Audiobook playback issues on iPod- keeps skipping to next book

Hi everyone,

For the past several weeks, I have been having serious playback issues with my 3rd gen iPod 8 gig nano. (Note: I use a Dell laptop -awful... I know- running Windows XP SP2 and have the latest versions of iTunes, iPod software, etc.) Certain tracks will play for a limited amount of time then skip to the next. The time is always the same for a particular track, but each track has a different time when this occurs. For example, Interview With the Vampire (purchased from Audible) only plays for 3 seconds, while Real Time with Bill Maher ep 138 (audio podcast) will play for 12:14.

Detailed Symptoms:
- Does not seem to occur with music

- Real Time is the only podcast I've had an issue with
* Some episodes work, others don't
* Problem episodes all have different stop points

- Anne Rice books from Audible.com seem to be a problem
* Audible books have not been a problem in the past.
* Anne Rice has been the only author I have downloaded in the past week, so it might be a new issue and not just the author

- Audiobook problems seem to be tied to chapters... For example, chapter 1 might not go past 45 seconds, but if I go to chapter 2 before it messes up then its fine. In my current book, 3/4 chapters have this issue (chpt. 1, 3, 4)

- Everything is fine when I play it in iTunes

- Several websites have articles documenting problems with tracks which are 4+ hours. Strangely, every book/podcast I have had a problem with has been under this. The podcasts in question are either about an hour or 10 min, and the books are just under 3 hours. I have listened to several books which come in 7 hour segments and have never had a problem with them.


I have tried just about everything I can think of/find on the web to solve this.

Here's a list of my attempted fixes:
- deleted files, synced iPod so that files were removed from it, redownloaded files, then resynced iPod to get new file
* problem still occurs at the same exact times after this

- reset iPod

- downloaded different audio quality versions of books

- deauthorized then reauthorized both iTunes and audible.com accounts

- fastforwarded past the problem point and then tried to play
* this creates a really weird glitch where it still displays my current book but is actually playing from that timepoint in the subsequent book

- deleting books after my current book so there is nothing to jump to
* this causes it to loop back to the first book

- moving past the problem point in iTunes, syncing the iPod so it has a bookmark there, then clicking resume on the iPod
* This worked for one book. Does not work with my current book or with podcasts. It still works for that first book, though.

- I called Apple (useless) so I headed to the Apple store. They tried to tell me it was my files, but then thought it might be the device once they heard what I had tried so far. They gave me a brand new iPod refurb and the problem was COMPLETELY UNCHANGED... same issues at the same exact times for the problem tracks

Given this latest development, I figure that it must be either the audio or an iPod bug. I really don't think it is the tracks because they are completely fine in iTunes.

I am completely at a loss and ready to tear my hair out. My monstrous laptop is not exactly convenient to lug around as an mp3 player. I would tremendously appreciate any help or advice which you all could offer. I'm new to the forum, so please let me know if I leave out any info which is usually needed (and please excuse me if I come across as rude/entitled to help even though I'm new) Regardless of whether or nor you can assist, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this.

Laura

Have you checked the "Get info" panel for those tracks to see whether a stop time has accidently been set?

Track > Right Click > Get Info > Options > stop time.

Thank you so much for your advice and time.

None of the tracks appear to have any stop time set. For the audiobooks, all accessible boxes are unchecked (start time, stop time, gapless album) while playback position and shuffling skip are greyed out and checked.

- Do you have the latest iPod firmware updates installed?
- Do you have a friend with a different model iPod so they could try it for you?
- Have you tried completely reinstalling iTunes?

Aptmunich said:

- Do you have the latest iPod firmware updates installed?
- Do you have a friend with a different model iPod so they could try it for you?
- Have you tried completely reinstalling iTunes?

Click to expand...

I have double checked all updates for iPod and iTunes, and they're all set. That's a very interesting idea to try it on different models... All of my old ones are bricked, and right now the only volunteers have another a 3g nano and shuffle. Sadly,the iPhone present has a possessive owner who won't fork it over as a guinea pig. Would it be worth it to try on the shuffle? I have come across a bunch of articles related to audiobook issues with the shuffle, and I was left the impression that it deals with them differently than regular iPods. If not, though, I will definitely try it once my roommate gets home.

One question, though... lets say it works for a different model. What should I do? That would mean that its a bug in the iPod nano, right? Would I basically just be up the creek at that point?

I haven't done an iTunes uninstall/reinstall yet... I have a large number of podcast subscriptions which all have preferences set. Many of them keep old episodes that are no longer available which I really don't want to lose. Would uninstalling iTunes cause me to lose these? Also, would all of my settings for podcasts, various tracks, etc., be lost?

I think I will try different models first, unless you think uninstalling/reinstalling iTunes wouldn't cause any differences to my library. I can definitely get my hands on a bunch more models tomorrow, so please let me know if you have any specific ones you think I should try (maybe 4g nano doesn't have same issue? maybe all nanos have it, but regular ones don't? I'm sure that you know more about what the problem might be, and therefore what I should test to confirm/rule out) If the models have the same problem, then I will try iTunes regardless.

Thank you so much for helping. I thought I had exhausted all options, but you came up with 2 new ones. Even if they don't work, I at least don't feel like I'm at a dead end anymore!

If you leave your iTunes library files intact, you can reinstall iTunes without breaking anything.

Then I would advise you to try syncing everything with a completely fresh library once to see if that could be part of the issue. (Hold down the shift key when launching iTunes to select a new / alternative library location).

Laura....

Don't kill yourself...This appears to be a bug...I too have had the same problems I thought I was crazy because it did this to all my audiobooks of all sorts ...from itunes store..ripped from cds...Mp3's I had no matter how I tagged or encode them this would happen.........

My Wife has the ipod today and I haven't tested this idea but this article suggests a start stop trick...

audiobooks track by track??? [Archive] - iPod - iPhone - iTunes Forums at iLounge

I have seen U post on various forums in my search for truth.... So I felt compelled to post this even though I have no real solution and let U know U R not the only one....

And Where are all the other audio books listeners with ipods!!!! Why isn't this a major issue everywhere? I am confused....

Of course my last solution is to just change them all to audio files and make playlists.... haven't gotten there yet...just joined a bunch of tracks also to test..maybe the join will beat the bug....


Will post if I make any progress....maybe U will figure it out before me

Miles