Audiobooks for Windows Users

Windows users can make use of both audiobook formats in our NH Downloadable Books collection and transfer the audiobooks to a compatible player -- yes, even an iPod!

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MP3 Audiobooks for Mac Users

Users Being Prompted to Upgrade the WMP Security

I'm hearing reports from some users that they are being prompted to re-upgrade the Window Media Player Security Upgrade on their computers. The normal instructions to initially install the WMP Security Upgrade aren't always working. If you already tried the normal instructions, try these instructions below. 

These are the instructions sent to me by OverDrive's tech support staff. Please let your local librarian know if these steps are not helpful to you.

The error you are receiving can often be resolved by resetting the Digital Rights Management (DRM) for Windows Media Player. To do this, please perform the following steps.

Note: Before beginning, be sure that OverDrive Media Console and Windows Media Player are both closed. 

If you are using Windows 7 or Vista please follow these steps:

• Open the Control Panel: Start > Control Panel.
• Open 'Folder Options' and then select the View tab.
• Select Show hidden files and folders. (Screenshot from earlier post.)
• Uncheck Hide protected operating system files.
• In the warning message you receive, click Yes.
• Click OK. 

• Close the Control Panel. 

• Click the Start button.

In the 'Start Search' box, paste the following: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DRM
Press Enter. This will open the DRM folder in an Explorer window.
Delete ONLY the following 4 files, then close the Explorer window.

• blackbox.bin
• drmstore.hds
• v3ks.bla
• v3ks.sec

Run Internet Explorer as administrator and go to the following site: http://drmlicense.one.microsoft.com/Indivsite and follow the prompts. (My tip: To run as admin, close IE, right-click on the IE icon and select "Run as Administrator.")

If you are using Windows XP or older please follow these steps:

• Open the Control Panel: Start > Control Panel.
• Open 'Folder Options' and then select the View tab.
• Select Show hidden files and folders.
• Uncheck Hide protected operating system files.
• In the warning message you receive, click Yes.
• Click OK, then close the Control Panel.

Browse to your DRM folder and rename it to DRM.old, then close the Explorer window.

Depending on your OS, the DRM folder can be found in different locations:

• Windows 2000 and XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ DRM
• Windows 98: C:\Windows\All Users\DRM
• Windows ME: C:\Windows\DRM

Run Internet Explorer as administrator and go to the following site: http://drmlicense.one.microsoft.com/Indivsite and follow the prompts.
If they are still having a problem, they will need to contact Microsoft support. Please let us know if we may be of further assistance.

Installing the OverDrive Media Console for Windows

You must install the OverDrive Media Console for Windows software prior to downloading your first WMA audiobook. This free software manages your audiobook downloads and allows the WMA audiobooks to be opened and enjoyed on your PC and ultimately transferred to your Apple device or other compatible player.

Click on "Help" to find the software downloads. 

 From the "Help" page, click on "Software."

Select OverDrive Media Console...

• A new tab or window opens to the OverDrive Media Console page.

Hint: All Windows users (XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8) should select the “Windows” version of the software – yes, even Windows 8 users! (Windows 8 OMC software does NOT allow you to use the popular WMA audiobooks.)

Hint: The mobile device section is used to install an app directly to your mobile device. Ignore that section if you are looking to install software to your computer.The OverDrive Media Console mobile app for your phone, iPod Touch, or tablet device cannot be used to download WMA audiobooks from our collection. If you want to checkout and enjoy WMA audiobooks, you must install the OMC program for your Windows computer. The WMA audiobooks cannot be downloaded and opened to a Windows computer without first: 

• Properly installing the OverDrive Media Console for Windows 

• Performing a Windows Media Player Security Upgrade 

Installing the OverDrive Media Console (OMC) 

• Select “Windows.” 
• Click “Download Now” download the installer. 

• Run the installer package. 

Note: The browser you choose to use handles the installation differently.

• Firefox users: Check your preferred download location to find the installer and double-click the file to start the installation. 
• Internet Explorer users: Chose to “Run” the file. 
• Chrome Users: Look for a small download box in the lower-left corner of your browser. Click to run the download.

