Guide: Converting audio book files,CDs,& mp3s with iTunes5+ to Bookmarking iPod files
Step-by-step iTunes5+ simplified and advanced converting audio files, CDs, mp3 to bookmarking files
The blue text in this post is the step-by-step of the now relatively simple iTunes5+ conversion from mp3 to bookmarking iPod file. It is all that is necessary to have a bookmarking iPod file. Unless converted further to AAC, these files will not list in audiobooks category of main menu or be skipped in main menu shuffle. This new iTunes5+ mp3 bookmarking capability does not work with G3 and earlier iPods
Warning: Color (photo) ipods lock up with homemade m4b files, including some podcast files. Until Apple fixes the bug, recommend not using m4b, using only mp3's remember playback position. Use playlists to separate audio files.
For conversions using iTunes 4 or earlier, see Guides 1,2, & 4 in signature below.
See next post, this thread, for CD conversion to bookmarking iPod file
Simplest of all is to skip all these steps and utilize MarkAble $15 PCshareware (full function trial download avail) MarkAble -- which includes a CD Wizard for fewer files than CDs -- merges, manages renaming and deleting files and will convert to either bookmarking mp3 or m4b. MarkAble current version is iTunes5 compatible, but see warning above for color iPods.
To convert MP3 files or MP3 files created from audio cassettes or software sound played and captured on your computer with Total Recorder ($15) or freeware Audacity ( See recorder guide here) to bookmarking iPod files. or:
1. If desired, or necessary, merge or split to create mp3 files that do not exceed 320 mb OR 5 hours (Testing to see if iTunes 5 fixed this bug, but probably in iPod updater latest version). See step-by-step instructions below in green text on how to merge mp3 files.
2. Utilize naming convention to keep files straight. Example is Book Name 1_5U.mp3, Book Name 2_5.mp3, etc.
3. Add File(s) to iTunes Library
a. Open iTunes 5+ (download from here)
b. Click on File in upper left of iTunes window
c. Choose Add File to Library
d. Browse to file(s) and select
e. Click on Open. Files will transfer to iTunes Library. To see files click on Date Added column heading until arrow points down and push R button up.
4. Set Options to remember Playback Position and to Skip when shuffling (If choose to do the conversion to AAC described below, skip this step):
a. Highlight each file in turn
b. R click the file
c. Choose Get Info
d. Choose Info Tab
e. Choose Options tab
f. Check Remember Playback Position
g. Check Skip when shuffling
h. Click Info Tab and enter desired Genre such as audiobook
i. Click OK
j. Repeat for each file
5. Drag and drop or synch files to ipod and you are done unless you wish to convert to AAC . See third post in this thread for Create single Smart Playlist on iPod for Ripped Audio files & File Naming Convention.
[color=dark red]Optional AAC Conversion to reduce file size by 10-20%, to place audio book in main menu Audiobooks category, and to skip these in main menu shuffle.
1. Open iTunes 5+
2. Click on Edit at top of iTunes window
3. Choose Preferences from drop down
4. Choose Advanced Tab
5. Set import Using to AAC Encoder
6. Change Setting to Custom
7. In AAC window that opens set:
a. Stereo Bit Rate at 32 kbps or your preference, not to exceed original file kbps.
b. Sample Rate at Auto
c. Channels to Stereo (Unknown if mono bug fixed)
d. Uncheck Use Error Correction when reading audio files.
e. Click OK
f. Remember to reset to 128 kbps (best setting) when copying music CDs to iTunes Library.
8. R click file (one at the time)
a. Choose Convert Selection to AAC
b. Repeat for all files
9. Upon completion of one or all conversions, rename file extension from m4a to m4b.
a. R click on one of the files
b. Choose Show File from drop down
c. Window will open showing all files – AAC and mp3
d. Click on Rename file on left of window or R click and choose Rename File
e. If file extensions do not show, in window that opens with show file,
i. Click on Tools
ii. Choose Folder Options
iii. Choose View Tab
iv. Under Advanced Settings/Files and Folders uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
v. Click OK
f. Change file extension from m4a to m4b by keying in (highlight only the a and type in b). Ignore warning on renaming.
g. Highlight one at the time or all renamed files, with control click, and double click to add to iTunes Library OR, note file location at top of show file window and use iTunes File>Add file to library command OR drag and drop after reducing window pane size and overlap iTunes and Show File windows.
h. Clear the original mp3 file and the index to the now non-existent m4a file from your iTunes library. The m4a file names will show an ! when highlighted. R Click and choose clear. Say no to find file.
i.
