Chapters in Audible?

Originally posted by SmokinFatBob
Hi,

I don't know how Audible works with the new 3rd generation iPods or on Mac iPods but was wondering: do they allow you scan chapters of the books or do you simply have to listen to a file from start to finish?

Since my 2nd gen. iPod isn't really "supported" by Apple and Audbile to play Audible files, I was wondering if the Audible manager was somehow smart enough to break the files into "chapter files" or similar for devices which it supports.



Good question, but the answer is no. Audible files do not have chapters on any player, including the newest iPods. When the players are working properly, the player "remembers" where you have stopped listening and faithfully starts there next time. There is a bug in the iPods (at least the new ones, and probably the old) so that these "listening places" are lost each time you connect to a PC or Mac.

The solution is inelegant but quite reliable:

1. Look at the readout and remember where you are when you stop listening (e.g., 1:51:55). Write it down or something (I just yak into my voice pen).

2. Next time you want to go back to the book, use the iPod feature that lets you whip forward quickly to a specific spot. I don't know how it works on the older iPods. On the newer ones, you tap the center "Select" button when the book is playing, so that the time bar has a diamond in it, and you zip around the wheel with your finger as the display whizzes up to the desired starting time. Once you're there, you simply tap the center Select button again. It sounds clumsier than it is.

On the other hand, if you want to listen to Tolstoy's War and Peace (60 hours, which I did listen to!!) and occasionally read in the hard-copy book and later return to the Audible file, you can't use "Chapter" designations in the Audible file to find your place. As I say, this is true for all players using Audible files.

Hope this helps.

John-Mark

Actually, Audible files do contain chapter or segment marking points. However, whether or not the player recognizes them is dependent on the hardware maker. For example, the Audible Otis player and the Rio 800 players utilize the chapter marking feature. It is really handy.

Old PC iPods with 1.26 definately do not use the chapter marks. But from what I've read, the new ones do.

Tap the center button once, and you should see the file bar with vertical lines dissecting it. Tap FF or RW instead of scrolling and it should advance you to the next segment.

The lost bookmark bug definatley applies to old iPods with 1.26 or older firmware. (Fortunately, the 1.3 firmware release should be right around the corner).

However, the new ones are absolutely supposed to hold bookmarks during computer connection. I know firsthand that my buddy's does work but I have also read reports of other that don't.

Stevensvaag, I read on the Ephpod site that if a new iPod is losing bookmarks, it could be due to old iPod software residing on your PC. You have new iPod right? Did you have old iPod? Is it possible that you have old iPod software from MMJB plug-in or something? I think there is a fix for you somewhere.

Stevensvaag,
What version of MMJB came with your iPod? Technically, you have to install MMJB before AudibleManage will work. (But if you don't use, it is possible to get ride of it. We can deal with that later, so first, back to the bookmark issue...

Do you use MMJB to manage your music and / or have you installed any other iPod media software? i.e. Ephpod, Xplay. If so, what version?

Like I said, I have old iPod, but I have access to a new one. I'll get it and see what happens with the bookmarks.

Stevensvaag,

I tested a new 15gig with 2.0 firmware.

Here is what I find.

Loaded book with AM.

Played it. Reconnected. Unconnected. No problem. Held the bookmark. (old PC ipods lose bookmark at this point).

Reconncected. Ran AudibleManger and disconnected. Loaded another Audible file. Disconnected. Checked original file. Bookmark still held.

Then reconnected and transferred mp3 files with Ephpod 2.60f and MMJB 8.0 (with Legacy iPod plug-in from Apple OEM version 7 of MMJB). Lost the bookmark!

So the new one holds the bookmark upon a mere connection, and through additional transfers with AudibleManager but loses it when I transfer music via another program. As I mentioned in previous post, it could be that I have "old" iPod files on mine.

There's a thread over on the EphPod forum trying to troubleshoot the same problem. I would call Audible on it.

I've updated the firmware in my touchwheel iPod to ver 1.3. Does anyone know if I will now be able to move between chapters or "segments"?