Running the Installation Wizard

• Be aware that you might receive a security warning, depending on your operating system’s security settings. 
• Click “Run” to start the installation.
• Follow the installation wizard. 

• Be sure to agree to the licensing agreement.

     

• Install the software in the default location unless you have a very good reason to change it. 
• If you have multiple users (and user profiles) on your computer and you want this software to be available to everyone, be sure to select “everyone.”

• Confirm the installation. 
• Close the installation wizard when prompted to do so. 

At this point, the OverDrive Media Console software has been installed. However, you must still perform a Windows Media Player Security Upgrade to download WMA audiobooks to your Windows computer. 

Read More

• Windows Media Player Security Upgrade
• WMA Audiobooks Can Be Transferred from a Windows Computer to an Apple Device
• MP3 Audiobooks Can Be Transferred from a Windows Computer to an Apple Device
• The Surface Tablet running Windows RT cannot play WMA audiobooks and does not need the WMP Security Upgrade.
• The Windows Media Player Security Upgrade cannot be performed on a Mac computer.
• Mac computers cannot download WMA Audiobooks. 
• The OMC mobile app cannot download WMA Audiobooks. 
• MP3 Audiobooks can also be downloaded to a Mac and transferred to an Apple device. 

Transferring a WMA Audiobook to an iPod

Once you've checked out and downloaded your WMA audiobook to the OverDrive Media Console for Windows, you are ready to transfer the audiobook to your Apple device.

Read More

Borrowing and Downloading an Audiobook
Transferring MP3 Audiobooks from a Windows Computer to an iPod/iPhone/iPad

A Note about iPod Compatibility 

In order to transfer WMA audiobooks from a PC (not a Mac computer), you must have both the OverDrive Media Console and iTunes installed on your computer. If you are a PC user who owns an iPod, it is likely that you already use iTunes. Be sure that you are using the most recent release (from the Help menu >> Check for Updates). If you don’t already sync your device to a computer, you’ll need to install iTunes and authorize it with your same iTunes ID and password as used to purchase items on your Apple device. 

Download iTunes for free from: http://www.apple.com/itunes/ 

If you are a Mac user you will not be able to download WMA audiobooks to your Mac computer. We do not recommend connecting and syncing your (Mac-synced) iPod to a new computer in order to get audiobooks. When you connect to a different computer, all of the data (songs, videos, apps) will be erased and replaced the data from the new computer. Eeks! Think carefully before taking this step.

Transfer Tips for iPod Users

Patience 

• Download the WMA audiobook to the OverDrive Media Player program on your Windows computer. 
• Attach your iPod/iPhone/iPad to the computer with the USB cable. 
• Wait. 
• Let the device sync, backup, transfer purchases, and update as needed. Don’t try to transfer the audiobook until all of this has finished. 

Manually Manage Music

• You must have the device set to “Manually Manage Music (and Video). From the left sidebar >> Click on your device name >> Stay on the Summary page >> Scroll down to see “Manually Manage Music (and Video) >> Select >> Apply. Be sure to apply the changes!

Change Import Settings 

You will also need to make a quick change to the import settings in iTunes.

• Open iTunes. 
• From the “Edit” menu, click “Preferences.” 
• From the “General” tab, click “Import Settings” button. 
• Change the Settings to “Spoken Podcast” and click “OK.” 

Why Change the Import Settings? 

When transferring the WMA audiobook file to an iPod, the WMA file is converted to an iPod-friendly AAC file. This conversion/transfer can take 2-4 minutes per part. The OMC software prompts the patron to change the iTunes import settings from “High Quality” to “Spoken Podcast.” Doing so will significantly reduce the transfer time.

The changes to the iTunes settings only need to be done once. You are now ready to transfer the audiobook to your iPod.

Transferring a WMA Audiobook from a Windows computer to an iPod/iPhone/iPad

• Open the OverDrive Media Console. 
• Click once on the audiobook you wish to transfer. It should now be blue. 
• Click the Transfer button and the Transfer Wizard will open. 

