Comments on: Review: Audiobook Builder 1.0 http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/ Michael Alderete’s Weblog Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:45:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Alderete http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-23388 Alderete Tue, 28 Dec 2010 04:10:41 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-23388 @Peter: In my experience, except for books with devoted fans (think Harry Potter), the track names data that comes back from an Internet lookup is very frequently missing or useless, whether I use iTunes or something else (they all tie back to the same database from Gracenote). Audiobook Builder will do the same Internet-based lookup of track names that iTunes does; indeed, it basically uses iTunes to do it, so the results should always be the same. You can play the tracks in Audiobook Builder, too, just like in iTunes. In these regards, they are identical in effort. The main difference between the two is when you want long, multi-hour audiobook tracks, the way Audible and the iTunes Store provide them. You cannot accomplish that in iTunes natively, and while Join Together (an iTunes add-on from Doug's AppleScripts for iTunes) will do it some of the time, it's not as reliable or flexible as Audiobook Builder. If you want to import via iTunes, and then pop over to Audiobook Builder to combine tracks, that works too. Seems like more effort to me, I would rather do all the work in a single application, but if it works for you... @Peter: In my experience, except for books with devoted fans (think Harry Potter), the track names data that comes back from an Internet lookup is very frequently missing or useless, whether I use iTunes or something else (they all tie back to the same database from Gracenote). Audiobook Builder will do the same Internet-based lookup of track names that iTunes does; indeed, it basically uses iTunes to do it, so the results should always be the same. You can play the tracks in Audiobook Builder, too, just like in iTunes. In these regards, they are identical in effort.

The main difference between the two is when you want long, multi-hour audiobook tracks, the way Audible and the iTunes Store provide them. You cannot accomplish that in iTunes natively, and while Join Together (an iTunes add-on from Doug’s AppleScripts for iTunes) will do it some of the time, it’s not as reliable or flexible as Audiobook Builder.

If you want to import via iTunes, and then pop over to Audiobook Builder to combine tracks, that works too. Seems like more effort to me, I would rather do all the work in a single application, but if it works for you…

]]> By: Peter Norby http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-23356 Peter Norby Fri, 24 Dec 2010 06:41:43 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-23356 Maybe I'm weird, but Audiobook Builder seems like more work than iTunes. With iTunes, you get the track names from CDDB (sometimes useless, but more often than not somebody's already done the work), you can use AppleScript shortcuts to do batch renames/etc. of your tracks. You can actually listen to the tracks to find out what they are so you can figure out where chapter boundaries are (because what's the point of adding chapter marks if they just take you to arbitrary locations?). Am I missing out on something here? Unless it suddenly does something magical, I think I'm going to stick with importing via iTunes, then only combining them in Audiobook Builder. I'm not sure what extensive prep work you found yourself needing to do, but I have a few hundred audio books imported into iTunes and haven't had to do any song & dance to get them to play in order. Audiobook Builder seems like *more* work, due to the dearth of information it actually seems to have about the CDs/tracks (plus the pointless overhead of creating/deleting a project for every book). -/\/ Maybe I’m weird, but Audiobook Builder seems like more work than iTunes. With iTunes, you get the track names from CDDB (sometimes useless, but more often than not somebody’s already done the work), you can use AppleScript shortcuts to do batch renames/etc. of your tracks. You can actually listen to the tracks to find out what they are so you can figure out where chapter boundaries are (because what’s the point of adding chapter marks if they just take you to arbitrary locations?).

Am I missing out on something here? Unless it suddenly does something magical, I think I’m going to stick with importing via iTunes, then only combining them in Audiobook Builder. I’m not sure what extensive prep work you found yourself needing to do, but I have a few hundred audio books imported into iTunes and haven’t had to do any song & dance to get them to play in order. Audiobook Builder seems like more work, due to the dearth of information it actually seems to have about the CDs/tracks (plus the pointless overhead of creating/deleting a project for every book).

