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The Radio 3 Boards > General Chat > The Coffee Bar > Audiobooks
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Author Topic: Audiobooks  (Read 100 times)
Andy D
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« on: 12:27:47, 20-10-2007 »
Birmingham libraries have been running a free trial of an audiobook service called http://www.netlibrary.org/. I signed up and have downloaded a copy of Jane Austen's Emma. However it's very restrictive - because of the DRM (digital rights management) which ensures that it becomes unplayable at the end of your 3 week loan, it will only play in Windoze Media Player so the only place I can listen to it is in the computer room. As it's unabridged and so 15+ hours long, I'd like to listen on the computer in the bedroom (so when I drop off I'm already on the bed  Wink) but I have Linux running on that, so no go. Also I can't put it onto minidisc to listen to on the bus or onto CD to play on the hifi in the living room. So I can't see this being a great hit, with me at least. I suppose the library will have a copy on CD or cassette which I could borrow instead.

Anyone else any experience with this sort of thing?

Any fans of audio books? This is the first time I've really tried one, it's a lot easier being read to than doing the reading yourself!  Cheesy
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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #1 on: 12:41:33, 20-10-2007 »
The huge majority of audiobooks I've encountered have been cut - often drastically so - to adapt them to the format.  I'm uncomfortable with that, and also with having someone "read it to me",  so I'm afraid I avoid these like the plague.  I can see they have an appeal to anyone who drives a lot, though, so I wouldn't put my own views in the way of anyone who likes them Smiley
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"I was, for several months, mutely in love with a coloratura soprano, who seemed to me to have wafted straight from Paradise to the stage of the Odessa Opera-House"
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richard barrett
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« Reply #2 on: 12:49:46, 20-10-2007 »
Quote from: Reiner Torheit on 12:41:33, 20-10-2007
I can see they have an appeal to anyone who drives a lot, though, so I wouldn't put my own views in the way of anyone who likes them Smiley
I once listened to an audiobook of H G Wells' Time Machine while driving (largely through desert) between southern California and Colorado. I think that's the only time I've listened to one all through, and I'm not sure I'd enjoy them much if I actually had to concentrate on driving, as opposed to pointing the car in the right direction and going in a straight line all day.
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Michael
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Posts: 337
« Reply #3 on: 12:51:42, 20-10-2007 »
I love audiobooks.

A few years ago I had abused my eyes so much that my sight began to deteriorate rapidly, and I was unable to read, watch TV or use the PC for a period of around 3 months.  

In this time I just listened it as many audiobooks as possible, and loved every minute of it.  I always went for the unabridged versions, and with my eyes closed and my imagination going, it was more fantastic that reading the words ever could be.
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A
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« Reply #4 on: 15:52:27, 20-10-2007 »
I love audio books too. I use audible.co.uk, and enrolled for a membership which gave me a free ipod shuffle. I get 2 'free' audio books a month ( I pay £15 a month for this!) but I have just downloaded a short  history of the World.. Bill Bryson, which should have cost £40 .

I love them , on my ipod as I walk around or when I take a train - Also 'I'm sorry I haven't a clue'... good stuff.

Most local libraries have cd books for free, I haven't heard of this stopping your right to listen after 3 weeks... quite bizarre!

A
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