Playing Itunes Purchased Audiobooks on newer TV Audio Systems
olderthandirt said
11:17 AM Feb 13, 2019
For those of you with newer TVs who, like me, want to listen to audiobooks while on the road, I need help in figuring out an audiobook playback problem using my Ipod Classic with my new 2019 F350 Sync system. In the past I have always purchased audiobooks online using Itunes which then synchronizes with my Ipod. When I first start up any audiobook on the TV audio system, the audiobook plays at the correct speed. Once play is interrupted for any reason and then resumed, I find myself listening to chipmunks. No matter how I adjust my system, unplug then replug my Ipod, the audiobook continues to play at this greatly enhanced speed. If I try to open a different audiobook, this speed problem continues from startup. I know that the problem is not limited to the F350 audio system. My previous TV, a 2017 Chevy 2500 HD, produced the exact same symptoms on its audio system. HOWEVER, during the years when my TV was a 2013 Chevy Suburban, the audiobooks played just fine on its audio system. I am now thinking that the problem may be inherent to a possible update of the way audiobooks are downloaded thru Itunes and stored on the Ipod Classic. It should be noted that music CDs which were ripped to the Classic play just fine. Right now, I don't feel spending $300 on a new Ipod is the answer.
Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so, what was your solution?
Hans
olderthandirt said
11:58 AM Feb 17, 2019
My thanks to everyone for their great suggestions? Looks like there are a bunch of folks out there who use an Ipod to listen to audiobooks on the road? Have done some more research online and discovered that this problem has been going on for about six years, independent of vehicle make. It seems that when an Ipod is connected to the vehicle's audio system thru USB, it is the vehicle's audio system which takes control of playing the Ipod contents. The Ipod is simply recognized as a storage device on which the audio files are located. The reason that my 2013 Suburban was able to correctly play audiobooks was that it was connected through the audio system's AUX input - which gave the Ipod total control over play, unlike with a USB connection. OK, so that was discovery #1. Discovery #2 was that different kinds of audio files on a USB connected device are treated differently by the vehicle audio system. If playing music, the audio file is played at its normal speed. If the audio file consists of spoken words (audiobooks), the file is somehow interpreted differently and MAY be played at a greatly enhanced speed. Changing settings pertaining to the vehicle's audio system (the SYNC3 system of my 2019 F350 in this case) does not correct the problem.
So on to Discovery #3. The enhanced speed problem when playing audiobooks thru a USB connected Ipod can be TEMPORARILY overcome by going to the Ipod's MUSIC playlist and playing a few seconds of music prior to playing the audiobook. Seems like a ridiculous solution but apparently playing music somehow resets the way the vehicle audio system interprets the non-music audio file stored on an Ipod.
Just as an aside, I could find no general or vehicle specific permanent solution to this problem online, including Ford and Apple help sites. But, at least there is a temp workaround that allows me to play what has become a very extensive (and expensive) audiobook collection on my Ipod Classic. I also have an extensive collection on CDs/DVDs, but wouldn't you know that the 2019 F350 audio system did away with the CD/DVD player which I was told was available on the 2018 system. Looks like part of next winter in Arizona will be spent ripping CDs/DVDs to the Ipod.
For those of you with newer TVs who, like me, want to listen to audiobooks while on the road, I need help in figuring out an audiobook playback problem using my Ipod Classic with my new 2019 F350 Sync system. In the past I have always purchased audiobooks online using Itunes which then synchronizes with my Ipod. When I first start up any audiobook on the TV audio system, the audiobook plays at the correct speed. Once play is interrupted for any reason and then resumed, I find myself listening to chipmunks. No matter how I adjust my system, unplug then replug my Ipod, the audiobook continues to play at this greatly enhanced speed. If I try to open a different audiobook, this speed problem continues from startup. I know that the problem is not limited to the F350 audio system. My previous TV, a 2017 Chevy 2500 HD, produced the exact same symptoms on its audio system. HOWEVER, during the years when my TV was a 2013 Chevy Suburban, the audiobooks played just fine on its audio system. I am now thinking that the problem may be inherent to a possible update of the way audiobooks are downloaded thru Itunes and stored on the Ipod Classic. It should be noted that music CDs which were ripped to the Classic play just fine. Right now, I don't feel spending $300 on a new Ipod is the answer.
Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so, what was your solution?
Hans
So on to Discovery #3. The enhanced speed problem when playing audiobooks thru a USB connected Ipod can be TEMPORARILY overcome by going to the Ipod's MUSIC playlist and playing a few seconds of music prior to playing the audiobook. Seems like a ridiculous solution but apparently playing music somehow resets the way the vehicle audio system interprets the non-music audio file stored on an Ipod.
Just as an aside, I could find no general or vehicle specific permanent solution to this problem online, including Ford and Apple help sites. But, at least there is a temp workaround that allows me to play what has become a very extensive (and expensive) audiobook collection on my Ipod Classic. I also have an extensive collection on CDs/DVDs, but wouldn't you know that the 2019 F350 audio system did away with the CD/DVD player which I was told was available on the 2018 system. Looks like part of next winter in Arizona will be spent ripping CDs/DVDs to the Ipod.
Hans