m4b problem with quicktime

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KiltedDragon
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Post by KiltedDragon »

I have a question and maybe the problem is my computer but when I try to download some of the files, everything works fine; but when I try to download others, they open up in Quicktime instead of downloading.

Examples (all on the same page): Fathers and Sons, Fathers of Biology, and Fearsome Island (which is the one I was really after) all open in Quicktime. Favorite Chapters and Favorite Fairy Tales both go to the download. Oh, and Faust Part 1 opens an error page at Archive. There are others that do one or the other as I click around the page.

Anyone got any ideas?
Barry
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dlolso21
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Post by dlolso21 »

KiltedDragon wrote:I have a question and maybe the problem is my computer but when I try to download some of the files, everything works fine; but when I try to download others, they open up in Quicktime instead of downloading.

Examples (all on the same page): Fathers and Sons, Fathers of Biology, and Fearsome Island (which is the one I was really after) all open in Quicktime. Favorite Chapters and Favorite Fairy Tales both go to the download. Oh, and Faust Part 1 opens an error page at Archive. There are others that do one or the other as I click around the page.

Anyone got any ideas?
Barry,

I am downloading to confirm, but initial indications are that the files opening in Quicktime are really m4a (movie) files renamed as m4b. The software might not be finding certain audio (m4a) characteristics in the files and defaulting to treat them as movies (m4a).

Fathers and Sons
Fathers of Biology
Fearsome Island

Faust Part 1 - is no longer present on Archive page 4 (or any other as far as I could see)

Note: There is an alternate copy of Fearsome Island (80 mb in size vs. 71 mb) on the same page.
80 mb version http://archive.org/download/LibrivoxM4bCollectionAudiobooks4/FearsomeIsland.m4b
71 mb version http://archive.org/download/LibrivoxM4bCollectionAudiobooks4/Fearsome_Island_64kb.m4b

I added a link to the 80mb version to the wiki listing for Fearsome Island.

If the files act funny after they finish downloading, I will add them to my current list of M4Bs to build/re-build.

David

ETA: When I open the files, they all open in iTunes for me, not Quicktime; I have both installed. However, I did notice that when I was selecting a location to save to some of the files were identified as MPEG-4 audio file (protected) and others were identified as MPEG-4 movie. I am guessing that this is what you are seeing when trying to play the files.
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Post by TriciaG »

I'll upload Faust again.
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Post by TriciaG »

Faust is uploaded, same location, so the link should work now.
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Post by annise »

David

Before you attempt to fix the files , lets see if we can find what they have in common - maybe the same program etc - I'll start by seeing if they were all done by the same person etc and get back then
THat will enable us to find any others with the same problem - or maybe it is just a Barry glitch of some sort , we need to know

Anne

quick search gives 1 by Nadine who did have some problems somewhere with hers she said somewhere, and 2 I can't find . Must get some housework done but let's not fix until further investigation
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Post by annise »

KiltedDragon
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Post by KiltedDragon »

I had some others do it that I randomly clicked on but did not keep track of. Perhaps something on my computer is seeing something in the file that makes it think Quicktime is needed instead of a download (like the movie file extension).
Barry
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dlolso21
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Post by dlolso21 »

Anne & Barry,

Rebuilding on hold, it is more than a just a few of them and they are not confined to the F page. They have file name/extension as m4b, but when you click to save them they save like m4a.

My computer settings are different from Barry's. Both types come up in iTunes for me, but they are differentiated on his between Quicktime (m4a-like m4b) and iTunes m4b.

David
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Post by annise »

No - it happens on mine too for the 3 you mentioned - I got confused because I clicked on Father and Son - not Fathers and Sons
The only one of the three I can find mentioned in the thread was uploaded by Nadine who suddenly was having problems with her purchased program because some would play on her phone and some wouldn't. As they are not in the thread they were uploaded before we started the current posting sytem which means it has to be Nadine or me as we were the only ones who could have linked them .

Continuing investigation , and I will PM Nadine soon and see if she has all the ones she did somewhere.
And try to work out if there is another way to fix them

off topic Doesn't Jonathan say somewhere you can play them by changing the extension from 4b to 4a ?

Anne
dlolso21
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Post by dlolso21 »

annise wrote:
off topic Doesn't Jonathan say somewhere you can play them by changing the extension from 4b to 4a ?

Anne
Yes, m4a will play. It is a work around for Droid OS users who can't play the Apple OS m4b.

The m4a will also still play in Quicktime, it just acts more like a movie than an audio album.
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Post by annise »

Have to do some more real life .
KiltedDragon
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Post by KiltedDragon »

Ok, both my work computer (where I prefer to do the downloads) and my home computer (with a much slower internet access) do the same thing. Both are using Windows 7 and Firefox. Just now, on my home computer, I checked those files with Internet Explorer (ewwww!) and they all gave me the download option instead of trying to open them in Quicktime. Perhaps some setting in my Firefox browser?

EDIT: In the Tools, Options, Applications settings, there is a setting for MP3 and WAV which both say "always ask" what Action to take for those types of files. I do not see anything for m4b or m4a; are they known by another name? There is a designation for MP4 video and another for "movie clip".
Barry
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Post by annise »

My FF asks on the normal ones but not the quicktime one - I use a download manager most of the time.
What do you normally listen on ?

Anne
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Post by KiltedDragon »

I usually download and then add them to my iPod.

When they open in Quicktime, I don't see any way to save them. :?
Barry
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Post by annise »

I asked because Nadine had said some of hers didn't work with her iPhone but I think she has a Mac so downloading may not have been a problem there (if it is the same files)

Anne
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