I rip cds to wma (and mp3) but I mostly download my audio books in mp3 format and used to automatically encode them to wma because the additional compression did not affect sound quality and allowed more content to be placed on the player. This was not a problem until I ran up against the glitches of the m250 player. I found the same problem everyone’s talking about with my audio books with files > 11 mins run time encoded in wma @ 32kbps cbr.
With my downloaded mp3 audio book files, my solution was simply to first “clip” the mp3 files to a file size no greater than 10 min in run time…then convert to wma @ 32kps cbr. Problem solved.
At the same time, I found my m250s had no problems with the skipping/looping with mp3 files of any run time length or bitrate.
I still use the Panasonic SV-MP020 (2Gb flash player), but I load audiobooks on the m250 for my wife and mother. For them, I use both wma & mp3 but clip the mp3 files to 10min max in run time if I want to encode them to wma. Encoding & compressing to low bitrate wma is not so important now as it used to be with 2gb players so prevalent…back in the 256-512mb days, the encoding & compression were mandatory to get more than 1-2 books to fit on the player.
For those downloading content encoded in wma…it is a protected format and frontline encoding software developers do not allow for wma to mp3 conversion…at least Nero which is the encoding software I use does not. freeware wma to mp3 converter are out there, however. If you want to download your wma content directly to your player and not mess around with re-coding & cliping files…then I suggest you look at another player like the Panasonic mentioned above. Its uses simple folder/file ordering and doesn’t care about file lengths, id3 tags etc. From what I understand the m200 series players are at the end (or ended) of production and additional firmware updates to address any shortcomings are highly unlikely. It seems Sandisk’s current stance on the m200 series is it is/was not intended for audio books and “tough luck” if that’s the way you want to use it.
For MP3s, you have had no problems. Two others have reported trouble with MP3s, but specifically podcasts–no other MP3 content mentioned. Maybe as wooderson said, he “speculated that it was caused by poor encoding to MP3, or errors in the MP3 file…”
For WMAs, wooderson said his fix was to convert to WMA, yet you had consistent trouble with long WMAs. And others had trouble with long DRM’d WMAs (OverDrive Media audiobooks). Possibly wooderson answered too quickly (maybe his WMAs weren’t big enough).
Tentative conclusion: MP3s work fine, except some podcasts. WMAs don’t work (have ff and resume problems).
There are a lot of pay programs (in the range of about $20-$40) to convert DRM’d WMA files to MP3: Daniusoft Digital Media Converter, MuvAudio, Tunebite, etc., that all convert quickly, unlike freeware like AnalogWhole, whose conversions take as long as it takes to play. I’ll follow your advice and have a go at converting to MP3 from OverDrive, using a pay converter program. I just want to put this device to use, as a leave-in-the-car audiobook player.
Does your Panasonic SV-MP020 resume properly in the last listened track after a shutdown/startup? I like the notion of AA batteries, they last a long time (and I have a lot of rechargeable AAs, but fewer new devices use them).
Tentative conclusion: MP3s work fine, except some podcasts. WMAs don’t work (have ff and resume problems).
wma files with short run time work fine too…in my players, < 11 min files work without problem
Does your Panasonic SV-MP020 resume properly in the last listened track after a shutdown/startup? I like the notion of AA batteries, they last a long time (and I have a lot of rechargeable AAs, but fewer new devices use them).
Tha Panasonic works great for audio books; as you would want…but to answer your specific question, yes it has bookmark feature which resumes at the place within the file you left off whenever you pause or power off. Its bare bones simple with its folder/file ordering and is minus a few features compared to the m250 such as no FM radio, no sleep feature and only preset equilizer settings. Controls are intuitive and simple. It is marginally smaller than the m250, but the big feature (besides handling audio books properly) is the battery life with the AA batts.
Its frustrating to purchase a player and not be able to use it as you wish…but if you’re going to pay $20-40 for wma-mp3 encoding software, that’s the going price of the Panasonic players on ebay. Between the two, for me it would be the Panasonic player…just use the m250 to load up on music…it’ll work fine for that and you’ve got 2 players!
Thanks much, jjrphs. MP3 works! I converted an OverDrive Media audiobook to MP3 (44,100 Hz sample rate, 64kbps bit rate, and I think CBR) using Daniusoft Digital Media Converter, and resume and fast forward works properly. It’ll skip files if you fast forward while the player is resumed, so you have to be careful to have it playing before you ff.
Seems like WMAs and some MP3 podcasts don’t resume or ff properly once past some minutes play time (e.g., 11, 18, 22 min. probably depending on bitrate/file size and encoding).