-/\/

]]> By: Craig http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-22538 Craig Fri, 05 Nov 2010 05:54:35 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-22538 I have a Windows computer. Audiobook Builder sounds awesome. Is there any program liek it for Windows computers? I have a Windows computer. Audiobook Builder sounds awesome. Is there any program liek it for Windows computers?

]]> By: cheryl1961 http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-22290 cheryl1961 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:23:35 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-22290 I have used the product for a few months now and find it easy to use, however importing each approximately 1 hour CD takes a UBER long time - like sometimes almost 20-30 minutes. I have used the product for a few months now and find it easy to use, however importing each approximately 1 hour CD takes a UBER long time – like sometimes almost 20-30 minutes.

]]> By: Making an audiobook with Garageband is easy…if you drop $10 and buy Audiobook Builder | Blue Alta Media http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-21970 Making an audiobook with Garageband is easy…if you drop $10 and buy Audiobook Builder | Blue Alta Media Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:35:13 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-21970 [...] more in depth review of Audiobook Builder is located at aldoblog.com. What I like about Audiobook Builder is that it works exactly as I expected. In fact, it is so [...] […] more in depth review of Audiobook Builder is located at aldoblog.com. What I like about Audiobook Builder is that it works exactly as I expected. In fact, it is so […]

]]> By: Alderete http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-21936 Alderete Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:11:32 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-21936 @Jacki: That's correct, but check out these other articles for Windows tools which may help you accomplish what you want: http://aldoblog.com/2008/01/how-to-join-multiple-tracks-into-a-single-audiobook-file/ http://aldoblog.com/2008/05/another-audiobook-importing-tool-for-windows/ @Jacki: That’s correct, but check out these other articles for Windows tools which may help you accomplish what you want:

http://aldoblog.com/2008/01/how-to-join-multiple-tracks-into-a-single-audiobook-file/
http://aldoblog.com/2008/05/another-audiobook-importing-tool-for-windows/

]]> By: Jacki http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-21935 Jacki Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:39:42 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-21935 So I can't use this if I don't have a MAC, I have windows vista So I can’t use this if I don’t have a MAC, I have windows vista

]]> By: John Wardale http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-21634 John Wardale Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:56:04 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-21634 Maybe this is from the newer version, but the Join and Split is the same as "UNDO" and I thought the chapter controls and Build options were very easy to figure out. It's a GREAT program ... well worth the $10!! Maybe this is from the newer version, but the Join and Split is the same as “UNDO” and I thought the chapter controls and Build options were very easy to figure out.
It’s a GREAT program … well worth the $10!!

]]> By: Making an audiobook with Garageband is easy...if you drop $10 and buy Audiobook Builder « Developing at DAZ http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-21028 Making an audiobook with Garageband is easy...if you drop $10 and buy Audiobook Builder « Developing at DAZ Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:34:56 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-21028 [...] more in depth review of Audiobook Builder is located at aldoblog.com. What I I like about Audiobook Builder is that it works exactly as I expected. In fact, it’s [...] […] more in depth review of Audiobook Builder is located at aldoblog.com. What I I like about Audiobook Builder is that it works exactly as I expected. In fact, it’s […]

]]> By: Jerry http://aldoblog.com/2007/03/review-audiobook-builder-10/comment-page-1/#comment-20926 Jerry Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:21:40 +0000 http://aldoblog.com/blog/585#comment-20926 Hmm, a bit premature on my previous post (again). I heard from Splasm (ABB builder). Long story but the apparent freeze-up is an artifact. After about 5 minutes in "freeze up" mode, the build completes as it should. I also don't know the story behind the posts on the support site. Bottom line, definitely give this software a try. Hmm, a bit premature on my previous post (again). I heard from Splasm (ABB builder). Long story but the apparent freeze-up is an artifact. After about 5 minutes in “freeze up” mode, the build completes as it should. I also don’t know the story behind the posts on the support site. Bottom line, definitely give this software a try.

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