# MP3 to iPod audiobook converter



## Semper Fidelis (Sep 13, 2008)

MP3 to iPod Audiobook Converter

This is a great piece of software that I recently found.

I like to download mp3 audiobooks or lectures (especially iTunes at RTS). I really like the audiobook (m4b) format for a number of reasons. My workflow in the past was to convert the several MP3's in a series to M4A files and then rename the file extension. This allows me to make one massive audiobook out of as many MP3's as I like. I can also split into sections if I desire.

What's nice about this is that I sort of listen to RTS iTunes courses intermittently and I sometime forget if I was one the 20th lecture or the 19th and it takes me a bit of playing each file to see where I last left off. Now I have one huge 10-12 hour file for a 38 series lecture that I can just jump back into wherever I left out.

By the way, my iPod Nano was stolen from a gym the other day (a bit disconcerting because it was taken by a Marine). I wanted to get a Sansa clip but they don't play audiobooks so I ended up getting a 4th generation Nano. It's pretty cool - cheaper than my original Nano and now with 8GB rather than 2GB.


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## Arch2k (Nov 5, 2008)

Thanks for posting this Rich. This tool is really handy to convert mp3's to a file that will remember where I left off.


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## Semper Fidelis (Nov 5, 2008)

No problem. I just recently downloaded the free audiobook that has excerpts of Calvin in 5 MP3's. I intend to use this tool to combine them into one big m4b.


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## fredtgreco (Nov 5, 2008)

Rich,

You do know that dbpoweramp can do the same thing, don't you?

dBpoweramp Codec Central m4a, mp4 & aac

So can iTunes now.


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## fredtgreco (Nov 5, 2008)

Jeff_Bartel said:


> Thanks for posting this Rich. This tool is really handy to convert mp3's to a file that will remember where I left off.



At least with iTunes, you can check an option in the MP3 to have it remember where you left off. Works with all MP3s.


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## Marrow Man (Nov 5, 2008)

There's a way to do this w/o downloading any additional software at all. ITunes has an option for burning an mp3 disc; once you burn the CD, the files are converted to standard mp3 and can be loaded on any mp3 player. I've done this with Frame's lectures on the History of Philosophy and his lectures on Apologetics over at RTS's ITunes store.


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## Semper Fidelis (Nov 6, 2008)

fredtgreco said:


> Rich,
> 
> You do know that dbpoweramp can do the same thing, don't you?
> 
> ...



I know about that Fred but this program will combine as many MP3's together, convert them, and make one huge m4b. In other words, I don't want 20 different files but one large file. This saves me a lot of time - not the least of which is remembering where I am.

As for remembering my place, I listen to these things exclusively on my iPod and I don't know if it bookmarks for listening to MP3's on an iPod. Also, I like having my audiobooks in a discrete section so I can find them on the player easily while driving.


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## Semper Fidelis (Nov 6, 2008)

Marrow Man said:


> There's a way to do this w/o downloading any additional software at all. ITunes has an option for burning an mp3 disc; once you burn the CD, the files are converted to standard mp3 and can be loaded on any mp3 player. I've done this with Frame's lectures on the History of Philosophy and his lectures on Apologetics over at RTS's ITunes store.



I don't believe you actually read the post very carefully. The files are already in MP3 format so there's no need to convert them to MP3 and load them on to a disc so I can load them on to a player. The issue is the convenience of the audiobook format (m4b) and having several mp3's in one large file.


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## ReformedWretch (Nov 6, 2008)

I use the software too! Thing is, I have to open them as MP3's to eedit the sound (make it much louder) then convert them to audiobooks so I can listen at work where it is noisy.


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## Marrow Man (Nov 6, 2008)

Semper Fidelis said:


> Marrow Man said:
> 
> 
> > There's a way to do this w/o downloading any additional software at all. ITunes has an option for burning an mp3 disc; once you burn the CD, the files are converted to standard mp3 and can be loaded on any mp3 player. I've done this with Frame's lectures on the History of Philosophy and his lectures on Apologetics over at RTS's ITunes store.
> ...



You are correct. I think I "read" that post around 11 pm last evening, when I am not exactly my sharpest. I had had a problem in the past where I could not transfer ITunes mp3s to a different mp3 player b/c of the conversion problem, tried to download software (which didn't solve the problem), and this was my solution. My fatigued brain apparently filled in the blanks and saw what it wanted to see. My apologies for clogging up a thread with otherwise useless info.


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## Semper Fidelis (Nov 6, 2008)

No apologies Pastor Phillips. I just wanted to make sure you understand what it does because the audiobook format is pretty handy and, if you download a bunch of MP3's that make one book you can combine them in one file.


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## Marrow Man (Nov 6, 2008)

Semper Fidelis said:


> No apologies Pastor Phillips. I just wanted to make sure you understand what it does because the audiobook format is pretty handy and, if you download a bunch of MP3's that make one book you can combine them in one file.



I had no idea you could do anything like this, which is part of the reason my brain filled in details that weren't even there.


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## BertMulder (Nov 6, 2008)

On the subject of Ipod...

I placed Calvin's Institutes on my ipod, from MP3 CD's that I have...

On the CD it plays fine, however on my IPod it plays way to fast, sounds like Donald Duck is speaking...

Any one know what went wrong?


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## JohnGill (Nov 6, 2008)

iTunes can make audiobook files. Click here.


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## BertMulder (Nov 18, 2008)

BertMulder said:


> On the subject of Ipod...
> 
> I placed Calvin's Institutes on my ipod, from MP3 CD's that I have...
> 
> ...



Changed them to 'audiobooks' files, and they play fine now.


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