Embedded video interferes with audio on page in HTML5 output

Mar 17, 2015

When I click the html5 link for my storyline course, on pages that have audio narration and embedded videos, the audio is not playing. Has anyone encountered this and come up with a fix?

14 Replies
Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard

Hi Patryce,

This discussion is a bit older so I'd first want to check what version and update of Storyline you're using? Also you mentioned following the recommendations above, so if you're viewing it in one of the supported browsers and have uploaded it to your LMS/web server have you tested it in any other environments? For example, if hosting in your LMS you could also try uploading to SCORM Cloud here which is an industry standard for LMS testing. If you're uploading to a web server, you could also look at testing it out at Tempshare.articulate.com which is a free testing site that'll keep the link live for 10 days. 

If you're still having difficulty after checking out those options or you're unable to use them, we'll want to take a look at your .story file and the video you're using. You can upload it here using the  "add attachment" button at the bottom of the reply window. 

Patryce Smith

Hi Ashley, 

I am using update 10 of SL2. I have tested the file using tempshare.articulate.com and have the same results. 

I have an .mp4 video playing and an audio track playing as well. The timeline of the slide is paused when the slide begins, and the learner will need to click a button to begin the video. The button actually just plays the timeline. At that point I expect both audio and video to play. The video  plays but the audio file does not. To address this I added a trigger that said "play media" when clicked. However the audio still does not play. 

A little background - in a previous version:

Initially, before pausing the timeline, the audio and video played in html5 IF the audio did not begin at timestamp 0.  Triggers were then created to pause and play the the media. Creation of the trigger to play the media, changes how the audio acts and even appears on the timeline. In the first image, no triggers exist to play the media. In the second image, a trigger was created that said "play the media" on click. 

Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard

Hi Patryce,

Thanks for sharing a bit more information here. I did want to let you know we're now on Update 11 for Storyline 2, and although there wasn't a fix for this issue it's worth noting as we always recommend being on the latest update. 

The trigger would change how it appears on the timeline, as it's no longer set based on the timeline but a user interaction - so those images appear as I'd expect. Also, this forum discussion was specifically about HTML5 output so I'd want to confirm what browsers/devices you're using to view the content and you'll want to confirm you're using on of the supported options here.   

If you're able to share a copy of the .story file here with us (even that one slide) we'd be happy to take a look. 

Patryce Smith

Hello Leslie and Ashley, 

Please see the sample file attached. There are three slides:

  1. Slide 1 - audio works - as long as audio does not begin at timestamp 0. 
  2. Slide 2 - Audio does not work - triggers to play and pause timeline included on slide. 
  3. Slide 3 - Audio works - trigger to pause included. Trigger to play omitted, but it is needed. 

The sample created - as I am not able to share the original - works a little differently. :( 

Slide 2 - Audio works but instead of the audio resuming it restarts on clicking "Audio On". 

Leslie McKerchie

Hey Patryce - I published your file, but I'm not seeing the all the issues you mention. 

Slide 1 - seems to work fine

Slide 2 - the audio is working and I'm not hearing it restart as you mention

Slide 3 - your course does not have a trigger to play the audio again? So, once paused you cannot resume

What is the behavior that you are seeking? Do you see the same issues in my published file here? Are you viewing in a supported browser as Ashley shared above?

Patryce Smith

Hi Leslie, 

The sample I created does not have the bug I am experiencing. I am still experiencing the audio restarting, but not in the file you provided - which seems to be the flash version. The problem I am having is with the HTML5 output. I am now comparing the sample I created to the actual file to see if there are any implementation differences. 

Frank Cotton

I experienced a similar issue where I had an embedded video and a separate audio track.  If I previewed the slide, everything worked fine, however when I published it locally (not to an LMS), the audio did not play.  When published to the LMS everything worked fine.  

Because this module was being created for a team in another part of the world that does not use an LMS, we needed a solution.  This is what I came up with.

I took the video file and imported it into iMovie, and then exported the audio file from Storyline and imported that into iMovie as well.  I then exported the iMovie file where the audio track was layered on the video track and imported that back into Storyline 2.  I then deleted the original audio track and published locally.  At this point, once that slide was accessed, the video launched with the imported audio being clear as glass.

Hope this helps!

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