A free, fully-integrated, and easy-to-use application, the OverDrive
Media Console allows you to download and listen to OverDrive audio books
in high-quality Windows Media Audio format on any Windows computer.
OverDrive Media Console also permits you to create and burn CDs of your
audio books for use in your car, home stereo, or portable CD player.
OverDrive Media Console grants you the added functionality to transfer
your audio books to supported portable devices.
OverDrive Media Console offers a flexible and intuitive user
interface, allowing audio book users to easily navigate, play, and enjoy
popular audio materials.
Back to top
What are the features of OverDrive Media
Console?
Features of OverDrive Media Console
include:
Multi-part download management...
OverDrive media titles are often divided into 'Parts' in order
to make downloading quick and easy. OverDrive Media Console
allows you the flexibility to specify parts for download. This
enables you to begin using a title as soon as a part has
finished donwloading, and return to download the remaining parts
later. Alternatively, if only a given part of a file is of
interest, you can simply download that desired part.
Media library management...
OverDrive Media Console automatically creates, maintains, and
displays a comprehensive library of downloaded media in a
logical folder hierarchy. As titles are added to your
collection, they are automatically moved into the appropriate
folder(s). The organization system is also customizable,
allowing you to create and name new folders to suit your needs.
Within each folder, titles can be sorted by title, creator, date
acquired, expiration date (when applicable), and date last
played. If a title expires, OverDrive Media Console will prompt
you to delete the unusable file from your library, allowing you
to keep your media collection tidy and up-to-date.
Navigation of media titles with MediaMarkers™...
Most OverDrive media titles are divided into Parts, and Parts
are then sub-divided into logical sections (such as chapters,
for audio books). The beginning points of these logical sections
are MediaMarkers, which are displayed as hyperlinks. When you
click on a 'Part', the MediaMarkers associated with that Part
are displayed in the right-hand portion of the 'OverDrive Media
Explorer' window. Simply click on a MediaMarker to jump directly
to, and begin play at, the desired section of a media title.
OverDrive Media Console also includes the conveniences of
skipping back 15 seconds and advancing to the point furthest
played.
Easy transfer of media files to portable devices for
listening on-the-go...
OverDrive Media Console includes a built-in Transfer Wizard that
allows you to transfer media titles to supported portable
devices in just a few clicks. The Transfer Wizard allows you to
rename media files and specify where on your device media files
will be saved. If your device does not have the space needed to
accommodate the files you want to transfer, the Wizard will
alert you. You can delete files from your device in order to
make room for the OverDrive media files you want to enjoy
on-the-go.
Support for burning files (music and audio books, when
allowed by the publisher) to CD...
OverDrive Media Console optimizes Microsoft's industry-standard
media player, Windows Media Player to support CD burning. There
is no need to get other software to burn your audio books to CD;
everything you need is simply and easily incorporated into
OverDrive Media Console.
Back to top
How can I get a copy of OverDrive Media
Console?
To
review system requirements and download OverDrive Media Console,
click here.
How much does OverDrive Media Console
cost?
OverDrive Media Console is a free download.
To download OverDrive Media Console, click here.
Back to top
On what platforms does OverDrive Media
Console run?
OverDrive Media Console supports the
following platforms:
- Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
(SE)
- Microsoft Windows Millennium
Edition (ME)
- Microsoft Windows 2000
(Professional or Server®)
- Microsoft Windows XP (Professional,
Home, or Tablet PC edition)
For more details, and up-to-date
information, see
Overdrive Media Console Page at:
www.overdrive.com/MediaConsole/systemreq.asp
Back to top
What other software do I need in order to use OverDrive
Media Console?
To use OverDrive Media Console, you will need to have Windows Media
Player (9 Series or newer). OverDrive Media Console takes advantage of
Windows Media Player support for burning audio books to CD and
transferring files to supported portable devices.
To review a complete and current list of supported portable devices,
click here.
Back to top
How can I get a copy of Windows® Media
Player®?
Microsoft Windows Media Player is a free
download.
To review system requirements and download Windows Media Player,
click here. Please remember that Windows Media Player 9 Series
or newer is required in order to use OverDrive Media Console.