• The first screen of the transfer wizard shows you the title. The second screen detects your player…

• Each part will take 2-4 minutes to convert and transfer to the iPod. Watch the progress in both the OMC and iTunes.

• After the first part is successfully transferred to your iPod, a new playlist will show up on the left sidebar of iTunes, beneath the name of your device.

• Wait for all parts to finish downloading. Close the OMC Transfer Wizard when prompted to do so and safely disconnect your device. 
• Note: The WMA audiobooks can be found in different places for different Apple devices. 
• iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch: Music app >> Playlist 
• iPod Nano: Audiobooks

Read More

Transferring an MP3 audiobook from a Windows computer to an Apple device

Transferring an MP3 Audiobook to an iPod/iPhone/iPad

These are instructions for transferring an MP3 audiobook from a Windows computer to an Apple iPhone, iPod, or iPad.

Once you've checked out and downloaded your MP3 audiobook to the OverDrive Media Console for Windows, you are ready to transfer the audiobook to your Apple device. 

A Note about iPod Compatibility 
In order to transfer MP3 audiobooks from a PC to an Apple device, you must have both the OverDrive Media Console and iTunes installed on your computer. If you are a PC user who owns an iPod, it is likely that you already use iTunes. Be sure that you are using the most recent release (from the Help menu >> Check for Updates). If you don’t already sync your iOS device to a computer, you’ll need to install iTunes and authorize it with your same iTunes ID and password as used to purchase items on your Apple device. 

Download iTunes for free from: http://www.apple.com/itunes/ 

Transfer Tips for iPod Users

Patience 

• Download the WMA or MP3 audiobook to the OverDrive Media Player program on your Windows computer. 
• Attach your iPod/iPhone/iPad to the computer with the USB cable. 
• Wait. 
• Let the device sync, backup, transfer purchases, and update as needed. Don’t try to transfer the audiobook until all of this has finished. 

Manually Manage Music

• You must have the device set to “Manually Manage Music (and Video). From the left sidebar >> Click on your device name >> Stay on the Summary page >> Scroll down to see “Manually Manage Music (and Video) >> Select >> Apply. Be sure to apply the changes!

Change Import Settings 

You will also need to make a quick change to the import settings in iTunes.

• Open iTunes. 
• From the “Edit” menu, click “Preferences.” 
• From the “General” tab, click “Import Settings” button. 
• Change the Settings to “Spoken Podcast” and click “OK.” 

Why Change the Import Settings? 

When transferring the WMA audiobook file to an iPod, the WMA file is converted to an iPod-friendly AAC file. This conversion/transfer can take 2-4 minutes per part. The OMC software prompts the patron to change the iTunes import settings from “High Quality” to “Spoken Podcast.” Doing so will significantly reduce the transfer time.

The changes to the iTunes settings only need to be done once. You are now ready to transfer the audiobook to your iPod. 

Transferring the MP3 Audiobook to your Apple Device on a Windows Computer

• Open the OverDrive Media Console. 
• Click once on the audiobook you wish to transfer. It should now be blue. 
• Click the Transfer button and the Transfer Wizard will open.

• The first screen only shows the name of the title and format. Press “Next.” 
• The second screen shows you the name of your iPod. (Success!) Press “Next."

• An MP3 audiobook should transfer through iTunes to your device very quickly. Watch the progress happen in iTunes, too.

• Close the OMC Transfer Wizard when prompted, but leave the iPod connected and iTunes open.

Finding Your MP3 Audiobook
Note that your audiobook will not be located in iTunes itself; it will be loaded on your device.

• MP3 audiobooks will be in your Music folder on your iPod. 
• While the device is still plugged into the computer and recognized by iTunes: 
• Click on your device from the right-sidebar. 
• If you don’t see a “Books” folder directly under your device, click the small arrow immediately to the left of the device name to view the folders in your iPod.

Adding Metadata to Your MP3 Audiobook
The MP3 audiobooks don’t have metadata to let iTunes know that it’s really an audiobook. It will be located in your “Music” folder on your iPod. Adding some information to the audiobook parts will keep the audiobook from shuffling and player will remember your location in the book.

