Audiobooks discussion
Archives
>
Simple but dependable audiobook player?
date
newest »
newest »
Thanks John. I pulled my player out & have been playing with it. I've figured out that I can set a bookmark on audiobooks but the book I ripped won't go into my audiobook folder (it's in my music folder) and won't give me the bookmark option. I'm going to see if I can figure out how to move it into the audiobook folder and then see if it works. Thanks for the link though. It did help.
Can't you just drag and drop the book directly from your computer's hard drive into the audiobook folder to "transfer" it?
I got it transferred into the audiobook folder, but it still isn't giving me the bookmark option. I wonder if the bookmark option is only available for audible books. I'll play with it a little more but so far no luck.
Stormrider wrote: "John, I suspect you are right. Rockbox probably won't play WMA with DRM built-in. I usually rip CDs so it hasn't been a problem for me. I do like Rockbox for the vast amount of control it giv..."
Yeah I like Rockbox, have been using it for years since I had it on my huge brick of an Archos jukebox.
I will post a warning here though. The Clip+ will run Rockbox but if you flash the firmware it might kill your DRM playback permanantly. Since people here listen to library audiobooks, I wouldn't recommend it on the Clip+ just yet.
Thanks, guys. I find the Clip+ a really nifty device - once I got the hang of the menu system!
I have been using the Sansa m-series for about 4 years now. They are basic but do the job for my audible downloads and have never had a problem with them at all. I've never used it for any other purpose but like I said for Audible downloads, I highly recommend and they only cost about $30 on ebay.
weateallthepies wrote: I will post a warning here though. The Clip+ will run Rockbox but if you flash the firmware it might kill your DRM playback permanantly. Since people here listen to library audiobooks, I wouldn't recommend it on the Clip+ just yet...
Hi weateallthepies,
I recently bought a Clip+ which I use exclusively for audiobooks. I was wondering if you could expand a little on that, but first I have to confess my ignorance of "DRM Playback". What does that mean?
Also, what version(s) of flash are you talking about here? Mine is V01.02.15A. Is this one of the versions that's causing trouble?
All of that may be moot, because I never listen to downloaded audiobooks "as is" from Audible or any other source. I do everything MP3.
I take care of formats like Audible's AA by using the built-in capability of burning the audiobooks to audio CD's. However I don't use "real" CD's. I use Nero to first burn them to virtual CD's using Daemon freeware to simulate a drive. Then I rip the virtual CD's to MP3 using FreeRipMP3 freeware. Finally, I copy the MP3 folder to the Audiobooks folder on the Clip+.
I found through experience that if I place the MP3 folders in the Clip+'s Audiobooks folder, the bookmarking takes care of itself as far as my needs are concerned. The individual MP3 files serve as chapters, and the Clip+ remembers where it was in each chapter at all times with that "Resume Playback" option.
The whole rationale for this process is that it enables me to use the Clip+ in MSC mode. This way I never have to worry about any of that syncing nonsense with Windows Media Player or any other software. It's all just folders and files this way. It frees me up to copy other MP3 content, such as MP3 audiobooks, directly to the Clip+ and listen to them just like any other Audible content.
All of that is why I'm wondering about DRM playback. With me using the Clip+ as a glorified file handler, I was wondering if DRM playback is something I need to have in the event that a Flash upgrade is necessary for some reason.
(Note: to anyone else reading this who's considering using the Clip+ this way: it works fine, BUT - sometimes you have to play with the info tags in the MP3 files you generate with the ripping program. This is because the Clip+ uses those tags to identify album titles - as in "Book Titles" - chapter titles, track numbers, etc. It does not use folder or file names.
However that's not a big deal either, since there is freeware that allows you to easily manipulate those tags. It's called MP3TagTools. I'm sure there are others that do the same thing. I get all this freeware at the CNet downloads site,
3 w's dot download dot com).
Guess I overstayed my welcome. That all sounds like much ado over nothing, but once you get the hang of it it's fairly straightforward.
Best holiday wishes to all,
Big Al Mintaka
PS: Audible claims you can burn their content directly to MP3 if you use Apple's free iTunes software. Don't bet on it. It depends on MP3 copy protection in individual titles. Most titles have it, some don't. You could go through the bother of installing iTunes, along with the memory-resident Apple Application Support Service and auto-update programs, only to find that you still can't burn an AA title directly to MP3. It isn't worth it, especially in light of all the other nonsense that Apple installs on your PC.