How to merge MP3 files into fewer files not to exceed 320 mb OR 5 hours
o One time only: download merging freeware into programs or desktop from MP3 Merger or url=http://mp3merger.cjb.net/]MP3 Merger[/url]
o To split a file that exceeds the 300 mb/5 hour limit follow instructions by moriond click here. or use a Save as selected portion of file using Audacity or Total Recorder (see link above).
1. Open MP3 Merger freeware. Key in Artist = Author, ignore genre since mp3 merger does not have a suitable genre for audio books. If mp3 files are external, insert source file into a drive.
2. Click on "Add Files" button of mp3 Merger freeware.
3. In window that opens, click button next to source box to browse to My Computer and select source file(s) or folder for mp3 files. For example, E:\Book Name\
4. Double click to open book folder to get to mp3 files. There may be sub folders that contain all the mp3 files for one chapter. Double click open a chapter/folder and highlight all its mp3 files. (shift/click on the last mp3 file in the list to highlight all the folders), but do not forget to limit your file size to 300 mb or 5 hour maximum (see link above to split) over which iPod will skip and stutter or create bookmarking problems.
5. Click the Open button in MP3 Merger to place all that chapter/book/section's mp3 files into mp3 merger
6. Click on Sort Button. Obviously, it is crucial that files are in sequence before merging and the open process usually does not place the files in order. You may have to check tolerate errors in MPEG headers if file names are different.
7. Change mp3 merger main window Output File Name by click on button next to the box and browsing to the iTunes Music Files. Default is C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\
8. Click on *Create New Folder icon
9. Name new folder Author Name by keying in
10. Output File Box in mp3 merger looks something like:
C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\Author Name\Book Name [Key in, using Book Name options: 01Book Name or Book Name Part 02, etc so that you can keep the parts organized and noted. -- Be sure to use 01, 02, etc convention instead of 1, 2, 3, …10,11 for naming to keep in order.]
11. Click on Merge files button. This will place each of the output files into iTunes music folder with its name and sequence number ready for further manipulation. Click on m p3 merger Remove all button and repeat step for all sections/chapter/or book.
12. If chapters are in different folders, you can create a chapter file by using the add file button and highlighting the earlier merged file that resulted from your first mp3 merge steps then adding the contents of the next chapter folder and repeating successively until all folders of a chapter are merged into one file.
Step-by-step iTunes5+ simplified and advanced converting audio files, CDs, mp3 to bookmarking files
The blue text in this post is the step-by-step of the now relatively simple iTunes5+ conversion from mp3 to bookmarking iPod file. It is all that is necessary to have a bookmarking iPod file. Unless converted further to AAC, these files will not list in audiobooks category of main menu or be skipped in main menu shuffle. This new iTunes5+ mp3 bookmarking capability does not work with G3 and earlier iPods
Warning: Color (photo) ipods lock up with homemade m4b files, including some podcast files. Until Apple fixes the bug, recommend not using m4b, using only mp3's remember playback position. Use playlists to separate audio files.
For conversions using iTunes 4 or earlier, see Guides 1,2, & 4 in signature below.
See next post, this thread, for CD conversion to bookmarking iPod file
Simplest of all is to skip all these steps and utilize MarkAble $15 PCshareware (full function trial download avail) MarkAble -- which includes a CD Wizard for fewer files than CDs -- merges, manages renaming and deleting files and will convert to either bookmarking mp3 or m4b. MarkAble current version is iTunes5 compatible, but see warning above for color iPods.
To convert MP3 files or MP3 files created from audio cassettes or software sound played and captured on your computer with Total Recorder ($15) or freeware Audacity ( See recorder guide here) to bookmarking iPod files. or:
1. If desired, or necessary, merge or split to create mp3 files that do not exceed 320 mb OR 5 hours (Testing to see if iTunes 5 fixed this bug, but probably in iPod updater latest version). See step-by-step instructions below in green text on how to merge mp3 files.
2. Utilize naming convention to keep files straight. Example is Book Name 1_5U.mp3, Book Name 2_5.mp3, etc.
3. Add File(s) to iTunes Library
a. Open iTunes 5+ (download from here)
b. Click on File in upper left of iTunes window
c. Choose Add File to Library
d. Browse to file(s) and select
e. Click on Open. Files will transfer to iTunes Library. To see files click on Date Added column heading until arrow points down and push R button up.