• From iTunes >> Device >> Music >> Find your audiobook.
• Select all of the parts together. Shift-click to select all parts. 
• Right-click anywhere on the selected parts. 
• Click “Get Info.”
• From the “Options” tab, change the following: 
• Media Kind: Audiobook 
• Part of a Compilation: Yes 
• Remember Position: Yes 
• Skip when Shuffling: Yes 
• Make sure each of these options is checked, too.

• The audibook will quickly move from the “Music” folder to the “Audiobooks” folder. 

Read More

Transferring a WMA Audiobook to an iPod/iPhone/iPad

Using the OverDrive Media Console App to Listen to MP3 Audiobooks

Borrowing and Downloading an Audiobook

Here are the steps to download an audiobook to a Windows computer:  

When you find an audiobook that is available for checkout, click on the book cover to learn more about the title, listen to a sample, and borrow the book. 

• Make sure the title is available in the correct format. (It’s easy to get involved browsing the collection and accidentally check out an eBook!)
• Click the “Borrow” button to check out the audiobook.

•  The “Borrow” button now shows “Go to Bookshelf.” Click to visit your bookshelf.

• Select and confirm a format...

• iPod users are urged to select the MP3 format whenever it is offered as a choice. The MP3 transfer is very fast, whereas the WMA transfer to an iPod takes 2-4 minutes per part to transfer.
• The audiobook is now checked out to you. 
• Take note of the time you’ll have to enjoy the audiobook. 
• Since you have already downloaded and installed the OverDrive Media Console, click “Download (MP3 Audiobook)."

• A new dialog box will pop up… 
• Every browser will handle this next action differently: 
• Firefox will ask if you want to “Open with OverDrive Media Console” or “Save.” Always select “Open” and the OMC program will open correctly. 
• Chrome will ask if you where you want to save the file. Select “Desktop” and save the file. It will be temporarily downloaded to the lower-left corner of your browser screen. Click the file name in the lower-left corner and the OMC program will open correctly. 
• Internet Explorer will either automatically open the file with OMC or ask if you wish to open or save the file. Open the file and the OMC program will open the file correctly.

• Allow the file to download to the default location. Changing the location is problematic! 

• Download all of the parts at once unless you use slower satellite or dial-up internet service, then you might wish to download one part at a time. (Be sure to download additional parts from the “Download” button at the top of the OMC program, not the website.

• Watch the download process from the bottom-left corner of the OMC software. 

• Once the audiobook has completely downloaded, you can listen to it on your computer, transfer it to a compatible player, or, in some cases, burn it to CDs.

Read More

• Should You Check Out An MP3 or WMA Audiobook?
• Transferring a WMA Audiobook to an iPod from a Windows Computer
• Transferring an MP3 Audiobook to an iPod from a Windows Computer

Selecting WMA or MP3 Audiobooks

So how do you know when to choose a WMA audiobook and when to select an MP3 audiobook from the library's digital collection? Here are some tips to consider: 

• If you are downloading to your Windows computer, you may use WMA or MP3 audiobooks. 
• If you are transferring the audiobook from a Windows computer to a compatible WMA player, you may use either format. 
• If you are transferring the audiobook from a Windows computer to an iPod, iPhone, or iPad, you may use either format – but know that if you have the choice between the two formats, you’ll find the MP3 audiobook transfer much faster to do. 
• If you are downloading to your Mac computer or use the OverDrive Media Console app for a phone or tablet to download the audiobook directly to the mobile device, you will need to limit your selections to the MP3 format. All WMA audiobooks must always be downloaded to a Windows computer before being transferred to a compatible device. 
• MP3 audiobooks can be returned early to the collection, whereas WMA audiobooks cannot be returned early. 

See a complete list of known compatible MP3 players.

Compatible WMA Players

In order to use OverDrive WMA Audiobook titles on a device other than an iPod or an iPhone, the device must play DRM-protected Windows Media content, and either support the bit rate of 32kbps or be able to transcode 32kbps files to a supported bit rate. You may want to check device documentation to determine if a device supports DRM-protected Windows Media content encoded at 32kbps.For this reason, if you are looking to purchase a new player (other than an iPod) that will work with this system, you are strongly encouraged to view the list of compatible WMA (DRM) players and purchase a player from this list.

