Can't seem to borrow WMA audio books from my library!

pokee · 10-30-2011, 08:20 PM

I was able to download the Overdrive App and download some DRMed EPUB books from my online library website. The only thing I couldn't download was the WMA audiobook that I borrowed (it wouldn't let me - the message said I had to download to my PC and then transfer to my device).

When I tried to transfer my audoibook to the Vox through Overdrive on my PC, it didn't work (said the filetype wasn't supported).

Then I decided to copy the audiobook folder directly to my overdrive folder through the Astro file manager. That didn't work either - Overdrive 'tries' to play the WMA book, but it sounds all gibberishy.

I am guessing I won't be able to do this, since WMA isn't supported, but I was hoping someone may have a trick up their sleeve to get this to work! Any ideas?

SCION · 10-30-2011, 09:27 PM

Overdrive for Android doesn't support WMA.

Quote:

OverDrive Media Console for Android, BlackBerry, iPhone/iPad, & Windows Phone 7 support…

* EPUB eBooks
* MP3 Audiobooks

I'm not aware of any workaround. Maybe someone else is.

luqmaninbmore · 10-31-2011, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

Overdrive for Android doesn't support WMA.

I'm not aware of any workaround. Maybe someone else is.

Download the WMA on a windows pc, burn them to cd, and rip them to mp3.

pokee · 10-31-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

Download the WMA on a windows pc, burn them to cd, and rip them to mp3.

Will this work with a DRMed WMA file borrowed from the library? Even if it does, what a pain! And a waste of a CD! I might as well just buy the book!

taming · 10-31-2011, 03:39 PM

There is an Overdrive media console for Android: http://overdrive.com/software/omc/. I imagine the apk is available from various sources.

pokee · 10-31-2011, 04:15 PM

Yep - that's the one I downloaded Taming...it works fine for my ePubs and any MP3 audiobooks I'd borrow, but it doesn't support WMA files. I asked Darrell at Kobo about it, and he's looking into it for me.

taming · 10-31-2011, 04:29 PM

You should be able to transfer files to another audio player that does support WMA. See this post for some ideas: http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/goog...es/106696.aspx

I played them on my PC on Windows Media Player. If I remember correctly you could copy and paste directly from Overdrive, at least in the PC version you could.

pokee · 10-31-2011, 04:33 PM

They are DRMed - which, as far as I know, means they will only play in Overdrive (which allows an authorized transfer from Overdrive on the PC to Overdrive on the mobile device). I don't know of any other way to play them on my PC without Overdrive, so I suspect the same would be true for any mobile device...???

Something tells me I'd have to strip the DRM before I am able to play them by any other means, but that's just a guess.

I spoke to Darrell at Kobo about it and he's going to pass it on to the development team to get an answer for me, so we'll see what he says!!!

taming · 10-31-2011, 05:23 PM

I've just spent awhile looking at similar complaints from all over the place. It was a google decision to no longer support WMA files. Si it's not a Kobo specific issue, or a Vox specific deficiency. Folks are pretty angry, that's for sure. I gather that some folks had 100s of WMA files, and ended up having to rip them etc if they wanted to continue to use them.

It seems to be about licensing of Android and Microsoft fees for using the format. From that POV, it is akin to Kobo having to pay about 22 cents to Adobe every time we download an ADE ePUB from their store.

pokee · 10-31-2011, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taming

I've just spent awhile looking at similar complaints from all over the place. It was a google decision to no longer support WMA files. Si it's not a Kobo specific issue, or a Vox specific deficiency. Folks are pretty angry, that's for sure. I gather that some folks had 100s of WMA files, and ended up having to rip them etc if they wanted to continue to use them.

It seems to be about licensing of Android and Microsoft fees for using the format. From that POV, it is akin to Kobo having to pay about 22 cents to Adobe every time we download an ADE ePUB from their store.

Ahhh...thanks for the info Taming!

I am not too crushed about it all. I'd probably rather 'read' than 'listen' anyway!

luqmaninbmore · 11-01-2011, 09:29 AM

Do you have any evidence that it was a 'Google decision?' My understanding is that plain vanilla android has never supported drm'ed WMA, but that different phone manufacturers opted to add WMA support. For more on this, you can check out the blog post here.

10-30-2011, 08:20 PM	#1
pokee Fanatic Posts: 569 Karma: 199759 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kobo WiFi, Kobo Glo, Kobo Vox, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Tab2	Can't seem to borrow WMA audio books from my library! I was able to download the Overdrive App and download some DRMed EPUB books from my online library website. The only thing I couldn't download was the WMA audiobook that I borrowed (it wouldn't let me - the message said I had to download to my PC and then transfer to my device). When I tried to transfer my audoibook to the Vox through Overdrive on my PC, it didn't work (said the filetype wasn't supported). Then I decided to copy the audiobook folder directly to my overdrive folder through the Astro file manager. That didn't work either - Overdrive 'tries' to play the WMA book, but it sounds all gibberishy. I am guessing I won't be able to do this, since WMA isn't supported, but I was hoping someone may have a trick up their sleeve to get this to work! Any ideas?

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10-31-2011, 03:39 PM	#5
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	There is an Overdrive media console for Android: http://overdrive.com/software/omc/. I imagine the apk is available from various sources.

10-31-2011, 04:15 PM	#6
pokee Fanatic Posts: 569 Karma: 199759 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kobo WiFi, Kobo Glo, Kobo Vox, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Tab2	Yep - that's the one I downloaded Taming...it works fine for my ePubs and any MP3 audiobooks I'd borrow, but it doesn't support WMA files. I asked Darrell at Kobo about it, and he's looking into it for me.

10-31-2011, 04:29 PM	#7
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	You should be able to transfer files to another audio player that does support WMA. See this post for some ideas: http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/goog...es/106696.aspx I played them on my PC on Windows Media Player. If I remember correctly you could copy and paste directly from Overdrive, at least in the PC version you could.

10-31-2011, 04:33 PM	#8
pokee Fanatic Posts: 569 Karma: 199759 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kobo WiFi, Kobo Glo, Kobo Vox, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Tab2	They are DRMed - which, as far as I know, means they will only play in Overdrive (which allows an authorized transfer from Overdrive on the PC to Overdrive on the mobile device). I don't know of any other way to play them on my PC without Overdrive, so I suspect the same would be true for any mobile device...??? Something tells me I'd have to strip the DRM before I am able to play them by any other means, but that's just a guess. I spoke to Darrell at Kobo about it and he's going to pass it on to the development team to get an answer for me, so we'll see what he says!!!

10-31-2011, 05:23 PM	#9
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	I've just spent awhile looking at similar complaints from all over the place. It was a google decision to no longer support WMA files. Si it's not a Kobo specific issue, or a Vox specific deficiency. Folks are pretty angry, that's for sure. I gather that some folks had 100s of WMA files, and ended up having to rip them etc if they wanted to continue to use them. It seems to be about licensing of Android and Microsoft fees for using the format. From that POV, it is akin to Kobo having to pay about 22 cents to Adobe every time we download an ADE ePUB from their store.

11-01-2011, 09:29 AM	#11
luqmaninbmore Da'i Posts: 1,144 Karma: 1217499 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baltimore Device: Toshiba Thrive, Kobo Touch, Kindle 1, Aluratek Libre, T-Mobile Comet	Do you have any evidence that it was a 'Google decision?' My understanding is that plain vanilla android has never supported drm'ed WMA, but that different phone manufacturers opted to add WMA support. For more on this, you can check out the blog post here.