It's all perfectly legal to use Nero or other supported software to burn AA content you own to audio CD's first (virtual or otherwise) then to rip those CD's to MP3. You own the content; you can do what you want with it for your own personal use.
Selling or otherwise distributing those MP3's is what's illegal, and is why Audible makes the process of copying their content to MP3 so artificially difficult. Of course, you could also sell or distribute the audio CD's you burn using Nero or other software that Audible fully supports. That's known as "Audible Logic".
Unless you want to keep your options open on loading your audio content to devices that don't handle Audible and/or WMA files, it seems to me you're going through an awful lot of extra work to avoid "sync'ing", which is very easy; in the amount of time you spend converting items, you could have transferred a book and made some headway into the first part already. I've added Audible, WMA and mp3 books to my clip+ and never run across an MSC/MTP conflict yet. The only "issue" I can think of is being certain to change tagging on library books to "audiobook" before sync'ing.I don't mean to jump in with a criticism, but I don't see a benefit to converting everything that's going to be read on a Clip+ to mp3 format - you seem to be taking the longer road to get to the exact same place?
John wrote: "Unless you want to keep your options open on loading your audio content to devices that don't handle Audible and/or WMA files, it seems to me you're going through an awful lot of extra work to avoi..."I said,
"It frees me up to copy other MP3 content, such as MP3 audiobooks, directly to the Clip+ and listen to them just like any other Audible content."
What I should have added was,
"I can play the MP3 CD's in my car so as to listen to the same audiobook continuously whether I'm walking or driving - the MP3 files for the Clip+, the MP3 CD for the car player."
I keep track of the current bookmark and advance either the Clip+ or the car player to the same location.
Also, you said,
"Unless you want to keep your options open on loading your audio content to devices that don't handle Audible and/or WMA files, it seems to me..."
You answered your own "seems to me" before you finished the first sentence. I don't want to get locked into Audible's AA format nonsense. MP3 is universal. The bonus of being able to play the CD's anywhere else, including in my car, is obvious.
"I don't mean to jump in with a criticism...."
Good grief. Calm down and have a good holiday, OK?
Big Al Mintaka
It still seems like a lot of extra work to me, but then again I have no car, so can listen to my devices anytime. If I did, I'd have a different audio item in each player.(I recently made a comment on a different site, following up - such as I did with yours - and was jumped all over, hence my apology-in-advance)
John wrote:"(I recently made a comment on a different site, following up - such as I did with yours - and was jumped all over, hence my apology-in-advance)"
You may have crossed horns with a professional flamer. If I came across that way, I apologize too. I was just puzzled by your rationale, is all.
As you were puzzled by mine for what I go through in order to make myself independent of audible's AA.
Maybe the rationale we should be applying here is "there's no accounting for taste".
BTW, I don't like the way Windows organizes its library folders either!
(sorry, had to throw that in!)
Have a good holiday, and happy reading John!
Big Al Mintaka
I have been using a great application for my Droid for about 4 months now. It is called Osplay (Own Speed Player). It does not have a lot of bells and whistles, but it has variable speed control without change in pitch. It is available on the Android Market or here:http://www.androidzoom.com/android_ap...
I have a Sansa FUZE (4GB) and I love it. My son also has the Sansa Clip+ and he uses it quite a bit with both audiobooks and music and it works great. I like the FUZE because I also have an FM transmitter that plugs into the FUZE. It charges my player and transmits so I can listen over the radio as I drive.I use it most often with WMAs via Overdrive audiobooks downloaded through local libraries. I have also downloaded from CDs, though I always do this as a last resort because ripping them and organizing the files is a pain.
Are you ripping CD's keeping each 3-5 minute track? If so ... I'll agree that's a pain. I rip each CD as a single track, which works out fine.
John wrote: "Are you ripping CD's keeping each 3-5 minute track? If so ... I'll agree that's a pain. I rip each CD as a single track, which works out fine."Yes, that's how I've done it in the past. Hadn't thought about trying to rip the whole CD as a single track. What software do you use to do the ripping?
