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Audiobooks( .aa?) files from MP3 for bookmarks |
Jezperrott
Joined: Aug 08, 2004
Posts: 25
From: London
 |  Posted: 2004-08-12 09:30
Hi, someone said that there was mention somwhere of how to convert MP3 audiobooks to the .aa files that remember where you left off listening. I can't find it, so can someone help?
With Audiobook files, the ipod places a marker where you leave off, so you can listen to other things, then when you come back to the book, you begin where you left off. This is only available for certain formats (.aa I think), and I was wondering if there is a way to convert the MP3 audiobooks I have put on my 'pod to this format? It would save such a lot of trouble, especially in the car.
Thanks
Jez 
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MichaelRHabel
Joined: Dec 26, 2003
Posts: 110
From: Frankfurt Germany
 |  Posted: 2004-08-12 13:01
That's the Holy Grail of iPod CODECS! 
No sadly you can not convert .mp3 to .aa.
But you can convert your Audiobooks on CD or .mp3's to something like the .aa format.
Useing iTunes convert your CD / .mp3 to Apple's AAC (.M4a) Format. Useing Windows File Explorer change that extension to .M4b.
That'll enable iTunes Bookmarking feature wich you can also use on the iPod...
The only thing it can't do is to implement Chapter breaks. This is what makes the .aa format so desireable becuse it supports a Gapless Playback....
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Jezperrott
Joined: Aug 08, 2004
Posts: 25
From: London
| Posted: 2004-08-14 09:30
Thanks for that! I'll try it now!
Jez
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Jezperrott
Joined: Aug 08, 2004
Posts: 25
From: London
| Posted: 2004-08-14 09:53
Erm... Call me a bit thick if you like, but I can't get it to work! It's changed fine, but the bookmarking should work automatically shouldn't it? When you go back to that file, it should pick up where you left off.... Can't make it work. Do you have to do something special?
Thanks
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MichaelRHabel
Joined: Dec 26, 2003
Posts: 110
From: Frankfurt Germany
|  Posted: 2004-08-15 09:09
Did you remember to change the extension from .M4a to .M4b?
When you do an AAC conversion in iTunes it defaults to .M4a. Apple iTunes version of .Mp4 I sometimes forget that steep too. just change that File to .M4b and you be set.
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Jezperrott
Joined: Aug 08, 2004
Posts: 25
From: London
| Posted: 2004-08-15 17:25
Thanks, problem was that Windows was sen not to allow me to change extension.
Thanks guys!
Jez
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mmcdougall
Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 5
From: Chicago, IL
 | Posted: 2004-08-20 16:17
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On 2004-08-12 13:01, MichaelRHabel wrote:
That's the Holy Grail of iPod CODECS!
No sadly you can not convert .mp3 to .aa.
But you can convert your Audiobooks on CD or .mp3's to something like the .aa format.
Useing iTunes convert your CD / .mp3 to Apple's AAC (.M4a) Format. Useing Windows File Explorer change that extension to .M4b.
That'll enable iTunes Bookmarking feature wich you can also use on the iPod...
The only thing it can't do is to implement Chapter breaks. This is what makes the .aa format so desireable becuse it supports a Gapless Playback....
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Umm, you lost me on that last part. What exactly are Chapter breaks, and how to they relate to Gapless Playback? They seem on the face of it to be opposite in nature.
So there is no software utility anywhere that can take a .mp3 (or other) and translate it into a .aa file?
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raggedphoenix
Joined: Dec 29, 2003
Posts: 211
From:
 | Posted: 2004-08-20 18:30
It's not that there's no software anywhere...it's just there's no software available to you or I. Audible obviously have software which will do it but they are very careful about letting there technology out and until someone takes the time to work it out.........
Chapter breaks allow you to create a single file, but with several "chapters" which means that when you hit the forward button, instead of the next track you get the next section of the one you're listening to...much like chapters on a DVD. The only advantage this has for gapless playback (especially mix tracks is that you could rip it as one track and then chapter it so that you can jump around it)... hey, that's not bad....why doesn't someone work out how audible do it and post it some where. If REAL can reverse engineer apple's software then where's the harm? (oooppppps... REAL doesn't want us to do it.....only them because there right and everybody else is wrong....by the way....REAL, you suck  )  
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jhencken
Joined: Sep 06, 2004
Posts: 1
From: Watertown, MA
 |  Posted: 2004-09-06 07:56
Thanks so much for your very helpful remarks. I just naively bought the top iPod in order to transfer audiobooks from the mp3s I made from cassette tapes I own. Only then did I find out that THE KEY FEATURE I need to use the iPod as I intended requires the .aa proprietary format!
I will try your solution.
(Why couldn't Apple post this information??)
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On 2004-08-20 18:30, raggedphoenix wrote:
It's not that there's no software anywhere...it's just there's no software available to you or I. Audible obviously have software which will do it but they are very careful about letting there technology out and until someone takes the time to work it out.........