Mac Compatibility

WMA audiobooks cannot be downloaded to a Mac. Mac users will only be able to make use of the collection of MP3 titles. As MP3 audiobooks allow for the greatest flexibility to our listeners, we make every effort to purchase MP3 audiobooks. Unfortunately, at this time many publishers of audiobooks do not release their titles in MP3 format for digital library collections.

Filtering Your Search Results to Show Only MP3 Audiobooks

If you are searching for MP3 audiobooks on a desktop or laptop computer, you will want to filter your search results to show only MP3 audiobooks. Note that if you are using a mobile device, only MP3 audiobooks are shown by default.

Microsoft Surface Tablet Running Windows RT

The current version of the Microsoft Surface tablet looks like it runs the same version of Windows 8 as full-sized computers, but it actually runs Windows RT. It's a "lighter" version of Windows specifically designed for tablet computers. Because of this, oddly enough, the Surface tablet is not compatible with the Windows Media Audio (WMA) audiobooks in our NHDB collection.

Why not? The best explanation I can figure out is that it lacks the Windows Media Player (WMP) software. The WMP is the software that runs silently in the background unlocking the Digital Rights Management (DRM) used in our WMA audiobooks. (Most of the audiobook publishers we work with won't sell DRM-free audiobooks to public libraries.) The Microsoft website also states:

With Windows RT, you can install apps directly from the Windows Store, but you can't install desktop programs that you used with previous versions of Windows.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/windows-rt-faq 

So at this time the Microsoft Surface tablet running Windows RT is only compatible with the DRM-free MP3 audiobooks and Adobe EPUB and Open EPUB eBooks. There is also a Kindle app for the Surface tablet running Windows RT.

The yet-to-be-released Surface tablet running Windows 8 Pro (featuring a stronger processor) will run traditional Windows desktop software and (I assume) will run the Windows version of the OverDrive Media Console. Read this post for more information on the difference between the Windows OMC and the Windows 8 version.

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Installing the OverDrive Media Console on Windows 8

Windows 8 and the OverDrive Media Console

What to do if you want to listen to audiobooks with your new Windows 8 computer:

So you have a new Windows 8 computer -- congratulations! Now how do you use the WMA audiobooks with your new computer?

1. Head on over to the OverDrive Software Downloads page. 
2. Even though you have a Windows 8 operating system, don't choose the Windows 8 download. For some reason unknown to me, the Windows 8 version of the software does not support the WMA (Windows Media Audio) audiobooks. 
3. Select the Windows version of the OMC to be able to download, transfer and enjoy the WMA audiobooks. 
4. Follow the instructions in this handout, paying very close attention to the possible problems/solutions in getting the Windows Media Player Security Upgrade (page 5 of the handout). 
5. Remember that when WMA audiobooks are transferred to an iPod/iPhone that a new playlist is created on the device itself (not in iTunes).  

Most importantly, let your local librarian know how things worked for you! All the information we get helps someone else later.

WMA Audioboks & iOS 6

For those of you who are experiencing trouble listening to audiobooks in the correct order on your iOS 6 (new or newly updated Apple devices), this solution may be helpful to you. I haven't tried it out myself yet, but I hope to do so in the near future.

From OverDrive's Tech Support Team:

Take the following steps to move parts of the audiobooks to your playlist: 

1. Connect your device to your computer. 
2. Open iTunes. 
3. Click Books located under your device name in the left column of iTunes. (Note: This title will not be added to iTunes. It bypasses iTunes and lands directly on your device!) You may need to click the arrow to the left of your device to expand the menu.  
4. Drag the parts over to the playlist created for the audiobook, which is also located under your device name in iTunes. 
5.  Verify that the parts are in the correct order.  If they are not please drag them into the appropriate position.  