In all of my litanies about the Sansa Clip+ and audio formats, I should have mentioned that the player I owned before the Clip+ was the Sansa Fuze/8GB card. It was a great player and held up for a few years of heavy outdoor use. Eventually the navigator wheel started going south but given my use of the thing I had no complaints over how long it lasted.Unfortunately I didn't have the money to replace it with another Fuze, so I went for the Clip+. The Clip+ isn't bad for my use, though it's not as easy to use with the navigation controls as the Fuze was. With practice I'm getting the hang of it.
I posted this because I wanted to add an endorsement for the Fuze even though I now use the Clip+. If I ever have the money again, I'll get another Fuze when the Clip+ finally wears out.
That's assuming that I don't wear out first!
Have a good one,
Big Al Mintaka
Alan:I agree about the Clip+ navigation being ... awkward.
Tim:
I use the basic (free!) JetAudio software from Cowon. There's a box to check marked "Rip continuous tracks as a single file".
John wrote: "Alan:I agree about the Clip+ navigation being ... awkward.
In my case part of the awkwardness stems from the case I have the Clip+ in. It's a great protector with a clear window that covers the entire front of the Clip+. It does a good job of protecting the Clip+ from weather. The problem is that pressing just one part of that navigation button is difficult because the clear window pushes down on the entire button. That's where practice comes in. For the most part I can now put the track where I want it; from time to time, the wrong part of the button gets depressed and things don't happen the way I want them to.
There's also a "bounce" effect, wherein when one side of the button is released, it acts as though the opposite side had been pressed momentarily. In the case of the Clip+, that means you're going to jump a chapter backwards or forwards from where you wanted to be. It seems to happen whether or not the Clip+ is in the case.
It's all complicated by the fat gloves I have to wear this time of year. The Fuze was a snap to navigate by comparison, with or without a clear protector and with or without fat gloves.
I should have mentioned that the fat gloves contain fat fingers, too.
Big Al Mintaka
Nah, it's not just you, Al -- I often think "Hmmmm ... I'd like to take a break from this book, let's see what else I've got loaded to try?" There are multiple levels and directions to click to (deliberately and accidentally!) that can cause one to get lost.
I'm bringing this thread back up based upon something posted in the existing one for iPods and Overdrive.If you have a Sansa Clip(+) DO NOT download a library book directly to your device! They should be tagged as "audiobook" first and then transferred; most are coded as fiction, etc. instead. If such books are sent directly to one's Clip music folder "as is", the ability to switch between files, keeping one's place, would likely be disabled!
The "resume" function works for all files, Catie; I've re-worded my warning - thanks! I was referring to the "Do you want to resume at the same point?" after exiting a file (for another book/podcast/some music) and coming back to your book again; that function requires audiobook (audio book, as two words, seems to work also) - or podcast - as the ID tag.
Based on the recommendations here, I've just ordered myself a Sansa Clip Plus (4GB). I'm hoping to join the modern world and be able to listen to some of the audio downloads available from my libraries. I've thus far been mostly listening to cassettes and CDs in my car, but I would like an easier way to listen at the gym and while walking.
Joanna -If you have a Windows computer, after you download the books to your computer, go to DOCUMENTS, the MY MEDIA, and change the tagging on the book files to "audiobook" (if it says something else, such as fiction) before transferring the book.
The battery lasts a loooooooong time, and recharges quickly. The Clip+ plays Audible.com books (format 4 or Enhanced, the former should be fine) if you ever decide to try those. If you decide to rip books from CD, software that allows you to "rip each CD as a single track" is far easier to deal with than keeping track of each of the hundreds of tiny tracks per book.
John wrote: "Nah, it's not just you, Al -- I often think "Hmmmm ... I'd like to take a break from this book, let's see what else I've got loaded to try?" There are multiple levels and directions to click to (de..."Once I finally got it through my head that the menu was circular, I started scrolling up to get to the audiobbooks section faster. That took a little of the sting out of trying to find things.
On a related note, tonight I tried a Fuze+ just to see if the navigation was any easier than the Clip+.
I always liked my old Fuze until the mechanical navigation wheel finally broke through heavy use (no complaints, I'm glad it lasted as long as it did). I had to downgrade to the Clip+ for money reasons. Then the money came back and I thought I'd look at the Fuze+ to see if it retained the functionality of the older Fuze.
