Two Different PDF Publishing Methods

Adobe Acrobat can embed multimedia (Adobe refers to it as "Rich Media") in two different ways:

• The older, established method, only requires Acrobat Reader 6.0 or higher.   However, it uses external programs (e.g., Adobe Flash Player, WMP, Quicktime) to load and play the media files that are embedded in the PDF file.  This program must be installed on the viewer's PC.  This embedding method will not receive further development from Adobe.
• Adobe's new technique runs in Adobe Reader 9.0 and higher.  This embedding technique employs a standalone copy of Adobe Flash Player that was integrated into Acrobat Reader. The integrated Flash Player runs inside Acrobat's "security sandbox" and handles all aspects of media loading and playback.

The two methods exhibit slightly different features and personalities. iPOV finds that either can be the preferred option, depending on the situation. With the flexibility of two options, there is a configuration for virtually every documentation need. iPOV can help you choose the best method for a specific application and IT environment. 

Upon request, iPOV will publish your material in both formats at no extra cost. That way, if Adobe changes its Reader or security policies, you will have the other version ready to go.

This table summarizes the key differences: 

Established Method	New v9 Method
Acrobat Reader v6+ & Adobe Flash v9+	Acrobat Reader v9+
		The established mode triggers a benign security warning each time the document is opened, however experienced users quickly adapt to the warning.
		Both methods can replay embedded media "inline" so that it appears to play directly in the page.
		The established mode can open media in a standard Windows system window. The v9 method opens in a floating window that is generated by the embedded Flash Player.
		The video window can be resized in both established and v9 embedding modes.  Since scaling can cause distortion, allowing scaling is optional when using the established embedding mode.
		established windows can be moved (or opened) outside the area of the PDF Document. This is very useful for larger movies, such as screencasts.
		The window for the established mode has a standard Windows close button that is easily recognized by users. The v9 window has a small (x) in the upper right corner to close the window.

More information can be found in the Acrobat User Community forums, and in Adobe's documentation, IT personal may also find the PDF Security guide useful.