National Library Service Plans Next-Gen Audiobooks

The New York Times (as carried here by CNET, registration-free) is reporting on what seems like an overdue update planned by the adminstrators of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, which -- thanks to a copyright exemption -- can provide audiobooks without paying royalties. The Library Service will switch from 4-track tape players to audio devices based on flash memory. The article does not mention what sort of codec might be chosen, but does mention a couple of reasons (fragility, and diffculty for use by the blind) to not simply use CDs bearing some compressed audio format. The amount of listenable audio that can be squeezed into readily available pocket-sized storage these days is incredible, at least if you consider listenable things like the 32kbps recordings of old radio shows that the Sherlock Holmes Society of London makes available. (I wonder why small hard drives weren't chosen, though; they seem to bear up pretty well.)

Comments

CELP==Joy

[claudius0425]

the storage requirements are even smaller than you estimate: consider that these would be pure speech files, so a CELP-derived codec would be appropriate.
remember, Speex is intelligable at 6kbps, decent at 8kbps, and functionally excellent at 11 kbps.

flash drives are fine

[frovingslosh]

(I wonder why small hard drives weren't chosen, though; they seem to bear up pretty well.)

It doesn't really matter if flash or hard drives are used, as once the data is in this format it will be easy to move between the technologies. I suspect flash is being used because it's much cheaper (for a device that still holds plenty of audio) and more rugged than a hard drive based unit.

The real question is, although this material is being produced thanks to a copyright exemption for the handicapped, doesn't any citizen have a right to the information once it is produced? And why do the blind get all the good parking spaces?

Re:Small Isn't Necesarrily Better

[waynelorentz]

So they'll have a friend copy it to a usb flash card keychain.

Not everyone has a friend, espeically when you also have a disability.

I've only known two blind people in my life, and both of them seemed pretty focused on the concept of self-sufficency, rather than asking friends to do piddly tasks for them all the time. They want to live like anyone else does, and (aside from my mom asking me to wire the house for cable TV) that generally means doing thing on their own.