Convert audiobooks to .mp3?

[kdkrone]

5G iPod, iTunes 7.0.2.16

I am rather new to the iPod world. I have purchased a series of lectures that I enjoy and they are in mpeg-4 audio (protected) format, which, as I understand it, is a proprietary format. I would like to convert them to .mp3 files and was told that I could do this by creating a playlist and then burning the list.

The individual lecture files (in the MPEG-4 format) are about 30MB each and there are 17 of them, so they fit on a CD without any problem. However, when I select the lectures from the playlist, I had to pare the list from 17 to 1 before I was able to not receive a message that said I would need multiple CD's!!

I must be doing something wrong because I don't understand why a 30MB MPEG-4 audio lecture would need one whole CD as an .mp3.

Does anyone have a clue as to what might be happening?

Thanks
Ken K

[honeybee1236]

Post length of files running time and size of CD's your using.

If your making an audio CD then the running time maybe the problem. An 80 minute CD will record approximately 1:09 (1 hour & 9 minutes) of audio time. If the programs are over this added all together then that is why your getting the message. The 30MB size is only relevant if your trying to burn a data disk which if 700MB will hold up to 698MB successfully burned.

[zebostoneleigh]

As honeybee stated, it's the running time of the audio that matters. The compressed files size of the downloaded lectures is "nice" but irrelevant when deciding how much will fit on an audio CD.

To "convert" the preprietary format to a generic mp3, the "suggested" workaround isn't nice and simple. You have to burn the entire lecture series to audio cd (which removes any protection - but also removes chapter markers and other metadata). Then, you have to import the audio from the burned cd back into iTunes (at which point you'll have two copies on your computer of the lectures: the original and the ripped-from-cd version).

The first is the downloaded proprietary format; the second will be mp3 (or AAC if you've got iTunes set up to do so - it's a smaller, "newer", better? format than mp3). Oh you'll also now have the entire lecture series on audio cd - if you want, or else, that's just a pile of wasted cd platters - used once to do the conversion.

There are various posts around about how to do it, but I think that pretty much covers it. I wish there were easier ways to do it (without all the audio cd burns) - but that's that's the best I know.

dave

[kdkrone]

OOps! Looks like there was already a reply as I wrote and posted this! Thanks zebostoneleigh


Honeybee,

Thank you for your rapid reply.

My CDs are 80 minute (700MB) CDs. The lectures are 45 min each.

So... if I get what you are leading to, it is the length of time of the lecture and not the size of the file that matters? Does the 30MB get distributed around the 700MB disk in such a way that the disk cannot hold more? If so, is there a way to convert the MPEG-4 files on my hdd to .mp3 or do I have to go through the process of creating CDs of .mp3 files and then ripping them to my hdd?

Thanks. Sorry if I am asking basic questions--that is where my meagre knowledge level is!

Ken K

[honeybee1236]

Audio - then look at the total running time of the file.

Data - then look at the total MB's of the file.

Make sure iTunes is set to do one or the other under Perferences>Advance>Burning. Burn your files to audio disks if you want to reimport them into iTunes as MP3's. Just make sure you set the Importing section in iTunes for MP3.

Only one file will fit on an audio disk since two x 45 minutes (90 minutes or 1:30 minutes) will exceed 1:09 minutes. You must make an audio disk since you want to reimport the files into iTunes.

[kdkrone]

Actually, I don't want to import them back into iTunes. I want to load them onto an MP3 player, so I just want the MP3 files. Does that change anything?

Thanks
Ken K

[honeybee1236]

Yes, but you have to burn them to an audio disk and then import them back into iTunes as MP3's. Then you can transfer them. If they are protected files then this is the only way to do it. You can't do it on a computer. Only non-protected files can be done directly on a computer.

[kdkrone]

Originally Posted by honeybee1236

Yes, but you have to burn them to an audio disk and then import them back into iTunes as MP3's. Then you can transfer them. If they are protected files then this is the only way to do it. You can't do it on a computer. Only non-protected files can be done directly on a computer.

Thanks. We are getting there.

Now, when I initially burn the CD, do I select MP3 under Preferences, Burning? and then, I assume I Import the file using the MP3 encoder? If so, where do I find the file to then move it to an MP3 player? Will it be in one of those weird F00 folders with WXYZ as a name or will they be in a filename that is .mp3?

Thanks
Ken K

[honeybee1236]

You select audio since you want to burn an audio disk. You select mp3 under Importing when you want to import the file back into iTunes. The file will import back into the iTunes library the same as any CD.

[kdkrone]

OK. Everything has worked. I was pleased to find the mp3 in a folder that was not the iPod F___ type of folder and the title was discernable, although iTunes thought the lecture was the Rocky Horror Picture Show....!!!

Anyway, unless I am wrong, I should be able to fit 10-12 of the 50MB mp3 files onto a CD to move them to my wife's computer to load onto her MP3 player, so many thanks to honeybee and zebostoneleigh for helping.

Ken K

[kdkrone]

Is there a program that will allow one to change any incorrect data that iTunes finds on the internet and ascribes to files?

For example, I have a lecture that iTunes thinks is The Rocky Horror Picture Show....!!!

Thanks
Ken K

[honeybee1236]

You can change the tags by right clicking on the file and selecting 'get info' and correct the title.

[kdkrone]

Thanks. I am going to have to find a decent manual for this iTunes program.

Ken K