Tunebite option and preference settings for recording audiobooks to mp3.

Go to Tunebite and review and evaluate their claims for yourself, pay and download.

See Preference and Option settings below.

Tunebite Window
Click Add and browse or Drag and Drop file to left hand side

High speed digital dubbing (Recording up to 4 times playing speed) is on when circle under it glows.
1. Drag and Drop or add file(s) to Tunebites,
2. Begin Playing file before starting Tunebites, resetting to start position, and then
3. Click Go in Tunebites.Beginning the play and resetting before clicking Go avoids a hiccup at the beginning of the resulting file.
Allow Tunebite full use of computer to prevent distortion of recording. Do not run other applications while Tunebite converts. Exit any application that creates voice, bells, or other sounds ("You've Got Mail," for example).
Recommend you begin Tunebite and leave computer running -- go to bed or when you will be away during conversion.

Important information on File length and Size:

Tunebite creates an mp3 file exactly as long as the original file if the settings here are followed.

iPod files in excess of 300 mb and/or somewhere between 5 and 13 hours frequently skip out of an audio book, increasing play count, and sound may stutter and skip as well. A long bookmarking MP3 file may not have these problems which are probably due to the iTunes AAC conversion codec. A maximum AAC file size of somewhere between 5 and 13.5 hours at 32 kbps is recommended if you intend to convert the mp3 to AAC/m4b. NOTE: Even bookmarking MP3 files do not show in iPod Audiobooks main menu category, play faster/slower, or skip in main menu shuffle.

Click here for help in using the resulting file on an iPod.

To reduce the size of a long mp3: Click here for an all-iTunes process to convert discrete portions of large MP3 files to AAC files by setting unique start and stop times for each separate conversion. The complete, original mp3 remains and is used for converting each subsequent part of the MP3 to AAC. No need for MP3 splitter software to reduce files to Start and Stop Times for each part are set in Options for beginning and ending times of each resulting AAC file, to which is appended a unique part/file sequence number.

Or, utilize free MP3 Book Resizer to split files: Code Monkey's Hosting of MP3 Resizer and Click here for quick and easy how to make mp3 bookmark -- will not show in audiobooks category, not play faster speed, and not skip in main menu shuffle as does AAC conversion.

If MP3 Resizer is no longer available, $10 Cool MP3 Splitter. Be sure to remove the $7 Extended Download Service (one year download privilege), and back up. There are several sites offering Cool MP3 Splitter at $19.95, so keep looking for the $10 offering. Utilizing the all-iTunes solution above is probably safer.

Play problems. Due to the high security level on the Windows XP Service Pack 2 platform, the file might not play correctly. For example, stops several hours into play with message that WMP needs a missing codec. If this occurs, follow these steps to play the file successfully:

1. Open a window with the file in it. Can use Windows Explorer.
2. Right-click the file and select Properties

3. Select the General tab

- Click the Unblock Button
- Click the Apply Button
- Click OK.

The file should play correctly when you use the file again.

Audiobook iFAQs with iTunes Screenshots

Tunebite options and Preference Settings with Screen Shots



Sound Card: Enter your computer’s sound card

High Speed Digital Dubbing: Set High Speed Dubbing at appropriate rate so that Tunebite will record at the stated multiple of normal playing speed 1X, 2X, 3X, or 4X.
This screen changed from saying 4X WMP and 2X iTunes to the above. I find 3X WMP is works well. 4X results in questionable quality with my somewhat older computer.

File Format: Search for or import from internet "lame_enc.dll" Required to create mp3 files.
Must be a green button next to Software Installed in Choose the Format section of window.
Set bit rate. Recommend between 32 and 48.
Set at Stereo to avoid freeze-up problems even though may have been fixed for later iPod models.
Do not set kbps at lower rate than iTunes preferences setting to be used for AAC conversion.

Export Control

Output: Enter output folder. Create if need be and/or browse to. If you intend to go no further than make mp3 bookmarkable and add to iTunes Library, this should be your iTunes Library location. Note for subsequent ease in finding for MarkAble or manual conversion when you add to iTunes/MarkAble or convert.

Recording: Check and set volume during recording at 100%
Remaining checks optional

Preferences: As above, set language. Register with provided registration code.

Do not create large files. Max for satisfactory homemade file playback and performance (skipping out of book and loosing bookmark) is somewhere between 5 and 13.5 hours at 32 kbps if sample rate of iTunes is set to automatic - which results in a 22,050 hz sampling rate. Shorter times required at higher kbps rates.

Utilize free MP3 Book Resizer to split files: Code Monkey's Hosting of MP3 Resizer
If no longer available, $10 Cool MP3 Splitter. Be sure to remove the $7 Extended Download Service (one year download privilege), and back up. There are several sites offering Cool MP3 Splitter at $19.95, so keep looking.

General Notes:

High speed digital dubbing is on when circle under it glows.

1. Drag and Drop or add file(s) to Tunebites,
2. Begin Playing file before starting Tunebites, resetting to start position, and then
3. Click Go in Tunebites.
Beginning the play and resetting before clicking Go avoids a hiccup at the beginning of the resulting file.
Do not run other applications while Tunebite converts. Allow Tunebite full use of computer to prevent distortion of recording. Exit any applications that create voice, bells, or other sounds ("You've Got Mail," for example).

Begin conversion at bedtime or when you will be away for length of original audio divided by the high speed dubbing rate you chose (1X, 2X, 3X, or 4X). I find 4X does not result in a high-quality mp3 recording on my not-so-new computer.