Resume Playback Feature for the Sansa Clip or Sansa Fuze

The firmware update to a Sansa Clip allows for a "resume playback" feature when audiobooks are transferred to the "Audiobooks" folder. New Sansa Clips and Sansa Fuzes have an Audiobooks folder. When the audiobook is transferred from the OverDrive Media Console to that special Audiobooks folder (instead of into the Music folder), the resume playback feature will hold your last known locations for that audiobook part. Here are the instructions to add OverDrive audiobooks to the correct folder to enable this feature.

1. There is no need to create an Audiobooks folder on your device; the firmware update has done this for you. (This was my first mistake.)
2. Did you give the update some time to take effect? (Another mistake of mine...)
3. Checkout and download a book to your computer like normal.
4. Open OverDrive Media Console, if necessary.
5. Select the desired audiobook.
6. Plug in your player.
7. Wait a minute to let Windows recognize your player.
8. Click the transfer button.
9. A dialog box will open showing the name of the audibook.
10. Click "next."
11. On the dialog box that shows the parts of the audiobook, click on the "Advanced Options..." button.
12. You may be asked if you wish to create a new folder for the title. Click "no."
13. A new "Advanced Options" dialog box loads. From this box, click on "Browse."
14. Choose "Audiobooks" instead of "Music." Create a new folder, if desired, and name it the title of your audiobook. 
15. Notice that the path in the Advanced Options dialog box has changed to "Audiobooks/[title of audiobook folder]"
16. Click "Ok."
17. Click "Next" to start the transfer.
18. The book will transfer as normal.
19. You'll be prompted to unplug your player.
20. Unplug.
21. Turn on your device.
22. You'll find the audiobooks under: Music >> Audiobooks >> Title.
23. When you return to a title that you'd previously listened to, you'll see a menu item "Resume Playback." Choose that option to continue with the audiobook.

WMA Audiobooks and iOS 5 - UPDATE

Things work just a little differently now with the WMA audiobook to iPhone/iPod transfer.

I uninstalled and reinstalled the OverDrive Media Console software before beginning. I had also updated iTunes and installed the newest software (iOS 5) on the iPod Touch the week previously. 

Check out, download, and start the transfer from the OverDrive Media Console as usual. Make sure your iPhone/iPod is plugged into your computer, iTunes is running and your device is recognized by iTunes before starting the transfer with the OverDrive Media Console.

The transfer will place the WMA audiobook directly onto your iPhone/iPod and into its own playlist. You should see the author listed as the name of the new playlist. (Note: This title will not be added to iTunes. It bypasses iTunes and lands directly on your device.)

The file is already marked as an audiobook and should resume playback and not be shuffled into your music.

Find the audiobook under your iPod's playlists, not in the music or audiobook folder.

New Apple Update and Audiobooks

For those of you who purchased new Apple devices with the iOS 5 software or have recently upgraded your iPod Touches, iPhones, iPads to iOS 5, please read the following:

Regarding the issue of WMA files not showing up on an Apple device following the update to iOS 5, users can now update OverDrive Media Console for Windows
(http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc) to resolve the issue. Once you have transferred a WMA Audiobook to your device, a playlist will be created for the Audiobook. Please note that WMA Audiobooks will no longer be listed in 'Audiobooks' on your iOS5 device. This solution will work in the absence of a patch from Apple that would allow WMA titles to be named properly and stored under Audiobooks on a device using iOS5.

http://www.facebook.com/OverDriveForLibraries

 I'm not completely sure this will work, but if you view the last few slides in the presentation for Mac users, there are screenshots that show how to make an audiobook show up as, well, an audiobook! If this works for you, let us all know.

WMA & MP3 & iPods, oh my!

When we started the audiobooks consortium three years ago, it was a little easier to understand which players and computers would work with the service. But with the addition of MP3 audiobooks and new iPod ( & Windows) compatibility, things can get a little, well, confusing. Allow me to try to explain the formats and player compatibility:


The audiobook consortium buys two types of audiobooks: MP3 titles and WMA titles. Sometimes we only own one of the two types, sometimes both types. Before I explain why at times we cannot purchase both types, let me explain the two audiobook formats.

MP3: This is a type of audio format. Because it is the most basic format for audio files, the word "MP3"  tends to get used in a very generic manner for any type of music format or music player. MP3 files are free of DRM or Digital Rights Management.