Chapter breaks allow you to create a single file, but with several "chapters" which means that when you hit the forward button, instead of the next track you get the next section of the one you're listening to...much like chapters on a DVD. The only advantage this has for gapless playback (especially mix tracks is that you could rip it as one track and then chapter it so that you can jump around it)... hey, that's not bad....why doesn't someone work out how audible do it and post it some where. If REAL can reverse engineer apple's software then where's the harm? (oooppppps... REAL doesn't want us to do it.....only them because there right and everybody else is wrong....by the way....REAL, you suck )
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jdh
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aaronsher
Joined: Sep 16, 2004
Posts: 2
From: Rochester, NY
| Posted: 2004-09-16 09:21
When I convert an MP3 to AAC, it got bigger by a factor of about four - what's up with that? iTunes shows the duration of the original at 20:36:34, and the converted version at 49:10:36:00 (49 days!) This makes me think that something's wrong.
Also, playing the song in iTunes, I can't skip around in the track. On the plus side, bookmarking works fine. 
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raggedphoenix
Joined: Dec 29, 2003
Posts: 211
From:
| Posted: 2004-09-16 13:35
Yeah....it sounds like the encoder you used was set wrong. It is probable that what's happened is (for example) the original track was encoded at 32kbps whilst the new one has been encoded at 128kbps...now the actual file size can cause the mis reading of length...(as can variable bit rate {VBR})...as can the actual encoder you used (go figure)...best bet is to encode it in either iTunes or DBPoweramp and just keep an eye on the bitrate. One thought...it might be best to break this file up into several pieces as the iPod doesn't handle such large files very well....it causes greater power drain due to the harddrive spinning up more frequently.
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aaronsher
Joined: Sep 16, 2004
Posts: 2
From: Rochester, NY
| Posted: 2004-09-17 09:36
Yep, that's exactly what was wrong - it was originally a 32kbps MP3 file and I re-encoded it as a 128kbps AAC file. I'm sure that made a big difference in sound quality.
I imagine the length problem and the inability to skip around was iTunes failing to handle a 1GB sound file very well.
Thanks,
Aaron
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Robert1
Joined: Jan 10, 2005
Posts: 18
From: Atlanta
| Posted: 2005-01-10 08:40
The only reason to keep a file size down (I have audible.com file that is 308 mb, no battery prob) is that over, what I just read in this forum, 320mb files skip and stutter on iPod. I had not known what the limit was, but had experience stuttering problems with a large file.
Guide: Copying Audio CD's into Bookmarking iTunes/iPod file
Guide: Copy & merge MP3 files (mac adaptable) and Audio Cassettes (PC only) into Bookmarking file
For Mac install this "Make Bookmarkable" AppleScript, and choose it from the Scripts menu
Guide: Convert NEW or EXISTING mono m4b files to Stereo to avoid 4G
& Mini Lockup AND keep iTrip frequencies out of 4G and mini Shuffle
[ This message was edited by: Robert1 on 2005-01-18 23:59 ]
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Robert1
Joined: Jan 10, 2005
Posts: 18
From: Atlanta
| Posted: 2005-03-01 10:10
EZGuide. All-in-one PC Shareware. Merges, converts, & renames CD, MP3, WAV to bookmarking & places in iTunes Library (MarkAble-$15 PC Shareware)
A remarkable piece of shareware has become available to ease the pain and difficulty of converting CD, MP3, Wav to bookmarking iPod files. Edit: MarkAble now quick converts mp3 files to bookmarking mp3 files. Updated list of links to iPodlounge sticky guides:
All-in-one MarkAble for PC Shareware merges, converts and renames mp3, audio CDs, wav (no wav merge), into bookmarking m4b iPod files, adding the resulting file(s) to your iTunes Library. Simply elegant and ideal for beginners. MarkAble selects the appropriate iTunes encoder and relieves the user of renaming and all file management functions required for creating bookmarking files in the iTunes Library. Fully functional, user-friendly, PC-only version of this $15 shareware of MarkAble is available for a free ten-day download and evaluation.
EZGuide. All-in-one PC Shareware. Merges, converts, & renames CD, MP3, WAV to bookmarking & places in iTunes Library (MarkAble-$15 PC Shareware)
Guide 4. Audio CDs to bookmarking iPod files (Mac adaptable)
Guide 1. Audio mp3 files to bookmarking iPod files (mac adaptable)
Guide 2. Audio CassetteTapes, vinyl LPs & CDs to bookmarking iPod files (PC only) Requires $30 software.
Guide 3. Copy Audio CDs into fewer iPod files using freeware & additional steps&time
Guide 5. Burn audible books to CD iTunes (mac adaptable) or AM (Best!PC only)
Guide 6. Convert mono m4b files to Stereo to avoid 4G & Mini Lockup AND keep iTrip out of 4G+ Shuffle
Link 7. Roberts sorta literary Audible Book Recommendations
Additional uses for MarkAble:
ADVANCED USERS Optional MarkAble uses:
Audio Cassettes, LP’s, or other audio sound played on computer. Save PolderbitS Sound Recordings as wav files, then use MarkAble to convert and rename. Alternatively, save PolderbitS files as mp3 files and utilize MarkAble to merge and convert. See Guide 2 below.
