Hi Darcy and Jane, When you use Automator to specify the file type (mp3, etc.) I believe that it uses whatever the last default bit rate (for that encoder) is set to in your iTunes preferences. You can't specify this separately (at least, you can't with AppleScripts like QuickConvert which do the same sort of thing Jane wants to do.
So before she runs her Automator action, she may want to check that her iTunes importing options for mp3 are set to something small, because I think that's what will be used. She can go the Advanced menu in iTunes preferences (Command-comma then Command-6), use item chooser to select the Importing tab, VO-keys right arrow to Import Using: and then for the next popup button, set the encoding to mp3. However, the way to cut down the file is in the next argument, setting. If Jane does VO-keys right arrow and selects "Custom" on the popup button, she can select a much smaller value for encoding rate. Choosing "Custom" brings up a second menu that has actual stereo bit rates listed. The point is that with this menu she can make two selections that take the file size down by quite a bit; first, she can freely choose the "Stereo Bit Rate" on the first popup button to be 64. That makes the size half as large as using "Good Quality" on the previous menu. Then, she can change the Channels; value (from either Stereo or Auto) to "Mono". That will take the size down by half again. None of the other settings matter for this. This is only meant to make the files four times smaller for audiobooks, which don't need the higher bit rate, nor do they need to be in stereo. On all these menus, carriage return to leave the menu if you are satisfied with your selections. Hope this helps. I would experiment on a small file first, and do Get Info on the resulting mp3 file. The summary pane should tell you what encoding bit rate was used, and whether the file is mono or stereo. The values above shoud produce a 32 kbps mono file, which is similar to what iTunes and Audible.com use. HTH Cheers, Esther On Dec 12, 2007, at 05:40PM, Darcy Burnard wrote: >Interact with the import audio files action on the workflow. You'll >see a few options. The first is a popup button that allows you to >select the encoder you want to use. The second is a checkbox which >can delete the original file once import has happened. >Darcy > >On 12-Dec-07, at 10:28 PM, Jane Jordan wrote: > >> Well ... I relaly think it's my last question--how do I tell it to >> delete the original file? I dont' se an action like that. >> >> Jane >> >> >> On Dec 12, 2007, at 10:20 PM, Darcy Burnard wrote: >> >>> You can edit it in automator. >>> Darcy >>> >>> On 12-Dec-07, at 10:17 PM, Jane Jordan wrote: >>> >>>> So, do I have tgo delete the application? Or can I edit it in >>>> Automator? >>>> >>>> Jane >>>> >>>> >>>> On Dec 12, 2007, at 10:09 PM, Darcy Burnard wrote: >>>> >>>>> After the text to audio file action, you want the import audio >>>>> files action. >>>>> Darcy >>>>> >>>>> On 12-Dec-07, at 9:49 PM, Jane Jordan wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> What action do I need to add? :) >>>>>> >>>>>> I use the automator work flow. >>>>>> >>>>>> Jane >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Dec 12, 2007, at 9:24 PM, Darcy Burnard wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hey Jane. When you say recorded with terminal, do you mean >>>>>>> you're using the say command now instead of the automator >>>>>>> workflow? In either case, you could run it through itunes and >>>>>>> convert it to whatever format you like. If you add this action >>>>>>> to your workflow, you can have it delete the original aiff file >>>>>>> once your file is imported in your itunes library. >>>>>>> Darcy >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On 12-Dec-07, at 7:37 PM, Jane Jordan wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Is there a way to make the files recorded using the Terminal >>>>>>>> smaller? I mean, if they are converted to MP3. I get some >>>>>>>> pretty large ones, and I want to be able to put them onto my >>>>>>>> MP3 player for listening to at work, even if they are late. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Jane >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>> >>> > > >
