Overdrive moves to MP3 for audiobooks - drops DRM

skinmaan · 01-23-2014, 12:54 PM

Thought someone out there might find this interesting...

http://boingboing.net/2014/01/23/all...s-going-t.html

Quote:

"Overdrive, which is one of the main suppliers of downloadable audiobooks to public libraries, announced that it is retiring its DRM-encrusted .WMA formats and pushing everything to DRM-free .mp3s."

For me, this is great news. Great to see the industry moving in this direction.

skinmaan

AnemicOak · 01-23-2014, 01:01 PM

Wonder if they'll get all of the publishers to go along as some are still DRM'd-WMA only at the moment.

Would be nice if Audible would follow suit or at least allow the option to publishers/authors instead of insisting on DRM whether they want it or not.

tubemonkey · 01-23-2014, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skinmaan

Thought someone out there might find this interesting...

http://boingboing.net/2014/01/23/all...s-going-t.html

For me, this is great news. Great to see the industry moving in this direction.

skinmaan

That's fantastic news! OD WMA is such a pain because it can't be downloaded from the OverDrive app and non-windows PCs.

This will open up compatibility with more devices.

Hallelujah

wawasteele · 01-23-2014, 01:42 PM

I am excited, but also scared over this news. Most of the books are already available in mp3 or a choice between mp3 and wma. However, many of the books I listen to are wma only. I worry that those will be lost.

tubemonkey · 01-23-2014, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wawasteele

I am excited, but also scared over this news. Most of the books are already available in mp3 or a choice between mp3 and wma. However, many of the books I listen to are wma only. I worry that those will be lost.

That could be a problem. I just scanned the Top 5 audiobook libraries and their MP3 audiobooks only make up 60~65% of their collections. That means 35~40% are only available in WMA.

tlaine · 01-23-2014, 02:07 PM

Like wawasteele, I find a lot are offered in both formats but the vast majority I listen to are wma only. It's curious what will become of these.

badgoodDeb · 01-23-2014, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wawasteele

I am excited, but also scared over this news. Most of the books are already available in mp3 or a choice between mp3 and wma. However, many of the books I listen to are wma only. I worry that those will be lost.

off topic: @Wawasteele: What's the source of your avatar pic? I love it! If there's a pattern available, I might like to make myself one like it. -Deb

skinmaan · 01-23-2014, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlaine

Like wawasteele, I find a lot are offered in both formats but the vast majority I listen to are wma only. It's curious what will become of these.

From the article:

Quote:

Our publisher relations team is working closely with the very few remaining publishers who require WMA to seek permission to sell their titles in MP3 for library and school lending.

The unwritten part of that sentance is likely that if they don't give their permission they are likely to be dropped. At least they are making a good faith effort to get everybody to join in before they make the move.

tubemonkey · 01-23-2014, 02:32 PM

Here's OverDrive's original blog posting:

UPDATED: OverDrive announces plan for audiobooks to be solely available in MP3 format

Quote:

At ALA Midwinter Meeting this weekend, OverDrive will be announcing to library partners that over the coming months, we will take steps to discontinue the sale of audiobooks in the WMA format. With the largest collection of audiobooks from leading publishers in MP3 format for schools and libraries, OverDrive will soon make this the only file format offered for OverDrive digital audiobooks.

Quote:

We will soon be communicating the discontinuance of WMA sales, and then at a future date, we will announce when MP3 files will be the only supported format through OverDrive platforms. For libraries and schools that currently have WMA audiobook files in their collection, we will be working with the publishers of those titles to gain permissions to update your inventory to MP3. In the event that some titles are unavailable, an alternate solution will be offered to make up for the lost titles. Be on the lookout for announcements on our blog and from your Collection Development Specialist for a timeline of this process.

Synamon · 01-23-2014, 03:03 PM

Great news, I'm a Mac user and can't access WMA at all. Fortunately my library has almost 10,000 mp3 audiobooks, so I've never lacked for choice.

ApK · 01-23-2014, 03:07 PM

I love it if publishers will go along!

The fear of course is that "the very few" hold outs could like be the biggest ones who put out the most popular books.

wawasteele · 01-23-2014, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

off topic: @Wawasteele: What's the source of your avatar pic? I love it! If there's a pattern available, I might like to make myself one like it. -Deb

Thank you.

I don't remember how that particular quilt came into being. It may have been straight from a pattern, or I might have adapted from one. I don't think it was a total creation on my part though. Those I tend to really remember.

I will look through my patterns and see if I can figure it out. You'll have to give me some time though. I probably won't be able to start looking for at least a week.

Dopedangel · 01-23-2014, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Here's OverDrive's original blog posting:

UPDATED: OverDrive announces plan for audiobooks to be solely available in MP3 format

Looks like your last problem with using a Chromebook is getting solved. didn't know monkeys had so much power

tubemonkey · 01-23-2014, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Looks like your last problem with using a Chromebook is getting solved. didn't know monkeys had so much power

I wish

I was thinking about that, but it depends on how it's implemented. OverDrive Media Console (OMC) will still be incompatible with Chrome OS. If OMC is still required for download to a computer, then I'll be no better off than the current system; DRM not withstanding.

The goal is to get a library audiobook from my library's OverDrive website to my Chromebook and then to my Sansa Clip Zip. That currently requires a Mac or Windows PC with OMC loaded.

DBDigital · 01-24-2014, 11:23 AM

Wow amazing news! Now if they would only do the same thing with ebooks across the industry.

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01-23-2014, 01:01 PM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Wonder if they'll get all of the publishers to go along as some are still DRM'd-WMA only at the moment. Would be nice if Audible would follow suit or at least allow the option to publishers/authors instead of insisting on DRM whether they want it or not.

01-23-2014, 01:42 PM	#4
wawasteele Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 656362 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: California Device: 1st PW, Sansa Clip Zip, Samsungs: GT 7.0 Plus, Note4, GT 4 10.1"	I am excited, but also scared over this news. Most of the books are already available in mp3 or a choice between mp3 and wma. However, many of the books I listen to are wma only. I worry that those will be lost.

01-23-2014, 02:07 PM	#6
tlaine Zealot Posts: 113 Karma: 145622 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Southwestern Ontario Device: Kobo Aura HD, Mini; Kindle PW2	Like wawasteele, I find a lot are offered in both formats but the vast majority I listen to are wma only. It's curious what will become of these.

01-23-2014, 03:03 PM	#10
Synamon Lunatic Posts: 1,691 Karma: 4386372 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Land of the Loonie Device: Kindle Paperwhite and Keyboard, Kobo Aura, iPad mini, iPod Touch	Great news, I'm a Mac user and can't access WMA at all. Fortunately my library has almost 10,000 mp3 audiobooks, so I've never lacked for choice.

01-23-2014, 03:07 PM	#11
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,384 Karma: 68329346 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	I love it if publishers will go along! The fear of course is that "the very few" hold outs could like be the biggest ones who put out the most popular books.

01-24-2014, 11:23 AM	#15
DBDigital Connoisseur Posts: 80 Karma: 1701716 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook	Wow amazing news! Now if they would only do the same thing with ebooks across the industry.

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