Audio CD (cda files). To convert a set of audio book CDs into the minimum number of bookmarkable files instead of one file per CD, use iTunes to rip all the tracks of each CD -- the entire book -- into mp3 files (set preferences to mp3). Rip into one folder by naming each CD rip: Artist = Author; Song = Book Name; Album = Book Name. In MarkAble, click ++, highlight the Book Name folder (not the individual mp3 files) containing all the ripped files and Open to MarkAble for it to merge, convert, and rename the mp3 files. Default location for the folder is C:\Documents and Settings\Default\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Music\Author\Book Name which contains Book Name 1.mp3, Book Name 2.mp3, Book Name 3.mp3, etc. Disadvantage = requires dual conversion – first to mp3 and then to AAC. Advantage = fewer files.
Robert1 has no financial interest in shareware.
This message was edited by: Robert1 on 2005-03-01 10:12 ]
[ This message was edited by: Robert1 on 2005-03-01 10:15 ]
[ This message was edited by: Robert1 on 2005-03-01 10:17 ]
[ This message was edited by: Robert1 on 2005-07-25 15:03 ]
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Robert1
Joined: Jan 10, 2005
Posts: 18
From: Atlanta
| Posted: 2005-06-05 15:35
I have discovered Audacity freeware that displaces now 30 Euro Polderbits and slightly more sophisticated $12 Total Recorder with which to convert sound to bookmarking files:
Updated links are:
Guide: MarkAble Shareware. EZ merges/converts CD/MP3/WAV to bookmarking files, adds to iTunes, & deletes temp files < MarkAble $15 PC Shareware>
Guide 4. Audio CDs to bookmarking iPod files-All iTunes solution (Mac adaptable)
Guide 1. Audio mp3 files to bookmarking iPod files (mac adaptable)
Guide 2. Audio CassetteTapes, vinyl LPs & CDs to bookmarking iPod files ) (Audacity Mac OS X, PC, Linux Freeware required.)
Guides to Sound Recording ware: Audacity Free, $12 Total Recorder, 30 Euro PolderbitS (supplement to guide 2)
Guide 3. Copy Audio CDs into fewer iPod files using freeware & additional steps&time
Guide 5. Burn audible books to CD iTunes (mac adaptable) or AM (Best!PC only)
Guide 6. Convert mono m4b files to Stereo to avoid 4G & Mini Lockup AND keep iTrip out of 4G+ Shuffle
Link 7. Roberts Audible Book sorta literary Recommendations
[ This message was edited by: Robert1 on 2005-06-05 15:38 ]
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Robert1
Joined: Jan 10, 2005
Posts: 18
From: Atlanta
| Posted: 2005-07-25 14:54
MarkABle now converts mp3 files to bookmarking mp3 files.Markable now has capability to very quickly convert, by tagging, an mp3 file into a bookmarking mp3 file. For clickwheel only iPods and these files do not list in audiobooks nor allow fast play.
MarkAble $15 shareware: http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=79396
Convert in Stereo and keep all file segments max of 5 hour duration to prevent playback and lock up problems.
[ This message was edited by: Robert1 on 2005-07-25 15:00 ]
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cooldude6969
Joined: Jul 27, 2005
Posts: 70
From:
| Posted: 2005-07-29 13:48
Do u want a free Ipod? Do u want to get paid to do get that free Ipod? Simply click on the link below and sign up and complete an offer and i will pay you $50 if you complete that offer. After you complete the offer just email me at To468UsukImgrt@netscape.net and i will give you money. go to the link below
www.freeipods.com
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gazweaver
Joined: Aug 01, 2005
Posts: 1
From: UK
| Posted: 2005-08-01 15:52
Hey, Ive tried to convert a large .aa file (8 hours long) using the suggested method ie changing the file extension from 'a' to 'b'. However after i do it the file is cut short to 1 hour 20 minutes. Anybody got any ideas???
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sparkytrs
Joined: Sep 12, 2005
Posts: 2
From: Liverpool
 | Posted: 2005-09-12 12:20
there is a new option in itunes 5, i have not tried it yet, but it may work...
If you go into the advanced menu for a song (the get info button) and go to options there are 2 new clickboxes;
remember playback position, and skip when shuffling.
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thomson02
Joined: Oct 04, 2005
Posts: 1
From:
|  Posted: 2005-10-04 12:31
I was wondering if somebody could help me convert a mp3 file to m4b, using itunes.
I have successfully been converting mp3s (audiobooks) using the following encoding settings:
Bit Rate: 24 kbps
Sample Rate: Auto (produced approx rates. 16KHz)
Channels: Stereo
Optimize for Voice: Selected
However, whenever i use these settings on a particular mp3 the produced file is much shorter than the actual file, but is roughly the same size. The file i'm trying to convert has the following properties:
Bit Rate: 32 kbps
Sample Rate: 11.025KHz
Channels: Stereo
Format: MPEG-2, layer 3
Length: 28:44:51
Size: 394.8MB
Any suggestions??!!
Thanks.
[ This message was edited by: thomson02 on 2005-10-04 12:33 ]
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