www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Geek Hall Audiobooks

A few months back for my namesday, I picked up an inexpensive second MP3 player (Creative Zen Mozaic) from Circuit City during their bankruptcy sale, as to keep my iPod Touch available for other types of files (namely music and video). I wanted to dedicate it especially to audiobooks. I found when I was able to get away, I was bringing volumes with me to read and that really weighed down the luggage. I decided this year to change over to audiobooks. So far I have about 50 hours of books on it, and when I do get away in July, I will have 60.

Do any others use audiobooks and from which service do they obtain them from? I am currently using www.audible.com [audible.com] . I have obtained a good number of mystery books (my favorite type of pleasure reading) on their monthly subscription program in high audio quality MP3 format.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

This sounds an excellent idea

Fr Anthony - you are mainly a MacUser - but you got a Creative Zen - is this compatible with your iMac/ MacBook ?

This is greatly interesting me as I read a lot - and it would be grest for the few wee trips I do - it would save carrying stacks of books with me

I have enjoyed audiobooks, but I save it for light material. I do not tend to have the same skills with listening as I do reading.

Right now I don't have an mp3 player, so future audio books are on hold until I get one.

Actually, the Zen Mozaic I use is in conjunction with my Acer netbook which is my travel computer and that uses Windows XP Home Edition. You can still if you are using an iPod and Mac obtain the same material. You just have to have your downloads configured for iTunes instead of Windows Media Player and then it will be loaded from there onto your iPod.

Also, I do not use audiobooks for anything technical or deep, just for recreational reading/listening.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Father,

When we lived in New England, the local public library offered downloadable audio books from their website. I had never seen that before. You might check to see if any local libraries in your area do that.

Here is the link:

Downloadable Audio Books [libraryconnection.lib.overdrive.com]

God bless,

Fr. Deacon Daniel

PS: I too am a big fan of audio books. I save all my reading time for work and theology. Audio books are the way I get my fiction. I once went through "A Tale of Two Cities" in a month of commuting. After that, I was hooked.

Been there. They do not offer the service and with the tax budget cutbacks, it does not look like it will be a service anytime soon.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Well now - that gives me an idea - wonder if our council does them

Bless, Father,

I've never tried audiobooks. Having, though, many decades ago, been a rabid fan of radio mysteries (in the era when they were not replays, but live broadcasts) and not having had a problem with imagining the scenario, I suppose the possibility exists that I might enjoy them (unless that ability to mentally supply the imagery is lost with age). But, that's not what prompted me to reply ...

Ok - not exactly a technology question - in fact, not even close. But (discovering another interest we share) my curiousity is tweaked (and seeing as we don't have a 'popular reading' sub-forum for we non-technophiles ... hint, hint ), which mystery writers get your undivided attention?

Many years,

Neil

Neil,

I sent a few names via PM, as to keep the focus of this section on matters technical.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Now you see that Father Anthony has missed his chance. He could have told us his favorite mystery writers were Ezekiel, Isaiah and the Apostle John. We would have been so impressed.

But to keep things technical I myself have only recently gotten into actually downloading things to my iPod. [I could never stand the silly ear buds but now that I purchased the adapter cables for the stereo and the car the iPod is useful.] There is a good deal of free entertainment that can be downloaded off the web. I've enjoyed very much the "Sherlock Holmes" radio show downloads featuring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (1930s-1960s), as well as some from the CBS Radio Theater (which ran in the 1970s).

I have to agree with John on a couple things.

First, I generally despise the earbuds supplied especially with Apple's iPods. Too uncomfortable! I do have an auxiliary cable I use for the car sound system on long trips which is nice. What I did take note of is what the kids constantly have in their ears when listening to their iPods/MP3 players. They are called, "Skullcandy", which is a set of earphones with different types of soft pliable ear inserts. Not only are they really comfortable, but they tend to block out the outside noise much better. I bought these at Radio Shack when they were running a sale for a lot less than the manufacturer of the players sells their standard earbuds. They are interchangeable for either player. I also have a set of acoustic earphones I use when sound editing, and that also works very well for both comfort and blocking out the outside noise on either the iPod or Zen MP3 player.

I also agree there is a lot of free material out there. Not too much in the way of unabridged audiobooks, but more along the lines of radio programs from days gone by and some TV programs, especially from public broadcasters like WGBH. I downloaded about 8 months back a series on the American Presidents they had which was about 18 hours worth of video. Some of them are on my iPod Touch. The rest I can watch from my computer using one of the free media player programs. I also backed these videos up as DVDs so they can also be used on a DVD player.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

If I listen to audiobooks it is for some time. After that time with those ear buds my ear starts to get raw. I bought headphones. When I had a music player I was listening to auidobooks at work.

Unfortunately that music player's flash drive froze up and it found itself in the trash over a year ago.

I don't have the funds right now to invest in one I'd like. That one was a Samsung and I liked it because it had a voice recorder (to MP3), an FM tuner, and a MicroSD slot.

Terry

I also found that the ear bud type of headphone a problem - well I have 2 hearing aids and found that to use ear buds I had to remove my 'ears ' and keeping them safe while using the earbuds

I evventually realised that I needed a full set of earphones and found these could be used with my hearing aids in place - not discreet - but very comfortable , and the system works

My uncle bought a set of studio quality ear buds. He finds those very comfortable.

If you have further problems with earphones and hearing aids, try the headphones that wrap around the ear. The trouble I've had with that style is that it's awkward to wear them with glasses.

Yeah - that does also affect things

Been there - got the sore ears at times to prove it