iPad Pro non-Apple, non-Audible Audiobooks & my iPadPro11

[blackxacto]

I can no longer sync my library of audiobooks (Non-Apple, non-Audible) on to my iPadPro11. In Catalina, Apple moved my library to way down inside a library container. I go to sync my books from my iMac Books App to my iPadPro11, non of my library sync. Only audiobooks from Apple iCloud show. I'm using a high speed cable plugged into the back of the iMac.

I move the library using File App in iOS, but there is no sequential playing of chapters, only one file at a time.

I can combine all chapters into one audiobook file, but I won't do that unless there is no other way.

Anyone know how to get non-Apple, non-Audible books on an iPadPro11 to play by chapters?

 

[AutomaticApple]

Anyone know how to get non-Apple, non-Audible books on an iPadPro11 to play by chapters?

Use a specific app maybe? I'll do some digging for you.

 

[sparksd]

I can no longer sync my library of audiobooks (Non-Apple, non-Audible) on to my iPadPro11. In Catalina, Apple moved my library to way down inside a library container. I go to sync my books from my iMac Books App to my iPadPro11, non of my library sync. Only audiobooks from Apple iCloud show. I'm using a high speed cable plugged into the back of the iMac.

I move the library using File App in iOS, but there is no sequential playing of chapters, only one file at a time.

I can combine all chapters into one audiobook file, but I won't do that unless there is no other way.

Anyone know how to get non-Apple, non-Audible books on an iPadPro11 to play by chapters?

What about using something like nPlayer - load the files there and create an ordered playlist.

‎nPlayer Plus

‎** nPlayer officially supports DTS (DTS HD ), DTS Headphone:X, Dolby (AC3, E-AC3). ** The 'Upgrade' In-App is just only for the users who already purchased nPlayer of the version 2.6.5 or the previous version. The first time buyer can use the full functions without any upgrade.(In-App purchase...

apps.apple.com

 

[blackxacto]

I want to thank you very much for replying to my cry for help. I have since found that it took, deleting all audiobooks from both 11" iPad Pro and Catalina iMac. Then dropping my folder of audiobooks I had saved from backup onto Catalina Books window. Then from FINDER, click my 11" iPad Pro. Then click sync ALL audiobooks. I watched the little wheel spin until it stops. No joy. They aren't on the 11" iPad Pro. I did this procedure several times. FINALLY, the 11" iPad Pro received ALL the audiobooks from my iMac. Yes, I watched the little wheel spin each time.
I was advised to do a clean install as the file linking is screwed up. So I am first going to try a wipe and reinstall from backup. If that doesn't work, Ill do the clean install.

 

[foliovision]

@blackxacto I'm in similar circumstances now with a bunch of .m4b audiobooks for which I'd like to use a proper audiobook player interface like Books. I don't and won't use iCloud apart from syncing up playback area.

M1 Mac under Monterey, iPhone at 13.5.1, iPad at 14.2. I have a copy of iMazing as well. Looking for someone else's experience/workflow to save building from scratch.

 

[blackxacto]

folio, sorry I didn't see your post until today. Are you saying that Books App will not play the m4b files?
Or that you are having difficulty to sync audiobooks to another device, like an iPad?

 

[foliovision]

@blackxacto Thanks for your sort of answer. I was interested in what you were doing now for an audiobook player on iOS and iPadOS. While your workaround is okay, I don't much fancy having to delete everything and then reloading everything and crossing my fingers that Apple won't block loading the third-party audiobooks.

As I mentioned, I have quite a few audiobooks in M4B format for which I need a reliable player. After some more research I finally installed BookPlayer (only has an iPhone version, no iPad version, but that's okay as I don't feel like loading audiobooks on both, though worse than Scribd for instance where I can pick up a book where I left it on the iPhone on the iPad; for those who don't know Scribd it's a sort of Netflix for books and audiobooks). BookPlayer has an audiobooks interface very similar to Apple Books and it's easy to load books either from online files or directly via iMazing.

I feel like I have control of playback of my audiobooks again. Books definitely didn't give me that feeling. While BookPlayer is completely free, I left the mid-tier Excellent tip of $5, as I'd definitely be happy to pay that much for a good quality audio player and appreciate a developer creating a great one and keeping it free.

 

[blackxacto]

Load a third-party book into Apple Books and see how it goes. I never use Apple Books for Amazon Book purchases: Kindle. Glad you found a player for your audiobooks.

I use Apple Books for any audiobooks I CREATE. All Apple Books audiobooks sync perfectly w any Apple device I own, by using OSX Finder menu on my iMac. Beware that FINDER WILL NOT BACKUP audiobooks. So I have my main drive backed up three times each day.

On any audio file I RECORD MYSELF, that is destined for Apple Books, I import into iTunes first. Add whatever metadata I want, then be sure to assign GENRE as Audiobook (Apple+I), very important that all tracks have the same cover art, album name, artist name, look in the back of (Apple+I) for sorting. All tracks must be sorted exactly the same. If there are multiple tracks, each track must be drug into Apple Books individually (that's the way it is now)
_______

Disregard ALL ABOVE if you buy audiobooks from Apple. They will download automatically in Apple Books.
Apple Books keeps up with where I stop in a book. Sound is great. Just my experience.

 

[foliovision]

Your solution seems to require iCloud. I'm sorry but after Jennifer Lawrence's experiences with iCloud and the official lack of privacy on iCloud, I don't see iCloud as something in which I'd like to participate. Apple has been opening iCloud accounts on request for many years, even before the auto-scanning.

What's great about BookPlayer is that it's all local and doesn't require throwing away one's library and redownloading and reloading it. It easily accepts audiobooks loading either local files or from a URL on the web.

No, there's no sync with other devices, but I've learned to live with that by using a Bluetooth speaker with my iPhone when at home, which has even better audio for mono voice recordings than iPad Pro (which is better for stereo when right in front of the screen, which isn't usually how I listen to audiobooks while moving around).

Hope this thread helps some other unfortunate audiobook buffs trying to either work with Apple Books or find a reliable MB4 player.

 

[blackxacto]

I thought Jennifer Lawrence’s issue was she used a simple personal guessable password. Personally I use a Password Manager to scramble create passwords of sufficient lengths. Have never had issues w iCloud. It’s always there for All my devices.: iMac, iPhonePro, iPadPro. Never have sync issues if my device settings are set correctly. Love iCloud