Back to top
I came across a reference to 'Windows
Media Player Security Upgrade'. What is this, and will I have to do
it?
The Windows Media Security Upgrade is a
one-time process that must be performed before Microsoft Windows
Media Player will allow any copyright-protected files to be played.
A security measure, the security update identifies the copy of
Windows Media Player with the computer on which the Player is being
used.
The first time that Windows Media Player
attempts to open a protected file, it will alert the user that a
Security Update must be performed before the file may be opened. The
update takes just a few moments.
To review instructions on completing the Windows Media Player
Security Upgrade,
click here.
Back to top
Once I have checked out a digital audio
book, how do I download it?
- After the book has been checked out, in
your browser, click on the 'Download' button next to the cover
image of the book.
OverDrive Media Console opens and prompts for the folder to
which the files should be downloaded.
- From the OverDrive Media Console prompt
screen, specify a download location (or leave the default file
path) and click 'OK'.
The 'Download Part(s)' dialog box is displayed.
- In the 'Download Part(s)' dialog box,
choose which part(s) you would like to download by placing a
checkmark next to the desired part(s), then click the 'OK'
button.
Download progress is displayed for each part. When the download
is complete, the title is ready for listening.
Back to top
How do I download a digital audio book
using Firefox?
The first time you use Firefox, after the
book has been checked out, click on the 'Download' button next to
the cover image of the book to download the audio file. If prompted,
choose option 'Open with', and browse to 'OverDrive Media Console'.
To adjust your settings so that you do not have to repeat this step
going forward, check the box next to 'Do this automatically for
files like this from now on'.
If you've already downloaded a file with
Firefox and are unable to open it, complete the following steps:
- Open Firefox.
- Go to Tools > Options.
The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
- In the 'Options' dialog box, click the
'Downloads' button.
- Under the heading 'File Types', select
either 'ODM OverDrive.Media' or 'application/x-od-media' (the
option you will see will vary depending on the version of
Firefox you are using) and click the 'Change action' button.
The 'Change Action' dialog box is displayed.
- Select 'Open them in this application'.
The 'Choose Application' dialog box is displayed.
- Browse to 'OverDrive Media Console' and
double-click 'OverDrive Media Console'.
The 'Choose Application' dialog box is closed, displaying the
'Change Action' dialog box again.
- Click the 'OK' button to save your
change.
The 'Change Action' dialog box is closed, displaying the
'Options' dialog box again.
- Click 'OK' to exit the 'Options' dialog
box.
- Be sure you are connected to the
Internet, then browse to the file you were unable to open.
Double-click the file. OverDrive Media Console launches,
allowing you to use your audio book file.
Please note that the initial download of the audio file is
very small, and is more of a pointer for the OverDrive Media
Console. You download the actual audio book chapters from within
the OverDrive Media Console application.
Back to top
How do I listen to my audio book?
When the book has finished downloading,
click the 'Play' button in OverDrive Media Console. The 'OverDrive
Media Explorer™' window is displayed and the file begins playing.
If desired, you can click the 'Stop' button
and navigate directly to a desired section of the audio book using
MediaMarkers. Each OverDrive audio book is divided into parts, and
parts are then divided into logical sections (such as chapters). The
beginning point of these logical sections are MediaMarkers, which
are displayed as hyperlinks.
When you click on a 'Part', the MediaMarkers
associated with that Part are displayed in the right-hand portion of
the 'OverDrive Media Explorer' window. Click on a MediaMarker to
jump directly to, and begin playing, the desired section of the
audio book.
Back to top
I am only interested in one of the
chapters of the audio book I downloaded. Can I just play that
chapter?
You can navigate directly to a desired
portion of an audio book using OverDrive MediaMarkers. Each
OverDrive audio book is divided into parts, and parts are then
divided into logical sections (such as chapters). The beginning
point of these logical sections are MediaMarkers, which are
displayed as hyperlinks.
To display MediaMarkers in OverDrive Media
Console, click the 'Play' button. The 'OverDrive Media Explorer'
window is displayed and the file begins playing.
Click the 'Stop' button, then click on the
'Part' associated with the desired chapter. The list of MediaMarkers
associated with the Part you have selected is displayed. Click on
the desired MediaMarker, and the audio book will begin to play at
the point you have indicated.
