't appear to be a file size issue either. I shot 3 ~5 sec 720 vids with my iPhone (~600k each) and dropped them in a template. As with the others, each of the 3 played whatever the first video was (even though the poster frame shows the correct video).

Doesn't seem to be a file type problem either - .mov, .m4v, etc. - no luck.

Frustrating...

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Answer 10

deltond

Level 1

5 points

Aug 31, 2012 5:05 PM in response to BGBetz

Here's the latest.

They have my .pages file and I'm waiting to hear back from them to see what the issue is.

Frustrating... Just thought I keep y'all updated.

Hope all is well

Delton

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Answer 11

Oct 3, 2012 4:54 AM in response to BGBetz

What puzzles me is that this problem has only just appeared. I had a document used to work fine, now I have the same problem as everyone else. What has changed? Pages 09 or iBooks? I have lost track of what has been upgraded and when. So pleased others have the same problem... I thought I had messed something up! Please keep us updated when Apple sort this out.

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Answer 12

Oct 3, 2012 6:46 AM in response to BGBetz

The previous ePub version I built with the last version of Pages 09 still works fine, so it must be a problem within Pages 09. Anyone know how to roll back to the last version of pages to prove this?

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