And thanks for the info on the Panasonic, it sounds like a great old PlaysForSure audiobook player for its battery life. I already had the converter program by Daniusoft that I got free when they gave it away on Giveawayoftheday.com, but don’t like to use it much (just my thing about piracy).
its a simple and easy to ues. then encode them back to wma to see if those <10min wma files work on your player. even if you don’t want to go back to wma, the audio book cutter program is a handy program to have.
Here’s another thing I’ve discovered about how to achieve a better experience with my m250: After I power-up I have to keep an eye on the track that starts playing first (always a downloaded podcast, no music). When it nears the end of the track I have to press the “skip back” control twice to cross over the starting boundary of the track that started playing at power-up. Then I press the “skip forward” control 3 times to get to the next unplayed podcast. After this the m250 smoothly moves to the next track at the end of each track. If I do not do this on the first track it will lock up and the battery has to be removed. It’s annoying and a stain on SanDisk’s reputation, but at least I now know how to listen to each track, in order.
JJRPHS, does your Panasonic SV-MP020 work on protected WMA files like from Overdrive? I’m tempted. I’ve gone through the mill with the m250 and discovered, as I posted on another thread, that it works if you luck out and get one with the firmware version 2.2.5 but NOT with firmware 4.1.08; that latter gives the fast forwarding problems and lack of bookmarking. Fortunately, when I RMA’d the player back to Sansa they sent me a replacement with the old firmware and I’m back in business, but for the $30 the Panasonics are going for on ebay, I’m tempted; but don’t want yet another doorstop.
It’s amazing to me how difficult it is to find good players for audiobooks.
It’s amazing to me how difficult it is to find good players for audiobooks.
It is definitely not difficult to find players that work well with OverDrive.
Sansa Clip, 1GB yesterday on Sellout.woot.com for $10 + $5 shipping, 2GB on Woot yesterday and before for $16 + $5, resumes all podcasts and audiobooks
Sansa Fuze, similar capabilities as the Clip, plus video and micro SD slot.
various Creative players with manual bookmarking - Zen, Zen V, Zen Micro, Zen Mozaic, Zen Wi-Fi (last two have speakers)
Sansa Connect (speakers and good resume points)
Cowon D2
various Samsungs.
all Zunes (big one plays nice video podcasts on 3" screen at the expense of being big, smaller flash ones are real nice for portable listening) resume podcasts and audiobooks properly. Somewhat difficult to delete books, but Microsoft keeps giving updated firmware.
even the Sandisk Sansa e200-series, but it only resumes the last thing played (like the Panasonic and the m250), so you can’t go away from the audiobook file to play music.
There are others.
I’m guessing maybe you don’t like built-in Li-Ion batteries, and prefer an external AA or AAA battery, and that’s why you can’t find a good player? The Creative Zen Nano/Nano Plus perform similarly to the good m250s and the Panasonic, and also have line-in recording. The Panasonic will give you the best battery life, as it takes AA vs. AAA like the others.
[EDIT: prices for Clip were for refurbs. All players have little nuances to their use. Ask if you’re interested in any particular one.]
Thanks, JJ2ME. You’re absolutely correct, I want an Overdrive-compatible player that takes AA or AAA batteries. I’m getting leery because of my bad experience with the first Sansa m250 and some previous other players–I’ve got too many doorstops in my drawer.
Is your Panasonic SV-MPO20 definitely compatible with Overdrive? I saw on Overdrive’s list of *in*compatible devices that another Panasonic, the Panasonic SV-SW30V, is not compatible.
Sorry, I don’t have the Pana. so can’t comment it.
I remembered another AAA-battery powered player when I went out and saw the one I usually use in my car, the Creative TX FM. It’s behaves just like the m250 (resumes last file–whether or not you shut down manually or it automatically shut down because you paused too long), but maybe more reliable? I like the two Creatives for AAA players:
Zen Nano and Nano Plus (battery doors go bad, but it comes with a little case you can keep it in if the door does go bad) with added line-in recording with the supplied special 2.5mm male-to-3.5mm male cable. While the Muvo Micro (also called Muvo N200) looks identical to the Zen Nano and Nano Plus, and has almost identical features, the one feature it is lacking is PlaysForSure/MTP support, so it can’t play OverDrive audiobooks.
Muvo TX and TX FM, which don’t require a USB cable because they’ve got a built in male USB connector, and you also have to be careful with the nib on the battery door. I think the Muvo V100 is similar, but with no FM like the TX FM.
Both have the advantage over the M250 that you can delete files on the player. I also use the “Advanced Options…” in the OverDrive “Transfer” process to name the folder of the audiobook (e.g., ForeverOdd), because the Creatives have a “Skip Folder” feature, so I can go more directly go to the audiobook. I forget whether I could do this with the m250. It’s unlikely you’ll find either sold new.
Your choice of AA or AAA batteries is especially good if you leave the player in a car. Heat can do damage to the built-in Li-Ion batteries.
