Audiobooks discussion
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Audible: iPod Classic Now Unsupported for Format 4?
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It would still be a problem with Audibles longer than 27 hours because those won't play in enhanced format on an iPod due to a file length restriction. I tried one I had downloaded in the past couple of days in Format 4 on my 3rd Generation Nano (with a similar OS to the Classic) and it plays fine. I haven't tried on my Classic which I don't use for audio books anyway.
Jun wrote: "In the last week I've tried to download five different titles from Audible.com in the standard "format 4" format for use with my iPod classic, and every single one of them has failed to play. I con..."I have had this problem for a while now as well as having some issues playing certain Audible titles on my older Kindle Fire. I think Audible/Amazon is trying to steer us users to get newer devices :(
Maybe we should start converting them to MP3s and skip the hassle.
Bill (Just a) wrote: "Maybe we should start converting them to MP3s and skip the hassle."Are you meaning to convert the audible file to a MP3?
Karen wrote: "Bill (Just a) wrote: "Maybe we should start converting them to MP3s and skip the hassle."Are you meaning to convert the audible file to a MP3?"
Yep. One has to strip out the DRM but there are a couple of ways to do that. It would be a real pain to convert a library. Fairly easy to convert one book at a time right before listening.
All the books I've downloaded in the current sale seem to work okay. It only seems to be a problem with new releases.
I actually had this problem with the Enhanced version and just dumbed it down to level 4. 99% of my Audible purchases do not have a problem, but it's always the same 2 (so far) that do. Since it is only 2, I downloaded them and converted them for my archive. I notice now, 3 years later, they download and work fine in Enhanced version.
I just talked to Audible tech support after yet another problem with this. This was a real tech support person, not the person you first talk to when you call or chat. They confirmed that all titles released after January 1, 2017 are unsupported in Format 4 if you are using an iPod. :(
Jun wrote: "I just talked to Audible tech support after yet another problem with this. This was a real tech support person, not the person you first talk to when you call or chat. They confirmed that all tit..."
Good to know, thanks. Because it they are longer than 27 hours that means I MUST use a tablet or computer to play them then. I use my iPod in format 4 for those.
I'm going to have to reconsider my membership plan going forward, too many changes I don't support. It seems like everyone is forcing us to use an app to play our books, and converting Audible violates the user agreement and is too much of a hassle for me. I don't like this direction.
That's really disappointing. I think my Sansa MP3 player only uses Format 4, but I'm not for certain. And that's the only devise that I use to listen to my audio books.
If you really can't use a Classic iPod, you can buy other iPods such as the 5th gen Nano, which I use, for about $60 or less on eBay. They are only a couple inches square but hold multiple books (and double as a pedometer). Probably the same for Sansa, that you could find a player that is older but not that old. Not sure what I would do if I could no longer use my Nano. My phone is too big and bulky and the whole point of audiobooks for me is to be moving around. I agree that streaming is not a good solution. When I pay for books, I want to own them and listen as I prefer.
The tech said "an iPod", I thought. Wouldn't that include even the 7th generation Nano (2012)? I bought a new one recently after they were discontinued and it is my primary Audible device. I was making the assumption that if iPods (in general) are not supported with format 4 for all new releases since January 2017 it would include my 7th Gen iPod Nano too. I haven't tried it, I download enhanced format unless it is longer than 27 hours, which I understood is a bug with iPods if longer than that which requires us to use format 4 and segments as the workaround there. If Audible broke the workaround (on purpose?) that isn't good news. I don't buy a ton of 27+ hour books and I haven't found one in my library released after January to test this out. I will have to try one that is a shorter new release in format 4 on my "new" iPod Nano and see if it plays... but from what the report is on what the tech said I don't have high hopes.
I confirmed that this is indeed the case, a format 4 book (of any length) released in 2017 will NOT play on my 7th Generation iPod Nano either. I will be contacting Audible about this issue too, I am an unhappy camper.
Why do I want to use the enhanced version anyway? Why not just use the MP3 version?
I guess I don't understand about the formats. I download all my books from my Audible library to iTunes on my Apple computer. Then I plug in my iPod nano and select which books to put on it. Are you saying there is an issue with longer books? I have purchased brand new books in 2017 and they worked just fine though none were over 27 hours. If you don't use iTunes, aren't you using a similar music library on your computer? I wasn't aware of any formatting options and don't understand why they would be needed. Sound quality is never an issue on any of my devices. With my original iPod classic, it was true that there wasn't much space but back then, books came from Audible in parts "to make the download faster " so when I listened to long books, I downloaded only a few parts at a time. On the 5th gen and later, there's plenty of space, unless you also have a lot of music or video. I so rarely listen to music now that I am addicted to audiobooks and I often forget that I even have music on there!I'm not criticizing your choices of how you listen. I just wanted to understand since it could be an issue for more of us in the future.
Robin wrote: "I guess I don't understand about the formats. I download all my books from my Audible library to iTunes on my Apple computer. Then I plug in my iPod nano and select which books to put on it. Are yo..."Audible gives you two format choices to download your books in, the syncing via iTunes is the same for both. The first is called "Format 4" the second is "Enhanced." The difference between them is that "Enhanced" takes up 2-3 more space on your hard drive and iPod, so I prefer format 4.
Unfortunately iPods will no longer play files downloaded in the Format 4 format for any title released after the start of 2017. This means not being able to hold as many books on your device at once.
Audible also offers the choice to split long books into multiple files in the Enhanced format. Apparently books over 27 hours won't play correctly on iPods if they aren't broken up.
I don't know why other people have their preferences, but for me not having to delete books from my iPod to make room for others is important, as is being able to save hard drive space on my computer.
Jun wrote: I don't know why other people have their preferences, but for me not having to delete books from my iPod to make room for others is important, as is being able to save hard drive space on my computer. ..."
I see. That's why I have not encountered the problem. While I listen on IPODs as does my wife, I always delete books from them as I go. The only thing on the IPOD are unread books. Enhanced or MP3 is fine for me. I would prefer MP3 with no DRM if I had my druthers. Music has stopped with the DRM. I wish Audiobooks would do the same.
Thanks for clarifying but I don't remember ever being offered a choice of formats. Is that a setting on Audible or on my computer? My understanding is that audiobook files take up very little space on a desktop computer, compared to video games, movies or even music, so I haven't been concerned about that. I have over 300 books on my computer. I do occasionally delete some that I didn't like.
Jun wrote: "Audible also offers the choice to split long books into multiple files in the Enhanced format. Apparently books over 27 hours won't play correctly on iPods if they aren't broken up."I didn't know you could do that. I just found it in My Library, if you click the triangle on the left side of your title it drops down so you can download Enhanced format in smaller parts! Ok, that solves the issue for me, I have enough space on my PC that the extra file size for Enhanced is not a problem. Thank you!
Is anyone else having this problem? I've been using audible for years and prior to this week, I've only had this issue once. It seems like something has changed within the last month since 100% of my "format 4" downloads now have this problem on my iPod Classic.