Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Get answers about syncing MediaMonkey 4 with iPods and other devices.

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kknostman
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun May 09, 2004 4:43 pm

Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Post by kknostman »

Ok, for some time there's been various questions about audiobook support in MM, or the lack thereof. I for one use MM to manage a LOT of audiobooks (and music), it's one of the reasons I purchased a lifetime license. However, for audiobooks the support is seriously lacking in regards to synchronization.

We all know the issue, getting the iPhone, iPod, iWhatever to show these audio files as audiobooks. Contrary to popular belief you do NOT have to have the files in m4b or m4a extension, you can use basic MP3s. To confirm this simply open up iTunes and select an mp3 (or group) and chose Get Info > Options > Media Kind and chose "Audiobook".

So, if it can be set in iTunes, independent of the genre tag I might add, why can't we set it in MediaMonkey? It's very dissapointing to have bought MediaMonkey to manage my audio collection and have to use iTunes simply to set this flag. And I will NOT be setting ALL of my audiobook types to simply Audiobook just so that they will work with MM. I have to many books to group them all under the same genre.

Will someone explain why this is and why we can't have a simple "Media Kind" flag that works like it does in iTunes? Why are we forced to use the Genre tag in MM but not in iTunes? I'm assuming this isn't simple or Rusty/Lowlander would have replied...

Help?
Macarena
Posts: 642
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:39 am
Location: Prague, Czech republic

Re: Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Post by Macarena »

Hi! Have you tried to use multiple genres? e.g. "Spoken; Language; Learning; Audiobook; French" sets five different genres and "audiobook" is one of them -- I understand, this would help you. Then at sync dialogue you also see all those files in a separate tab. Cheers, M
kknostman wrote: So, if it can be set in iTunes, independent of the genre tag I might add, why can't we set it in MediaMonkey? It's very dissapointing to have bought MediaMonkey to manage my audio collection and have to use iTunes simply to set this flag. And I will NOT be setting ALL of my audiobook types to simply Audiobook just so that they will work with MM. I have to many books to group them all under the same genre.

Will someone explain why this is and why we can't have a simple "Media Kind" flag that works like it does in iTunes? Why are we forced to use the Genre tag in MM but not in iTunes? I'm assuming this isn't simple or Rusty/Lowlander would have replied...

Help?
p.s. iTunes might be independent of genre tag, but you yourself said that it is using a new 'media kind' flag. Na, that's where I would kick the iAss and stick to the genre field :D
kknostman
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun May 09, 2004 4:43 pm

Re: Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Post by kknostman »

I don't want one Audiobook genre.

I guess I'll have to use the device sync dialog if there's going to be a new MM release that works with the latest itunes.

As for the MediaMonkey crew, thanks for completely ignoring these threads. Way to treat your customers.
Macarena
Posts: 642
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:39 am
Location: Prague, Czech republic

Re: Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Post by Macarena »

That's strange. But you want to a completetly new flag implemented, though. The 'Audiobook' genre forces MM to work exactly as you described above (making it possible to select and manage and sync audiobooks separately)
kknostman wrote:I don't want one Audiobook genre.
Yeap, that is working as expected.
kknostman wrote:I guess I'll have to use the device sync dialog if there's going to be a new MM release that works with the latest itunes.
No need to find a whipping boy. Currently there are bugs to fix probably.
kknostman wrote:As for the MediaMonkey crew, thanks for completely ignoring these threads. Way to treat your customers.
Cheers, M
Peke
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Re: Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Post by Peke »

kknostman wrote:I don't want one Audiobook genre.
Have you tried to make genre Learning AudioBook or some variations of that to meet your needs?
kknostman wrote:I guess I'll have to use the device sync dialog if there's going to be a new MM release that works with the latest itunes.
Like Macarena said work is underway
kknostman wrote:As for the MediaMonkey crew, thanks for completely ignoring these threads. Way to treat your customers.
That is not true. We just not wanted to confirm what Macarena is already said, not all applications handles things same way or there will be no point to have various choices.
Best regards,
Peke
MediaMonkey Team lead QA/Tech Support guru
Admin of Free MediaMonkey addon Site HappyMonkeying
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Macarena
Posts: 642
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:39 am
Location: Prague, Czech republic

Re: Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Post by Macarena »

kknostman wrote:I don't want one Audiobook genre.
You can make more (as Peke already suggested above):

Audiobook; Learning; german
Audiobook; Learning; hungarian
audiobook; belles-lettres
...

and to use filters for audiobooks, additionally (that one is already default).

Cheers, M
kknostman
Posts: 87
Joined: Sun May 09, 2004 4:43 pm

Re: Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Post by kknostman »

Sorry for not quoting in my reply here, I'll just keep it simple and try to explain.

My first question is, why can't MediaMonkey treat Audiobooks sync'd to an iPod/iPhone the same way iTunes does? In iTunes I do NOT have to assign a specific genre name (of your choosing) in order to sync them as audiobooks. iTunes treats this as a separate flag/property of the file, at least on the surface. I can't say if this property is applied to the file itself or stored in a database somewhere, but because of this it is a LOT more elegant a solution AND has less chance of failing (ie users that don't know they have to use a very specific genre).

I'm really not trying to be argumentative here, I just don't understand why Apple can do it but you guys can't, or won't , as there's been no explanation. Having ALL audiobooks with only the "audiobook" genre simply to allow MM to work properly seems.... unreasonable to me, especially when you have large large libraries of audiobooks.

That said I see you say work is underway. That is great but unfortunately I don't know what you mean by that :) I guess I'll just have to hope that I'll see some new property checkbox in properties for audio files that says "Audiobook" and will allow flagging of files as audiobooks without forcing a specific genre! :D

Also, regarding filters. If I name the genre as "Audiobook; Audiobook-SciFi" does this mean that I have TWO genre assignments for the file and the one called Audiobook (by itself) will act as the flag for syncing to the iPhone?

Thanks :)
nohitter151
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Re: Audiobooks and MM, how does this work?

Post by nohitter151 »

kknostman wrote: Also, regarding filters. If I name the genre as "Audiobook; Audiobook-SciFi" does this mean that I have TWO genre assignments for the file and the one called Audiobook (by itself) will act as the flag for syncing to the iPhone?

Thanks :)
Yes.
MediaMonkey user since 2006
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