All players that can play the WMA audiobooks can also play the MP3 titles. In addition, all Apple players, Mac computers, many generic MP3 players, and phones with MP3 playback can play these MP3 audiobooks. See a complete list of known compatible MP3 players.

WMA: This stands for Windows Media Audio. This audio format was developed by Microsoft and is a proprietary audio format. In addition to being a proprietary format, the WMA titles found in our audiobooks collection contains DRM. The DRM controls the checkout period and encrypts the audiobook after seven days, making the audiobook file useless on your computer after the loan period expires. This type of audiobook file requires a player that can handle WMA files and the Digital Rights Management. Not every MP3 player has the ability to play WMA files. Only a select number can play WMA files that include DRM. (And just to confuse things further, some players marketed as WMA players are not compatible with our service because they cannot manage the DRM. Be sure to purchase a WMA player that can play WMA DRM files.)

Update: From OverDrive's FAQs

In order to use OverDrive WMA Audiobook titles on a device other than an iPod or an iPhone, the device must play DRM-protected Windows Media content, and either support the bit rate of 32kbps or be able to transcode 32kbps files to a supported bit rate. You may want to check device documentation to determine if a device supports DRM-protected Windows Media content encoded at 32kbps.

For this reason, if you are looking to purchase a new player (other than an iPod) that will work with this system, I strongly encourage you to view the list of compatible WMA (DRM) players and purchase a player from this list.

iPod Compatibility: Until last week, iPod users could only play the MP3 audiobooks. Why? Because the Windows-based (WMA DRM) audiobooks could not be downloaded to a Mac computer or transferred to an Apple-based player.

So what's changed in the past week? A lot! I'm happy to say that if you have access to a Windows-based computer, you can plug in your iPod and transfer a WMA audiobook to it. You'll need to have the newest version of the OverDrive Media Console (version 3.2),  iTunes installed on the Windows computer and set aside plenty of time to transfer the audiobook to your iPod, but it works! I'll be putting together a longer set of instructions in the near future...

Mac Compatility: But what if you use a Mac computer? If you are a Mac user, like me, I'm sorry to say that the Windows-based WMA audiobooks cannot be downloaded to a Mac. According to OverDrive, they do not have plans to develop a way to make the WMA audiobooks available to Mac computer users.

Personally, I was able to connect my iPod to a Windows-based computer and transfer the audiobook without any problems when I reconnected it to my Mac. There is a note in OverDrive's tech support instructions stating that only Windows formatted iPods will be compatible with the WMA audiobooks. However, my iPod touch had never been used on a Windows-based computer, and was able to accept the WMA audiobook transfer. Please comment on the sucess or failures you've had with your iPods!

Purchasing Formats: So why do we sometimes own only one format or both formats of an audiobook? As I mentioned earlier, until recently, we could only purchase WMA audiobooks. This spring, we had the opportunity to purchase MP3 audiobooks, thereby making the service a little iPod and Mac-friendly.

Only a few audiobook publishers create their content in MP3 format. A vast majority of publishers only release their content (to us) in the WMA DRM format. For that reason, a majority of our titles will continue to be in the WMA format. However, when a title is published in both WMA and MP3 format, I tend to purchase the title as an MP3 so Mac users will be able to enjoy the audibook, too!

So, this was a lot longer and more confusing than I hoped it would be! In summary:

• If you've been using the service for a while now, just know that since you are using a compatible WMA (DRM) player, you can enjoy any audiobook.
• If you are a Mac user, you will only be able to use the MP3 audiobooks.
• If you are an iPod user and have access to a PC, you will be able to checkout all of the MP3 titles and a majority of the WMA titles. (Look at the Digital Rights Information listed at the bottom of each audiobook record and see if the transfer to an iPod device is permitted. Some publishers of WMA audiobooks have decided to not allow their audiobooks to be transferred to an iPod.)
• If you have a non-iPod and non-WMA DRM player, but your player (or phone) is listed as a known compatible player of the MP3 audiobooks, you can listen to any of the MP3 titles.

In an upcoming post, I hope to cover Windows to iPod transfers.