32Kbps is the industry standard, but we thought our customers deserved better sound quality, even if it takes a little while longer to download the files. All our files originate as uncompressed WAV files produced to BBC broadcast specifications. We then convert these to 320kbps stereo MP3 files. We believe that the higher sound quality is worth the slightly longer download time and the slightly larger file sizes.
Can I play them on my MP3 player?
They should play on virtually all MP3 players, including those in mobile phones. Be aware of the file size and format, and ensure your device has the relevant amount of memory available and accepts the format.
Can I play them on my computer?
Most definitely. PCs and MACs, and Linnux, are more than welcome.
Which players will not play them?
The downloads should play on virtually all modern MP3 players, including those in mobile phones. Unfortunately, it is impractical to produce an exhaustive list of MP3 players/software compatible with our downloads, as makes and models change so often.
If I stop during playback, will it start again in the same place?
This is dependent on the make/type of MP3 player/hardware/software you have. Consult your user’s manual for further details. To make things easier, where downloads are over a certain duration, they are divided into individual chapters. Each chapter has a separate file, and you can download them individually, or all together. This should make it easier for you to navigate your way around what you’ve downloaded.
If my credit card is declined, what should I do?
Please contact your bank or credit card company. We use PayPal for all transaction, and therefore have no access to your order and credit card information. You may be able to get more halp from the fine people at PayPal Customer Services.
Can I use a credit card from any country to buy a download?
Download transactions are handled by PayPal and therefore should allow you to purchase from any country in any currency.
I don’t have a credit card. Can I pay another way?
PayPal allows you to purchase using credit cards, debit cards and direct bank transfers. if in doubt, please contact the fine people at PayPal Customer Services.
How can I obtain a receipt for purchases?
After purchasing a download, you will receive a receipt via e-mail.
If there is a break during the downloading, can I resume?
The most common form of failure is the loss of internet connectivity between your computer and modem/router. You may need to reset your modem or router and then start the download again. The link will work for 14 days after purchase.
How big is each download, and how long will it take?
The answer to this is basically, “how long is a piece of string?” Download times depend on file size, the efficiency of your internet connection, the distance of your computer from the exchange, the speed of your modem/wireless adapter as well as many other factors. As complete downloads can be very large, it is strongly recommended that you have a broadband internet connection – a dial-up connection will simply take too long for larger downloads.
How do I get it into iTunes and then to my iPod?
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer support for your MP3 player or software, because there’s so many different MP3 players available. Please consult your owner’s manual, or visit the manufacturer’s website. However, your download will come as either a single, or multiple MP3 file(s), which simply need to be moved from your download location to your music library, or imported using your music library software. Occassionally, some of our very large products come as ZIP files. To access your MP3 files, simply locate the downloaded ZIP file on your computer and then use your standard UNZIP software.
If you’re on a PC, right-click the file and choose Extract All… You’re also done. Don’t see an “Extract All…” option? Try renaming the file to something simple, like “music.zip”. The important thing is to make sure the name ends with “.zip”. Then right-click it again. You should now see “Extract All…” in the menu. If you still don’t see an Extract All… option, double-click the file. This will open a window listing the files inside. Press Ctrl+A to select all the files, then drag them into a folder or onto your desktop. This will extract them, for sure. What!? That doesn’t work either? You may be amongst the elite few who simply don’t have unzipping software built in to their PC. Easy to rectify: just go here and get it.
Can I burn what I have downloaded onto MP3 CD’s?
You should be able to create your own MP3 CDs from your MP3 formatted download purchases. Please remember when you purchase a download from Spokenworld Audio, you are licensed to use the file(s) for your own personal, non-commercial use, and are not permitted to distribute, lend, broadcast, or share the files with anyone else. Spokenworld Audio does not offer support for burning MP3 CDs.
Can I pass my downloads on to my friends?
You could, but we’d rather you recommended the titles to them and told them where to buy the downloads from. When you purchase a download from us, you are licensed to use the file(s) for your own personal, non-commercial use, and you are not permitted to distribute, lend, broadcast, or share the files with anyone else.
How do I get it into iTunes or Windows Media Player?
To add music to iTunes, just launch iTunes and choose File > Add To Library.
To add music to Windows Media Player, you can either: a) select the audio files, then right click them and choose “Add to Windows Media Player List”, or b) drag and drop the audio files onto the Windows Media Player window (if that doesn’t work, try the drag/drop operation again, but make sure the Library tab is active in Windows Media Player first).
When I try to unzip my album, I get an error message
All of these errors indicate the same thing: that the downloaded file is incomplete, probably due to a hiccup in your internet connection. The solution is to try downloading the album again (if you paid for the album, click the link in your receipt). Some downloads can be pretty large, so if you’re on wireless you should definitely try plugging directly in. You can verify that your download is complete by right-clicking it and selecting Properties (or if you’re on a Mac, by clicking it and choosing File>Get Info).
I can’t find my download on my computer. Help!
If you’re using Windows, start by looking in your My Downloads and My Music folders. If your download isn’t there, please try your download again (if it was a paid download, you’ll find a link to retry it in the receipt that we emailed you). However, when you click download this time: 1) click Save (not Open) in the dialog that appears, and 2) in the subsequent dialog, choose a location for the file, but remember to note which folder you’re saving to.
My download crashed/is taking forever. Suggestions?
Go ahead and stop the download, then try clicking the link in the email receipt again (and if you’re on wireless try plugging directly in). If the download stops again, or the speed is still slow, try another connection if available — some ISP’s throttle the speed of large downloads, and the downloads from Spokenworld can be somewhat huge.
I still need some help. Help me?
No problem, click here to send an email to customer support.