Free Thomas Hardy Download

Subject: Free Thomas Hardy Download
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 10:14 AM

Sorry folks, I'd clean forgotten about this, but if you visit http://www.audible.co.uk/radiotimes , you can download a complete (14 hour long) BBC audio copy of Tess of The Durbervilles free. Read by Peter Firth.

But hurry. The offer ends today.

Subject: RE: Free Thomas Hardy Download
From: GUEST,mr dubious
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 12:36 PM

thanks for the shout..

but
you have to register with BBC online shop.
[no prob, the BBC system will accept any old b@llocks made up name and email]
However, the download is not in any easily obtainable zip or rar format.
You need to download and install
an 'audio download manager' software program !!!???


"AudibleManager®
AudibleManager allows you to download Audible audio to your computer, transfer audio from your computer to your mobile audio player, burn audio to CD, listen to Audible audio on your PC and manage audio on your mobile audio player.
We do not support Windows 98 or ME"

so at that point, remembering how badly
the BBC online TV viewing
software f@cked up my XP computer system,
I declined The BBC's very generous free offer.

Subject: RE: Free Thomas Hardy Download
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 12:57 PM

I've downloaded but I've no idea how to listen to it, or where it is.
It said it was going to land in iTunes like a podcast but it hasn't.
No surprise there then.
I suppose all 200MB will lurk in some hidden corner of one of the hard discs for ever.

Subject: RE: Free Thomas Hardy Download
From: GUEST,mr dubious
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 01:07 PM

ok.. the wife insisted I dowload this.
[and I must admit to being a bit recklessly curious..]

So, I decided to try installing the software to a folder on a USB stick
and download the audio files to Desktop.

It worked.

The BBC audio files are a mysterious 'Format 4',
each accompanied with its own even more mysterious '1 Kb POS' file ???

so whats that, and how do you convert to mp3 ?

Subject: RE: Free Thomas Hardy Download
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 01:24 PM

Ah, got it. I had to enter a user name and password to activate it. Having already forgotten the fictitious bollox I'd given, I asked the BBC what it was. Astonishingly, they gave it to me.

Dubious One, I would use Audacity (free open source software) but I think it only works on Macs.

Subject: RE: Free Thomas Hardy Download
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 02:22 PM

Audacity works fine on Windows pcs. But as this thing's not in MP3 or Wav, it can't open it. That's dead handy because I was hoping to section the thing into individual chapters to make it more listener friendly. Unfortunately the book comes in two 7 hour downloads, which makes finding out where you were up to rather difficult.

Subject: RE: Free Thomas Hardy Download
From: GUEST,mr dubious
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 02:25 PM

and wwhat a lot of fannying about with digital rights protection password avtivation b@llocks !!!!

suffice to say.. wont be bothering with any BBC shop sh@te again.


but thanks anyway Fred..

at least the wife has noticed the amount of effort I put into pleasing her whims this evening

Subject: RE: Free Thomas Hardy Download
From: GUEST,mr dubious
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 06:28 PM

what a load of tight arsed copy protection w@nk..

but, it looks as though it may be posible to convert Audible Format 4
to wav/mp3 & edit for better ease of use.

http://www.chuckegg.com/how-can-i-convert-audiblecom-aa-files-to-mp3-audio-files/

..though whether its worth the effort..???