1 Purchasing/Downloading/Playing

If you are unsure which format to purchase, choose MP3. MP3, Ogg Vorbis, and AAC are audio files, that play on your computer (using Quicktime, iTunes, Windows Media Player, RealOne Player, etc) and digital audio players (including the iPod, the SanDisk MP3 Player, the iRiver, etc).

MP3 is the most common type of audio file. MP3s play on the majority of digital audio/media players, including the Apple iPod. MP3s at Telltale Weekly are encoded at 64kbps.

Ogg Vorbis is an open-standard alternative to MP3. Ogg Vorbis files at Telltale Weekly are encoded at Quality 2 (which roughly translates to 64-96kbps). Note: Releases prior to June 2005 were encoded at 64kbps.

AAC is a higher-quality (Mpeg 4) alternative to MP3. Though AAC is the ideal format for those using the popular iPod line of players from Apple, MP3 currently has much more compatibility (than either Ogg Vorbis or AAC) with other digial audio players. AAC files (.m4a) at Telltale Weekly are encoded at 64kbps.

Telltale Weekly accepts the PayPal payment method. The download page should appear immedately after purchase. An email with the download link(s) is also provided to the PayPal address on record. Customers may re-attempt download(s) for one week after purchase. You may fund your PayPal purchase with a bank account or a credit card. Sign up for a PayPal account.

Note: Bitpass has closed its doors as of February 2004.

All downloaded files are zipped (compressed and collected for easy downloading and opening on most computers) and, depending on operating system, could require a third party unzipping tool.

If so, Telltale Weekly recommends Stuffit Expander from Aladdin Systems, Inc., free for Windows and Mac [links open in a new window]. And Info-Zip [new window] offers an unzipping tool for just about any other operating system.

A download page should return automatically, but an email is also sent with the download link. Check your junk mail folders. Make sure you can accept emails from alex@awstudios.net. Your email will be sent to your PayPal email address, so please make sure that your address is valid. If you paid via "eCheck," Telltale will not receive the payment for 3-5 days.

Turn off any third party download assistant or manager (RealDownload, Speed Download, etc). Pay attention to the file sizes of your purchased recordings, especially if you are on dialup. Try again, maybe using a different browser.

First, you'll want to "unzip" them (see1.3 How do I get audio from a ZIP (.zip) file?.

Once unzipped, doubleclicking on the audio files (with .mp3, .m4a, or .ogg extensions) will often open the appropriate software player on your computer (Quicktime, Windows Media Player, iTunes, etc). Using software like iTunes, you may also transfer the recording to a digital music player like the iPod, or burn the recording onto a CD (standard audio-CD or an MP3-CD).

Telltale science fiction author David Rowland Grigg shares this tip:

If you have an iPod, a small change to the AAC files will mean that the iPod correctly bookmarks the files. Change the file extension of AAC files from .m4a to .m4b on a Windows system. On a Macintosh, change the file type to M4B_ (where the _ represents a space character). This change means that the iPod recognises the file as an audio book and will save a bookmark when you leave the file, so that when you return it will start where you left off.

And Mac users will find this AppleScript useful in automating this process.

The download probably didn't complete. After you've tried 1.3 (How do I get audio from a ZIP (.zip) file?), see 1.5 (The download didn't complete!).

The Recline download system has been closed. If you need to redownload an item purchased prior to February 2007, use the contact form and please include: (a) the item name, (b) your email address, and (c) either your PayPal transaction number or your Paypal account login name which you used for the Recline download system.

2 "Funding a Free Audiobook Library"

Not immediately, except for the ones listed at The Spoken Alexandria Project. Telltale sells "Funding a Free Audiobook Library" recordings inexpensively for five years (or 100,000 sales, whichever comes first) and then releases them free with a Creative Commons License.

A few works are released free initially. The rest have their date of release at the bottom of the page. Please do not redistribute any of these cheap-now, free-later recordings until Telltale releases them with a Creative Commons License.

No. You may only redistribute recordings that Telltale Weekly gives away with a Creative Commons License. You'll find all these works at The Spoken Alexandria Project. Some of the works you purchase will be released free eventually. Please be patient and support this project by not redistributing these works while they are sold at Telltale. They say that selling DRM-free digital files invites piracy, and that giving people what they want is no way to run a business. Let's prove them wrong.

Also: While I'd rather libraries wait and share only the free stuff, I recognize there's an interest in purchasing audio to distribute sooner. Please stay tuned for an updated library policy.

Many works at Telltale will be released with a Creative Commons License (usually an Attribution, Non-Commercial License) after five years or 100,000 sales (whichever comes first), which will allow online libraries and other individuals the opportunity to redistribute the works free-of-charge. After a Telltale Weekly recording has been released under the license--anyone will be free to (a) copy, distribute, display, and perform the work and (b) make derivative works, all with two conditions: attribution, and non-commerical use.

Credit to the creators of the work must be given--in each case the author of the text performed, the performer of the work, and Telltale Weekly. And the work may not be resold or otherwise used commercially without permission of the work's creator(s).

"Internationally, the public domain is the body of creative works and other knowledge--writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others--in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest (typically a government-granted monopoly such as a copyright or patent). Such works and inventions are considered part of the public's cultural heritage, and anyone can use and build upon them without restriction (not taking into account laws concerning safety, export, etc)."

--Wikipedia

Currently, the US Copyright on most works created and published before 1923 and whose authors died at least 50 years ago have expired. Many countries (including most of the EU) require 70 years to pass after the author's death for a work's copyright to expire. For example, many of the works by HG Wells--including The Time Machine (1895), The War of the Worlds (1898), and The Invisible Man (1897) are currently in the public domain in the United States, Canada, and Australia, but not yet in the European Union, as Wells died in 1946.

When in doubt about a specific work's copyright, consult a lawyer. More information about the public domain can be found at the free encyclopedia Wikipedia [new window].

As traditionally defined, work in the Public Domain refers to work that has no copyright restrictions at all. Creative Commons Licenses allows copyright holders to distribute their work with relaxed restrictions, without giving up their copyrights altogether. For more information see the Creative Commons FAQ [new window].

Unless specified, recordings of work by modern (living) authors and other original modern work (modern radio dramas, etc.) will not be released under free under any CCL by Telltale Weekly. Authors and producers of original work maintain full copyright to their work, and they may license (or not license) their work however they see fit.

I use "audiobook." Google seems to prefer "audio book." It's clear what we're talking about either way, so whichever works for you; language is a wonderful, evolving phenomena.

Current contributors are encouraged to query. But unfortunately, due to the high number of submissions (few appropriate), evaluating audio from new potential contributors has not benefited the project relative to the time it takes to do so. Sorry about that.

That said, voice actors and other audio professionals with completed audio projects are welcome to query using the contact form below, but I encourage you to find alternative distribution for your work (Telltale asks for non-exclusive rights to your recordings anyway). Same goes for professional, published authors who would like their work recorded.

All fields are optional and your email address will not be added to any list or otherwised shared.

After your form is sent, you will be taken to the front page. Unsolicited submissions (text, audio, resumes) will be returned unopened. Queries only at this stage.

Alex Wilson
Spoken Alexandria/Telltale Weekly
PO Box 1405
Carrboro, NC 27510
alex@awstudios.net

Use the feedback form on the above for the best possible response time via email and to help keep your correspondence from being lost in spam. Attachments prohibited unless specifically requested.