audio book file extension?

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audio book file extension?

I've recorded the first chapter of my audio book as a podcast. So far so good. I want to be able to do two things:

1-upload one chapter to my website as a freebie
2-convert the entire audio book into a format accessible for people to buy as an audio book - on CD and in "MP3" format, ie available as a download from an internet store

When I uploaded the test file to my website direct from Garage Band I couldn't access it. Then I dragged it into iTunes and sent that file to my site, it had an .m4a extension. It comes out as a garbled text file in both Safari and Netscape.

I then experimented with file extensions on my desktop and checking which worked. mpeg and mpg work fine on Safari but not netscape. Navigator seems to like .m4a Both seemed to recognize mp3

I then went googling and learned more about AAC and Mpeg etc but I'm still not sure which way I should and can format my Garage Band files.

I need to have the audio books accessible to people who are not computer wizards, which means they probably have PC's

Best path from Garage Band podcast to listenable file? Extension? and uploadable. I use Fetch to access my website

iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Posted on Mar 29, 2006 6:52 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 29, 2006 7:13 AM in response to EvaD

I don't know if you find help on special formats for audio books (like Audible's) in this forum. Since you asked for an easily accessible cross-platform format for distribution over the Net: that's MP3. It's plain audio, without extra things like pictures, video and chapter markers - but every browser on any computer can handle it.

To get an MP3 of your GB file, send it to iTunes, that's an AIFF file. Then configure iTunes so it converts files to MP3 - and there you are with an MP3 file that you can upload.

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Answer 2

EvaD Author

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Mar 29, 2006 11:35 AM in response to Christoph Drösser

From GB I get an AAC file in the Import on iTunes. Should I change this to MP3?

I was advised by Apple sales that GB was the way to go for recording audio books - is there an easier alternative?

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Answer 3

Mar 29, 2006 11:53 AM in response to EvaD

From GB I get an AAC file in the Import on iTunes.

No, you should get an AAC only if you export as Podcast - if you "send to iTunes" it should be an AIFF (it's this strange Apple-speak for "export as AIFF").

It's not a very good idea to convert AAC files to MP3, because you're mixing two compression techniques. But, as I said, the exported file should be AIFF. Check with apple-I!

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Answer 4

Mar 29, 2006 12:04 PM in response to EvaD

"I was advised by Apple sales that GB was the way to go for recording audio books"

Probably because A) it was the closest thing that they carry that can make one, and B) they are in sales.

Might want to give this program a look. From what I understand it's specifically made for making e-books on a Mac:

http://www.nightkitchen.com/product/index.phtml

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Answer 5

EvaD Author

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Mar 30, 2006 4:15 AM in response to Christoph Drösser

No, you should get an AAC only if you export as
Podcast - if you "send to iTunes" it should be an
AIFF (it's this strange Apple-speak for "export as
AIFF").

I see now - when I record in podcast it exports as an AAC and when I record as a music project it exports to iTunes as AIFF.

Which means to get best conversion to MP3 I should be recording in music project mode.

Thanks for your help, I'll go test some more...

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Answer 6

EvaD Author

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Mar 30, 2006 4:19 AM in response to MyApple8MyPC

Probably because A) it was the closest thing
that they carry that can make one, and B) they
are in sales.

You are right on there

Might want to give this program a look. From what I
understand it's specifically made for making e-books
on a Mac:

http://www.nightkitchen.com/product/index.phtml

I took a quick tour. It too enables you to do a lot more than audio, so is perhaps not a better bet than GB. At the moment it looks like I should be testing the limits on how to create audio but as a music project, not a podcast.

Thanks

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Answer 7

Mar 31, 2006 12:43 AM in response to EvaD

Which means to get best conversion to MP3 I should be recording in music project mode.

No. There's nothing fancy about those two "modes" - they're both GB projects, only they come with a different set of pre-defined tracks, which you can change easily. And in any case you can do both kinds of exports!

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Answer 8

EvaD Author

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Apr 2, 2006 11:14 AM in response to Christoph Drösser

No. There's nothing fancy about those two "modes" -
they're both GB projects, only they come with a
different set of pre-defined tracks, which you can
change easily. And in any case you can do both kinds
of exports!

Thanks for the clarification. I've started testing and playing with both modes and successfully made my first mp3 file. I may be back with more questions as my project unfolds...

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Answer 9

Apr 2, 2006 12:00 PM in response to EvaD

Good to hear it helped! Come back with anything that bugs you.

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