What a nightmare. The touchpad on the Fuze+ is pure junk. Touching the left/right edges frequently activates the center control, making menu navigation literally random. If you want to activate rewind/fast-forward by pressing and holding one edge of the pad, you may instead get high-speed chapter forwarding/reverse.
Then there's the problem of switch bounce. Even light pressure on one edge of the pad will often cause the opposite control to activate when the pressure is released.
Not only that, but Sansa has decided to make "audiobooks" as a media category even more difficult to access and use. Audiobooks that aren't from Audible wind up in the "Podcasts" folder. Bookmarking seems to be random in there. Actually, I never did figure out whether it was random or just plain didn't exist.
As an audiobook reader, the Fuze+ is a dog. I'm taking the thing back to The Shack tomorrow.
John,I'm having trouble figuring out how to change the tags. I have a Windows computer. When I transfer through Overdrive, it wants to put the files in a music folder. But when I tried to use the advanced option to send it to audiobooks, for some reason it would only send parts 1, 2, 4, and 5, but not part 3. I can't figure out what's different about part 3, but that seems like it won't work.
I feel like such a dolt -- new technology always takes some getting used to, I suppose.
That's a very strange happening, Joanna. Without seeing the files themselves, I can't explain what might be different about Part 3.To edit the tags, "open" the book's folder at Documents --> My Media -- you should see the parts and associated Overdrive files (jpegs, etc.) listed. It is easier to make a batch change, so select all of the actual WMA/MP3 files (not the others!). At the bottom of the screen, you should see Album, Artist, Genre, etc. displayed. Click on the "genre" field, change whatever it says there (fiction, mystery, whatever ...) to "audiobook" **and then hit "Save" in the lower right** (this is IMPORTANT!). You can exit the files, and transfer the book to Music. It's fairly easy after you've done. While you're in there, you might want to look at the underlying file for Part 3 to see if the tagging on it is "off"?
Sorry you had such a rocky start, hope that helps!
Thanks, John. I still don't know why track 3 was behaving strangely, but I seem to have fixed it. I'm still having trouble getting to the right screen to actually be able to edit the Genre field, but I managed it for my first book, so I have a few days to play around with other books while listening to the first one.I managed to get the book into the audiobooks folder, so I'm happy about that. I can't now remember if I did it through the Overdrive advanced transfer or through drag and drop.
I love the option to speed up the reader.
After all the warnings about the menus being awkward, I was prepared for them to be strange. But I've actually found them fairly easy to follow, though I'm still figuring out which button does what.
Overall, I'm really pleased with the device so far. It certainly is small and light. I may need to invest in a pair of better earbuds/headphones, though. The ones that come with it aren't so great (which is to be expected at the price point, etc.).
Joanna,I just got a Sansa clip (it arrived yesterday). I bought it to be able to do Netlibrary WMA files and struggled as first. I did the drag and drop and had no problems. I have not tried it with Overdrive yet.
I didn't think Net Library WMA could be dragged and dropped (MP3's are okay) - only transferred via Windows Media Player after obtaining the license?
They go to your computer and then you drag and drop from the file folder. I did not have to involve Windows Media at all.
I'm a Clip+ user and I love it to bits! Literally, it's beginning to wear out LOLMine is a black 4GB and plenty big enough but I do have a 4GB SD in it which is hardly ever used. It's virtually just emergency storage, handy for travelling.
I'm interested in knowing about Rockbox. I considered it for my old iPod to avoid iTunes so I have read a bit about it but obviously decided not to use it and just got a new player - now I'm wondering, if I Rockbox my Clip+ can I make a new menu system?
I am well used to the Sansa menu now but what bliss to have Audiobooks on the Main Menu instead of Music, which I never use!
Could I use Rockbox to do that? My ideal main menu would have
Audiobooks >
Podcasts >
Sleep >
That's it!
Maybe it's better put at the Rockbox forums but I thought I'd ask just in case ... lots of Clip users here, I might be lucky :)
I believe Rockbox isn't compatible with library books - at least DRM'ed WMA ones - if that's a concern.
Glad to read up there that I'm not the only one here using cellphone when listening audiobook. I use an android phone (Sony Ericsson X8) with an app called mortplayer. Very good, with bookmark features etc.
No, not a concern. But I've gone to the Rockbox forums and see that it IS possible but only with re-coding and compiling, and I'm not needing my new menu that badly :)
http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/dc...