Audio Books Status?

Any updates on when/if audio books might be implemented into L4? I checked the missing features page, but it doesn't list it. Not much discussion in the forums or on the blog either, so I guess it's not a high-priority item.

I probably wouldn't have thought about it if I hadn't recently picked up the Lucado LifeWorks Library off the bargain rack at a local bookstore. It comes with a few audiobooks that it'd be nice to be able to listen to occasionally.

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Allen Browne

Hi Kevin

Bought the Lucado Lifeworks lib a couple of years back also. What I ended up doing with the audio was to play it in the car, as my car's CD player handles MP3s.

For me, playing them in Logos is not a priority: I'm unlikely to sit at my laptop and listen to them.

You are aware that you can play any book in Logos, through the text-to-speech converter? Ctrl+R toggles "read aloud" on/off.

Bruce Lundquist

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217194#Comment_217194

I tried to listen to a book in L4, but it's so mechanical that it was difficult to continue. A friend of mine has a Kindle and that is so much better. This leads me to think that at some point Logos will also improve the voice. I can wait.

As for listening to Audio books at MP3 in the car, these can also be saved as iPod format and listened in the car. I listen to books and lectures in the car daily. What a blessing!

Kevin Rossen

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217194#Comment_217194

Did the disc have the MP3s on it? I never actually opened the disc since I'm running L4. I just called into customer service and gave them the serial number, which activated the books on my account. I tossed the box into the recycling bin. Whoops.

I have used the text-to-speech and, as Bruce mentioned, it's a little too robotic for my tastes. But I guess it's a nice feature for some situations.

Any ideas on how I could legally get the MP3s?

Allen Browne

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217437#Comment_217437

You should be able to play them with any MP3 player, e.g. Windows Media Player or through iTunes.

You should be able to copy them onto another device such as an iPod.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217437#Comment_217437

Did the disc have the MP3s on it? I never actually opened the disc since I'm running L4. I just called into customer service and gave them the serial number, which activated the books on my account. I tossed the box into the recycling bin. Whoops.

Any ideas on how I could legally get the MP3s?

You threw out the CD? You're probably out of luck then. Unless you call Logos Customer Service, and since they know you have the license to the product, they are somehow able to ship you a replacement CD with the MP3 files on it. But it might not be something they have anymore since it was by a third party (Thomas Nelson). But they'd be your best bet if you want to stay legal and don't want to shell out for another copy of it. Or try giving Thomas Nelson a call and see if they can help you with it.

Mark Barnes

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217432#Comment_217432

I tried to listen to a book in L4, but it's so mechanical that it was difficult to continue.

The voices for ReadAloud are provided by the Operating System. Microsoft's ones are pretty robotic. If it's a feature you'd use often, it might be worth you purchasing new voices. The best I know of are those by Ivona: http://www.ivona.com/voices.php

nicky crane

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217472#Comment_217472

Thanks, Mark. I'd given up on the voices! will try ivona

NetworkGeek

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217474#Comment_217474

A number of us here use the voices at Natural Reader. You can demo them on site to see what they sound like.

nicky crane

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217472#Comment_217472

Mark, I've got the ivona voices on a month's trial [:)]. But how do I use them in Logos? [*-)]

nicky crane

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217481#Comment_217481

how do you use Natural reader with Logos4? I've tried and not succeeded with both ivona and natural reader. Obviously the problem will be my ignorance [;)]

NetworkGeek

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217483#Comment_217483

how do you use Natural reader with Logos4? I've tried and not succeeded with both ivona and natural reader. Obviously the problem will be my ignorance

FYI I Use Paul and Kate voices. I am on Windows 7 64 bit, these voices are 32 bit. However, the 32 bit voices work fine in Logos if you set them as default. That's a little tricky to do though, here is how: run C:\Windows\sysWOW64\speech\SpeechUX\SAPI.cpl from a command window (or double click on it from File Explorer if you know how to get to that directory), and if you installed the voices properly (ie installed the engine that uses the voices, that's what I did with NaturalReader), then the 32 bit voices show up. Just pick one from the combo box, make it the default, restart Logos 4, and it uses that voice.

Michael March

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217540#Comment_217540

Wow, thanks for this thread. As I have Lucado Lifeworks, I went back into my old box-o-discs and found that not only are those audio files available which I had completely forgotten about, but I also have John MacArthur and David Jeremiah. I am copying them all now and will then rip them at my leisure to listen to in the truck, which is not mp3 friendly but does have a newfangled cd player in it, giving me now hours of listening pleasure. [H]

Kevin Rossen

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217546#Comment_217546

I've got the MacArthur set, too, and I didn't even think about checking for audio books for that set. Now I'm really regretting not keeping either disc.

Kevin Rossen

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217472#Comment_217472

I tried to listen to a book in L4, but it's so mechanical that it was difficult to continue.

The voices for ReadAloud are provided by the Operating System. Microsoft's ones are pretty robotic. If it's a feature you'd use often, it might be worth you purchasing new voices. The best I know of are those by Ivona: http://www.ivona.com/voices.php

Any idea if there is a Mac equivalent of this?

nicky crane

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217577#Comment_217577

Thanks, Dominic. I've discovered how to do this fairly simply in Vista, and have your instructions when I get my new computer with windows 7 [:)]

Steve Shelton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217540#Comment_217540

Dominck

In using natural reader in Logos 4, do you have to highlight the text? or does it read the text just like the voice does which comes with Microsoft with out highlighting?

Operation Evangelism

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/217890#Comment_217890

Dominck,

Not altogether sure of your question, but I'll give it a try... I just installed Natural Reader and the free version doesn't install the voices into the system, it only provides an application that will play the voices through their own application. It didn't install the voices into the system. My guess is the paid version would do this... at least I would hope so anyway. Unless someone knows another way....

While this may not be part of your question, if your question is about hearing the voice playback, the command is CTRL + R to begin and end reading on a PC. It takes the currently selected panel and begins reading at the top. Hope that helps.

Steve Shelton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/218472#Comment_218472

Chris

Thanks for the response. I had only tried the free download.

Steve