EPUB3 - Float audio pane with page turns

[_savage]

Here's the dilemma. I embedded an .mp3 file into each chapter of my EPUB3 ebook, so the reader can read along while listening to a narrator read the chapter as well.

Alas, as the pages turn, that <audio> pane sticks to the first page of the chapter, so pausing it isn't easy at all.

My initial thought was to use something like "position:fixed;" for the <audio> tag but I don't know if that's an acceptable solution. How would I go about this problem?

Thanks!

[JSWolf]

Bad idea to go ePub 3. Most Readers/apps/programs don't handle ePub 3. So your target audience is going to be so small as to make the effort not worth the bother.

You wont be able to sell to most eBook readers as they won't be able to do a thing with your eBook. Most shops won't accept it. So all you are doing is wasting your time working on ePub 3 if you plan on selling it.

[_savage]

Actually I do not plan on selling this at all, it's just for myself. And sooner or later EPUB3 will settle in at which point more support will be available anyway; today, iBook seems to have some support of EPUB3 and that is good enough for now.

Now, how can I float the audio player across pages? ;-)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by _savage

Actually I do not plan on selling this at all, it's just for myself. And sooner or later EPUB3 will settle in at which point more support will be available anyway; today, iBook seems to have some support of EPUB3 and that is good enough for now.

Now, how can I float the audio player across pages? ;-)

The odds are later. Much much later. There not even a hint of an ePub 3 renderer being written for an eInk Reader. The problem is that the multimedia stuff put into ePub 3 is what is going to hold it back for a very long time.

[Turtle91]

Unfortunately, it is just that kind of thinking - and speaking - that will ensure that ePub 3 is not adopted...
However, Azardi is ePub 3 compliant....and Kris has plans to make Marvin ePub 3 compliant....if there is a demand for a product then the industry will supply it.

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING/SPEAKING......

Anyway, whether or not you think ePub 3 is a waste of time, does anyone know the answer to his question?? I'm interested in learning about it as well....I'd rather know how to do it, and not need it, than to get caught with my pants around my ankles when a customer wants it yesterday!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Unfortunately, it is just that kind of thinking - and speaking - that will ensure that ePub 3 is not adopted...

It's the unrealistic specs that have all this multimedia that will help keep ePub 3 from being adopted.

But to be honest, I can easily see Adobe come out with a version of ADE that supports ePub 2 and ePub 3 (without the multimedia stuff) as a lot devices ADE is used on (eInk Readers) won't do well with all that multimedia.

As a reader, I don't want multimedia and even if I could read the eBook without activating it, it would still be there as code bloat unless I went and stripped it out. This means that I would have to strip out the multimedia from most ePub 3 eBooks. That's just something that will bring about a change back to pBooks.

[DiapDealer]

It's one thing to advise someone that the market for epub3 books is currently pretty limited; in case they didn't know. However... given that the OP seems perfectly OK with building this epub for personal use—and possible future distribution—and given that ePub3 is a perfectly valid and documented format, why should they have to put up with hearing unrelated reasons for why you don't personally want to have anything to do with ePub3's audio/video features? That's not relevant.

I don't know the answer to the question, but I certainly hope someone who does can help the OP out. Because it appears to be a valid question that deserves a straight answer instead of format-proselytizing.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

It's one thing to advise someone that the market for epub3 books is currently pretty limited; in case they didn't know. However... given that the OP seems perfectly OK with building this epub for personal use—and possible future distribution—and given that ePub3 is a perfectly valid and documented format, why should they have to put up with hearing unrelated reasons for why you don't personally want to have anything to do with ePub3's audio/video features? That's not relevant.

I don't know the answer to the question, but I certainly hope someone who does can help the OP out. Because it appears to be a valid question that deserves a straight answer instead of format-proselytizing.

The reason I gave that answer is because most of the ePub 3 questions here are from someone looking to make an eBook for sale.

[mrmikel]

The fact is that there is and will probably remain a split between epubs meant for tablets and other computers, perhaps some smartphones and e-ink devices.

For the tablets and computers, the screens are bigger and the cpu horsepower greater to handle all the multimedia. What is desirable for them is not necessarily desirable for eink and other small devices.

But for now, everyone is pretending that one size, epub3, will fit all.

[JSWolf]

I do think that there should be an ePub 3 spec that has no multimedia and after that is developed and out there enough then decide that multimedia was a bad idea and totally scrap it.

[_savage]

Actually, over the past few months I kept running into several people who'd have the perfect scenario for an EPUB3 and multimedia book. I agree that "traditional" books will be as valid, but they can come in both EPUB2 or EPUB3, it shouldn't make a difference. Adding multimedia to the eBook is optional anyway, so it'll depend on what people want to pack into their books, and how.

On the Mac, I can use Murasaki just fine with the EPUB3 as well. (To test what I have. Doesn't mean it's complete :-))

Having said that: still no answer to the question. I think I'll noodle around this weekend, see how if I can find something that works.

EDIT: Well, the "position:fixed;" doesn't seem to work.

[Turtle91]

As a reader, I don't want multimedia and even if I could read the eBook without activating it, it would still be there as code bloat unless I went and stripped it out. This means that I would have to strip out the multimedia from most ePub 3 eBooks. That's just something that will bring about a change back to pBooks.

I think you may be confusing the ePub 3 standard with an actual ePub with the multimedia included. An ePub 3 compliant reader will display all ePub2 books and support the multimedia/mathxml etc of ePub 3 - it doesn't require it - so there won't be any need to go back to pBooks. If you are worried about those extra "features" that the author intended taking up too much space on your device then you always have the option of NOT purchasing the book...or stripping it out if you absolutely want to...but that doesn't mean that there aren't people who have a perfectly legitimate need/desire for the functionality allowed with the new standard - as the OP stated he has run across several.

While I agree I don't really care to have someone else's sound track playing in the background while I read a book - a young reader might enjoy "mood" sounds in a mystery. I wouldn't want to take away that readers option to have it. I can also see a great reason for embedded video if you are making a "how-to" book with examples. I also would like more of my eText math books to display the equations properly instead of being stuck with a PDF format. Sooo - having the CAPABILITY to do these things in ePub3 is a good thing but not mandatory since it will display ePub3 compliant books without them just fine.

_Savage, I hope you let us know what you find out!

Cheers!

[JSWolf]

The problem is eInk readers. If ePub 3 was to become adopted with all the multimedia, it would either be unsuitable for an eInk reader or the version of ePub 3 would be without. The other problem is because it's there, I think it will be used. I do think we'd end up with a lot of eBooks with multimedia.

[Turtle91]

I think it's obvious that if you own a device - eink or otherwise - that doesn't support the multimedia aspects of ePub3 then you won't buy the books that have that incorporated, just like I don't buy an old vacume tube floor stand black&white tv if I want a portable solution to watch my videos.

Each device has its uses.

However, to stifle technological progress because a particular device doesn't support the new technology is like saying we can't develop horseless carriages because there is nowhere to hook up the horses...or we can't develop microwaves because there is nowhere to stack the firewood...or we can't develop washing machines because the rocks and washer board make too much noise on the spin cycle...

If there is market demand, industry will develop the tools and eventually the eink readers will be able to support it.

For that matter, as technology improves - memory becomes smaller/faster and you have more of it and processors are smaller/faster - does it really matter that a normal ebook would be 5mb?? It wasn't so long ago that I was the first person to install a hard drive on my PERSONAL computer - it was a whopping 20mb hard drive...I was the king...my how times have changed...I got a 64gb USB drive the other day...

Technology does improve with time.

Cheers!

[Turtle91]

Sorry for the thread drift (hijack)!