Help wma won't play on OMC

[Snowhawk22]

I've been researching and coming up empty handed on the issue regarding library audio books and android. There have been converting suggestions I've read and such but here's the problem as I perceive it... the libraries ONLY have audiobooks as .WMA files (or epub) meaning you have to use Overdrive Media Console to play them but everything I've read says things like "download it as an MP3"... is has to be available as an MP3 and all I see is .WMA or "this device does not support this format" (REALLY?!?!? DUH!) So.. is there no solution? right now the only place I can apparently listen to these books is on my laptop (not really convenient in the car or on a bus). It won't even work on my Nook. Frustration level is really high.
The libraries aren't going to change so how can we get the android and Nook people to change something so we can enjoy our audiobooks (only format available on some of the older books) ? E-pubs aren't a problem only the audiobooks.

SOOOOOOOOO appreciate any help anyone can offer (also appreciate replies easy on the acronyms... senior citizen here has bad memory and keeps forgetting what they all mean )

 

[NeoGrandizer]

If there are issues with copying, moving and playing back audio book files on multiple devices (especially those that support the codec and media), I have a sneaky suspicion that they have DRM (digital rights management). DRM is copyright protection mechanism.

DRM restricts what you can do with the content/license you possess. It can range from the number devices that are authorized to play the files, server authentication, OEM (one machine), etc. It sounds like it's restricting the file to the machine it was originally assigned to. Not sure though as I don't own any audio books. I also never used or heard of Overdrive Media Console.

If you want to play it back on your other devices, see if your main Overdrive software in your notebook allows you to transfer the file (or more precisely, license) to your Nook. If it does, that is probably what you will need to do to get the file to work. It may also require the file to be authenticated before it will even open after the transfer. Either way, hopefully you'll be able to play back the file.

 

[lcneed]

I have a solution for you, but it is not pretty. I have been doing this ever since I switched from my iPhone to the Note 2 last year. Like you, I listen to audiobooks from Overdrive. Overdrive WMA audiobook will actually support iPhone but not Android devices. Here are what you need to have in order to listen to Overdrive Audiobooks on Android.

1) An iDevice (iPhone or iPad or iPod)
2) iTunes installed on your PC
3) Download a program called ifunbox on your PC.
4) Download an app on Note 2 that plays Apple w4b files (I use MortPlayer)

When you use Overdrive Media Console to transfer WMA audiobook to the iPhone, it actually convert the files from WMA to m4b. Once it is on the iPhone, you need to extract them using ifunfox. What you need to do is go into the iTunes control folder and search for m4b. Once you found them, select all and copy them to your PC folder. The file names will look like random characters, but once it is on your PC folder, you can see the audiobook titles and files order in windows file explorer. You then have to rename the file name with order number of the disc. Like ColdDays01.m4b, ColdDays02.m4b, etc...

After that, you could just copy them to your Note 2 and enjoy them using the MortPlayer app. Like I said at the beginning it is not pretty. But it works.

 

[lcneed]

If you want to play it back on your other devices, see if your main Overdrive software in your notebook allows you to transfer the file (or more precisely, license) to your Nook. If it does, that is probably what you will need to do to get the file to work. It may also require the file to be authenticated before it will even open after the transfer. Either way, hopefully you'll be able to play back the file.

Overdrive does not allow WMA transfer to Android devices. It was a huge complain from all the Android users. WMA from Overdrive can only be played on PC, Windows OS phones, and iDevices. But when Overdrive uses iTunes to convert the files from WMA to m4b, it actually decrypted the files. After that, all you have to do is extract them from the iDevice and put them in the Note 2.

I read that you could use software to remove DRM from the WMA files, but I have never been able to locate a real software (free) to do that. They all want you to pay for it and from most of the reviews I have read, they don't even work.

 

[SusieQ]

OMG Icneed! I have literally spent all day reading through and following suggestions on completely useless posts on other forums regarding this matter, and was just about to give up when I read your 'not pretty' solution and it WORKED! I think it's BEAUTIFUL Thank you thank you thank you!! You're a rockstar!

 

[Prepaidguy9081]

Check out a program called xillisoft.
They have an audio converter and video converter.
It will convert anything to anything.
It also removes any and all digital rights.

Should solve your problem.

Also if audiaucity will open it (freeware), use that with the lame mp3 encoder plugin (also free), and export a new copy to mp3

Removes all digital rights.