Any free programs to convert m4b files to mp3? - Computer Technical Help

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Any free programs to convert m4b files to mp3?

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03-01-2010 , 10:49 PM

ffr

adept

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,198

I'm looking to convert an Audio Book file currently in m4b format to mp3.

Does anyone know of an easy to use program that can convert m4b files to mp3?

Thanks

03-02-2010 , 01:16 AM

kerowo

lolcat

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 37,190

Why? What Audio Book are you trying to convert?

03-02-2010 , 01:44 AM

ffr

adept

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,198

Fooled by Randomness.

03-02-2010 , 02:20 AM

ffr

adept

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,198

Thanks Greg.

I did the search and noticed that one, but a little nervous to try a free program I've personally never heard of.

So I was hoping someone here knew of a program they at least knew was safe to use.

03-02-2010 , 08:26 AM

kerowo

lolcat

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 37,190

The reason the tools are seem shady is that there aren't a lot of reasons for converting m4b to mp3 that don't involve breaking the DRM. PM me yours if I'm wrong and I'll unlock this thread.

03-02-2010 , 02:55 PM

kerowo

lolcat

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 37,190

He did, I was, it's open.

03-02-2010 , 04:49 PM

ffr

adept

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,198

lol, thanks kerowo.

So, has anyone had any experience with any of the free programs that can convert m4b to mp3?

Thanks.

03-02-2010 , 05:11 PM

funkyworms

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4,250

http://www.bonkenc.org/

Free and open source. I have used it in the past.

03-02-2010 , 05:31 PM

Gabethebabe

Malware Jedi

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 27,387

My first source for free software is Gizmo

03-02-2010 , 07:20 PM

#10

captZEEbo

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 9,991

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkyworms

http://www.bonkenc.org/

Free and open source. I have used it in the past.

glancing at the site, I'm not sure if it supports m4b or not. If it does not, I've heard you can simply rename the m4b to an m4a and it will still work (but may or may not lose chapter information).

03-02-2010 , 07:23 PM

#11

kerowo

lolcat

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 37,190

I'm pretty sure you can do this in iTunes via burning to a CD, but I won't be able to test it till I get home.

03-02-2010 , 08:06 PM

#12

funkyworms

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4,250

Quote:

Originally Posted by captZEEbo

glancing at the site, I'm not sure if it supports m4b or not. If it does not, I've heard you can simply rename the m4b to an m4a and it will still work (but may or may not lose chapter information).

It works natively with .m4b. I tested it on a demo .m4b file because I'm anal.

03-02-2010 , 11:11 PM

#13

ffr

adept

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,198

Hmmm, Downloaded and tried to convert using BonkEnc, but I get this error each time I try to load the AudioBook files (still in m4b format).

Here's the error pop up I get:

03-02-2010 , 11:22 PM

#14

funkyworms

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4,250

Where did you download that audiobook? I just downloaded some open content books online to test. It should work unless that file is protected (infected) by DRM.

03-02-2010 , 11:36 PM

#15

kerowo

lolcat

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 37,190

If you bought the book from iTunes you'll probably have the same problem I had testing out Audible books. There is DRM on it, which the conversion programs shouldn't be able to break. However, you can put the book onto a playlist and burn it to audio CDs, lots of them probably, but that can be done from within iTunes. You could then rip the CDs to mp3 if you didn't just want to use your CD player.

03-03-2010 , 12:58 AM

#16

Oooooooo

journeyman

Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 380

Yeah, I think kerowo's solution is best. The only legal alternative I'm aware of is Tunebite. However, that software isn't free.

EDIT: You might want to follow the suggestion to rip to CD and then convert to flac instead of mp3. That way, you avoid so-called generation loss (the loss in audio quality resulting from re-encoding into a lossy format).

Last edited by Oooooooo; 03-03-2010 at 01:03 AM.

03-03-2010 , 07:38 AM

#17

captZEEbo

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 9,991

If I were to do kerowo's method, what I would do for speed/quality/money is burn the cd through itunes onto a "virtual cd" using something like Magic ISO Maker or daemon tools, then you can rip it through your choice of program straight from the virtual cd.

03-03-2010 , 11:51 AM

#18

IcyFlops

grinder

Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 570

Total Recorder might do the job for you it is not free but has a trial version. It hooks the audio output and allows you to save it in MP3/WAV or other format. You have to play the file to accomplish this but you could always start it up turn your speakers off and let it run at night. I used that program a long time ago to record a program off XM Radio web version.

03-03-2010 , 11:23 PM

#19

ffr

adept

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,198

Thanks for the ideas guys. Not sure why, but I haven't been able to get any of these methods to work for me.

I've tried enough and it's not worth it at this point

Thanks again for all the help anyway.

07-11-2010 , 09:18 PM

#20

captZEEbo

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 9,991

I'm pretty sure the above two suggestions are spam, as I'm a pretty big audio nerd and have never heard of that software.

07-11-2010 , 09:32 PM

#21

kerowo

lolcat

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 37,190

Quote:

Originally Posted by captZEEbo

I'm pretty sure the above two suggestions are spam, as I'm a pretty big audio nerd and have never heard of that software.

Good enough for me

08-27-2021 , 03:33 PM

#22

Josem

human chemical weapon

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 18,189

Closing this thread because in the last 10 years, every one of the posts has been spam, and subsequently deleted. Send a PM to the forum moderator if you want to post here, and I'll re-open the thread for discussion.

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