4. Set Options to remember Playback Position and to Skip when shuffling (If choose to do the conversion to AAC described below, skip this step):
a. Highlight each file in turn
b. R click the file
c. Choose Get Info
d. Choose Info Tab
e. Choose Options tab
f. Check Remember Playback Position
g. Check Skip when shuffling
h. Click Info Tab and enter desired Genre such as audiobook
i. Click OK
j. Repeat for each file
5. Drag and drop or synch files to ipod and you are done unless you wish to convert to AAC . See third post in this thread for Create single Smart Playlist on iPod for Ripped Audio files & File Naming Convention.
[color=dark red]Optional AAC Conversion to reduce file size by 10-20%, to place audio book in main menu Audiobooks category, and to skip these in main menu shuffle.
1. Open iTunes 5+
2. Click on Edit at top of iTunes window
3. Choose Preferences from drop down
4. Choose Advanced Tab
5. Set import Using to AAC Encoder
6. Change Setting to Custom
7. In AAC window that opens set:
a. Stereo Bit Rate at 32 kbps or your preference, not to exceed original file kbps.
b. Sample Rate at Auto
c. Channels to Stereo (Unknown if mono bug fixed)
d. Uncheck Use Error Correction when reading audio files.
e. Click OK
f. Remember to reset to 128 kbps (best setting) when copying music CDs to iTunes Library.
8. R click file (one at the time)
a. Choose Convert Selection to AAC
b. Repeat for all files
9. Upon completion of one or all conversions, rename file extension from m4a to m4b.
a. R click on one of the files
b. Choose Show File from drop down
c. Window will open showing all files – AAC and mp3
d. Click on Rename file on left of window or R click and choose Rename File
e. If file extensions do not show, in window that opens with show file,
i. Click on Tools
ii. Choose Folder Options
iii. Choose View Tab
iv. Under Advanced Settings/Files and Folders uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
v. Click OK
f. Change file extension from m4a to m4b by keying in (highlight only the a and type in b). Ignore warning on renaming.
g. Highlight one at the time or all renamed files, with control click, and double click to add to iTunes Library OR, note file location at top of show file window and use iTunes File>Add file to library command OR drag and drop after reducing window pane size and overlap iTunes and Show File windows.
h. Clear the original mp3 file and the index to the now non-existent m4a file from your iTunes library. The m4a file names will show an ! when highlighted. R Click and choose clear. Say no to find file.
i.
Drag and drop or synch the converted files onto your iPod and you are finished.[/color]moriond said:
How to merge MP3 files into fewer files not to exceed 320 mb OR 5 hours
o One time only: download merging freeware into programs or desktop from MP3 Merger or url=http://mp3merger.cjb.net/]MP3 Merger[/url]
o To split a file that exceeds the 300 mb/5 hour limit follow instructions by moriond click here. or use a Save as selected portion of file using Audacity or Total Recorder (see link above).
1. Open MP3 Merger freeware. Key in Artist = Author, ignore genre since mp3 merger does not have a suitable genre for audio books. If mp3 files are external, insert source file into a drive.
2. Click on "Add Files" button of mp3 Merger freeware.
3. In window that opens, click button next to source box to browse to My Computer and select source file(s) or folder for mp3 files. For example, E:\Book Name\
4. Double click to open book folder to get to mp3 files. There may be sub folders that contain all the mp3 files for one chapter. Double click open a chapter/folder and highlight all its mp3 files. (shift/click on the last mp3 file in the list to highlight all the folders), but do not forget to limit your file size to 300 mb or 5 hour maximum (see link above to split) over which iPod will skip and stutter or create bookmarking problems.
5. Click the Open button in MP3 Merger to place all that chapter/book/section's mp3 files into mp3 merger
6. Click on Sort Button. Obviously, it is crucial that files are in sequence before merging and the open process usually does not place the files in order. You may have to check tolerate errors in MPEG headers if file names are different.
7. Change mp3 merger main window Output File Name by click on button next to the box and browsing to the iTunes Music Files. Default is C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\
8. Click on *Create New Folder icon
9. Name new folder Author Name by keying in
10. Output File Box in mp3 merger looks something like:
C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\Author Name\Book Name [Key in, using Book Name options: 01Book Name or Book Name Part 02, etc so that you can keep the parts organized and noted. -- Be sure to use 01, 02, etc convention instead of 1, 2, 3, …10,11 for naming to keep in order.]
11. Click on Merge files button. This will place each of the output files into iTunes music folder with its name and sequence number ready for further manipulation. Click on m p3 merger Remove all button and repeat step for all sections/chapter/or book.
12. If chapters are in different folders, you can create a chapter file by using the add file button and highlighting the earlier merged file that resulted from your first mp3 merge steps then adding the contents of the next chapter folder and repeating successively until all folders of a chapter are merged into one file.
Last edited: