Thanks Randy! You just made my decision easier
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| iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset https://www.splasm.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=276 |
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| Author: | Kevin [ Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
With the exception of "Poll: Wanted: New Name For Podner" under "ViddyUp! Feedback and Suggestions" (http://www.splasm.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=179), this posting is by far the most popular with 60 replies and over 22,000 views. I realize that this is not an Audiobook Builder issue, but this seems to be the only place on the [public] internet containing reliable information wrt this topic. Especially due to the fact that Splasm opened a ticket with Apple Support attempting to get the bug fixed. Even though Splasm Software is unable to provide specific information regarding this issue due to Apple Bug Report policies, it would be useful to see monthly updates. Even if those updates state "We have contacted Apple and we are still unable to provide additional information." I'll be able to sleep a little better knowing that someone is putting [at least some] pressure on Apple to resolve this issue. Keith/Splasm, Please do what you can to keep the audiobook-listening community informed of the progress on this. From what I can tell, due to the research done by your organization, you contain more information about this issue than anyone else out there. Here are two links re: this issue. http://forums.ilounge.com/archive/index.php/t-168526.html http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showpost.php?p=960598&postcount=49 If any additional information is available, please let me know. Thanks, Kevin... |
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| Author: | panjandrum [ Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
I think Splasm needs to update this software so that it tricks the iPod into thinking these are Audible books. I've continued to purchase Audible books each month, still no problems. As I stated above, they are mono MP3 files. They Bookmark, they don't reset, they WORK. They have the file extension .aa Could you guys as Splasm PLEASE just give this a shot? As it stands, you've been selling people a useless product. Doesn't matter if it is Apple's fault or yours, the fact is you are continuing to sell a product that you know darn well is effectively useless. So give it a final try and figure out what format actually works and then implement it! At the very least show you care about your customers (and your reputation) by taking ABB off your product list. |
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| Author: | Taellosse [ Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
I would just like to pipe up and say that I'm reasonably confident that, if not completely fixing it, the new iPod Classic does appear to virtually eliminate this problem. I've been listening to a series I recently bought on MP3 CD, and as per my usual now, I immediately ripped them onto my Mac and ran them all through ABB. Each book comes out to 2 8-12 hour files. I'm now about 3/4 of the way through the third book in the series, and have yet to encounter this problem even once. To give that a sense of time, I've been listening to these books every day for about an hour a day or so, for about 3 weeks, on the way to work, then on the way home, with some time listening at home or on the weekends as well. Admittedly, I have not yet tried this out with any of the ones I know were having this problem on my old iPod, since I've not wanted to listen to any of those books again so soon. However, I was having the issue often enough on my old one with these kinds of files that I seriously doubt I would encounter it with them now. Not that this helps anyone who is unwilling or unable to buy a brand new iPod, but I thought I'd let people know, nevertheless. |
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| Author: | TadDavis [ Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:34 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
panjandrum wrote: As it stands, you've been selling people a useless product. I think your suggestion of offering an MP3 output option is worth pursuing, although I say this without any knowledge of the complexities involved. But I think your final judgement here is a bit harsh, to say the least. My experience with a 2.5-hour limit on file length bears out the observations made here that the problem doesn't appear when the parts are shorter. And while 2.5 hours is shorter than I would wish, it's still long enough to cut the number of parts in half (over the original CDs). Add to that the ability to split and rejoin tracks however you desire, and I think the product remains extremely useful. I've also found it useful in managing downloads from Naxos Audiobooks and eMusic Audiobooks. Those downloads come as one file per track, resulting in dozens or hundreds per audiobook. They load very nicely into ABB and result in a set of sequenced audiobook parts, with customized chapter breaks, that work just fine. |
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| Author: | bill.d [ Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Has anyone been able to get a refund from Apple due to this |
I bought a new iPod last year thinking my old one was starting to fail - now I realize it was just this bug showing up as I moved to listening to audiobooks. I'm nearing the end of my iPod's warranty period and am wondering if this bug is enough to get my money back from Apple. If they have no intention of fixing this I really don't need my newer iPod... |
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| Author: | panjandrum [ Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
I found myself listening to some of my audio-books with this glitch again recently and decided to finally tackle it and try to find a solution: 1) Rip your audiobook CDs into iTunes using a very high-bit-rate (you will delete them later so for now you just don't want to lose quality). 2) Use whatever method you wish to combine your tracks. Audiobookbuilder is one solution. Use pass-through quality so you don't lose quality in this step either (if the software you use doesn't allow pass-through, just use a very high bit-rate again). If you have a utility which supports it, you can downsample in this step also, thus skipping a step (see step 3). 3) Import the new files into iTunes and then convert them to a low bit-rate MP3 file (NOT AAC). I use mono 32kbps @ 32kHz as a good compromise between size and quality. (Not necessary if you already downsampled in step 2). 4) Using the iTunes "get info" command set these final low bit-rate files to "Media Kind" = Audiobook. Make sure they are also set to remember playback position and skip when shuffling. 5) Delete the files created in steps 1-3 since you won't need them again. This produces audiobooks which work flawlessly for me using the latest version of iTunes and the latest firmware updates on my: iPhone 3G iPod Touch (first gen) iPod Video (80gb) Note that it appears as if Splasm had been paying attention to this thread and, as I suggested ages ago, create a version of Audiobookbuilder capable of encoding in MP3 format, we would have had a viable solution at that point. Instead they've left this issue for us to figure out on our own. Obviously this will be the last / only product I ever purchase from Splasm. |
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| Author: | Randy K. [ Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
Of course we pay attention to the forums. As I had stated before, we read every post. You have always had the ability to create 1 long mp3 out of virtually any track from within iTunes. That kind of defeats the purpose of an AAC audiobook file format in the first place. You lose your chapter markers and your chapter artwork, and the AAC quality at low bitrates which in turn severely cripples the benefits of audiobooks. If you noticed, Apple seems to avoid Audiobook parts longer than 2.5 hours in their own store, so its not something exclusive to us as it has been stated many times before. I'm sorry you are not satisfied with our response to the issue, and will always honor a refund if you no longer are satisfied with the product. |
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| Author: | jubjub75 [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
Do the newest iPods still exhibit the same problem? I am thinking of upgrading my iPod, and this would push me over the edge. |
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| Author: | Randy K. [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
As far as we know, this behavior has not shown itself on the iPod touch, flash based iPods, or the iPhone. |
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| Author: | jubjub75 [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
Thanks Randy! You just made my decision easier
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| Author: | dougbank [ Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
This last answer is what I have been looking for. It would be nice if you could include some summary of this discussion in the FAQ. Explain that if you are creating audiobooks for 5G ipods (or disk based ipods or whatever is accurate), set the part length to 2:30 or something like that. If you are creating them for iphones or nanos, you can make the parts larger without experiencing the bug. I have had Audiobook Builder long enough to go through this problem the first time around. I have iPods including 3G, 5G, multiple nanos and iphones. I still use the 5G for most books, but if I am creating a book for my wife iphone, 2 segments is a lot nicer than 8.... |
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| Author: | henrylimmer [ Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
I have been using ABB to create 48kbps, mono, 44.1kHz, m4b audio books for quite some time now. My old 10GB 3rd generation iPod chokes on these in all of the ways outlined in this thread. I gave up after the first few returns to the main menu, forced restarts, etc. and tossed an old clamshell iBook on the passenger seat of my car. Of course iTunes plays the files no problem. I have tried a few things suggested here and elsewhere on the web to "fix" my iPod to no avail. Now I'm considering upgrading to a 120GB iPod Classic for various reasons including improved audio book playback. What I can't figure out is if the 120GB iPod Classic is going to do any better? If not then I have less interest in buying one though I still might for other reasons. Can anyone provide an authoritative or semi-authoritative answer as to whether or not the iPod Classics (80/120/160GB) do any better with long (4-8 hour), mono audio books created with ABB? Please and thank you! |
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| Author: | dougbank [ Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
I do not have an authoritative answer, but the workaround of creating multipart books does work quite well. If you don't switch around from book to music and back, you would never even care. Doug |
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| Author: | molloy10 [ Sat Nov 19, 2011 6:40 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
There is an extremely useful article and graph on this topic over on the Loden software forum: <http://lodensoftware.com/forum/index.php?topic=5.0>. Quote: This means that if you limit the audiobook to 650,000,000 samples, then the length of the audiobook will be below the max length in hours listed in the table below. Sample rate of 8.0 kHz = 22.6 hrs max Sample rate of 12.0 kHz = 15.0 hrs max Sample rate of 16.0 kHz = 11.3 hrs max Sample rate of 22.05 kHz = 8.2 hrs max Sample rate of 24.0 kHz = 7.5 hrs max Sample rate of 32.0 kHz = 5.6 hrs max Sample rate of 44.1 kHz = 4.1 hrs max Sample rate of 48.0 kHz = 3.8 hrs max They say that this problem is related to the number of audio samples within an an audiobook - not just the size or length - and suggest that if audiobooks are limited to 650,000,000 samples then they should work on all models of iPod. I note, from your FAQ, that ABB has a top limit of approx. 2,000,000,000 samples, which is about 3 times the above suggested limit. This means that I need to refer to the above table every time I use ABB. It would be much more useful if ABB had an extra option, in the Preferences menu, whereby I could set a top limit to all files I create to 650,000,000 samples. |
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| Author: | Randy K. [ Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:31 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: iPod Skips Ahead/Returns to Main Menu/Bookmarks Reset |
We will definitely look into it. We had run our own tests years ago and some of our numbers conflict with those listed at Loden Software regarding the Classic iPods, but its worth experimenting again and see if we can come up better results. Its good to know someone else spent some time looking into the issue. Chapter and Verse's icon look awfully familiar to me  Thanks for the link! |
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