Back to top
To which devices can I transfer Windows
Media files?
To review a complete and current list of supported portable devices,
click here. Alternatively, check your device documentation to
determine if your device supports protected Windows Media content.
Note: If you are using a Pocket PC, you need to have a memory card
with sufficient memory space installed in order to transfer audio
book files from your PC to your PDA.
Back to top
How do I transfer an audio book to my
portable device using Windows Media Player 9?
- In OverDrive Media Console, highlight a
book and click the 'Transfer/burn' button.
Windows Media Player opens.
- Turn off skin mode, if necessary, and
click the 'Copy to CD or Device' button.
The 'Copy to CD or Device' screen will appear.
- Select the part(s) you want transferred
to the portable device by checking the box next to the part
name.
- Connect your portable media device and
ensure that it is selected in the right hand pane of Windows
Media Player.
- Click the 'Copy' button in the upper
right hand corner of Windows Media Player to copy the part(s) to
the portable device.
Windows Media Player will inspect and copy the file(s) to the
device. This process should take less than a minute, depending
on how many files you transfer. You may follow the Player's
progress by monitoring the 'Status' field in Windows Media
Player.
- When the transfer is complete, the
status field in Windows Media Player will indicate 'Complete'.
You may now disconnect your portable device and enjoy your
OverDrive Audio Book.
Note: If you are using a Pocket PC, you need to have a memory card
with sufficient memory space installed in order to transfer audio
book files from your PC to your PDA.
Back to top
How do I transfer an audio book to my
portable device using Windows Media Player 10?
- In OverDrive Media Console, highlight
your book and click the 'Transfer/burn' button.
Windows Media Player opens and begins playing the title.
- You may stop playback at this point if
you choose. In the 'Now Playing' screen, click the 'Restore the
Video and Visualization Pane' button.
This will display the Now Playing information and the 'Now
Playing List'.
- Click the 'Library' tab.
The media Library will be displayed but the 'Now Playing List'
should remain.
- If you wish to transfer all parts,
ensure that your portable device is connected and click the
'Start Sync' button.
Windows Media Player will transfer the files to your device in
the order that they appear in the 'Now Playing List'.
- If you wish to transfer a specific
part(s) to your device, you may remove parts from the Sync List.
Simply click on them and press the 'Delete' key. Alternately,
you may right-click an unwanted part and select 'Remove from
List' from the menu. When the Sync List is ready, ensure that
your device is connected and click the 'Start Sync' button.
You may follow the Player's progress by monitoring the 'Status'
field next to the part name in the Sync List.
- When the transfer is complete, the
status field will indicate 'Complete'.
You many now disconnect your portable device and enjoy your
OverDrive Audio Book.
Note: If you are using a Pocket PC, you need to have a memory card
with sufficient memory space installed in order to transfer audio
book files from your PC to your PDA.
Back to top
How do I burn an audio book to CD using
Windows Media Player 9?
- In OverDrive Media Console, highlight a
book and click the 'Transfer/burn' button.
Windows Media Player opens.
- Turn off skin mode if necessary, and
click the 'Copy to CD or Device' button.
The 'Copy to CD or Device' screen will appear.
- Select the part(s) to be burned to CD
by checking the box next to the part name.
- Place a blank CDR in your CD-ROM drive
and ensure that your CD drive is selected in the right hand pane
of Windows Media Player.
- Click the 'Copy' button in the upper
right hand corner of Windows Media Player to add the part(s) to
the list of files to be burned to disc.
Windows Media Player will inspect, convert, and temporarily copy
the file in preparation for burning. This process may take a few
minutes. You may follow the Player's progress by monitoring the
'Status' field in Windows Media Player.
- When the burning process is complete,
Windows Media Player will eject the disc and the status field
will indicate 'Complete'.
You may now enjoy your OverDrive Audio Book CD on your home
stereo CD player, car stereo CD player, or on your portable CD
player.
Back to top
How do I burn an audio book to CD using
Windows Media Player 10?
- In OverDrive Media Console, highlight
your book and click the 'Transfer/burn' button.
Windows Media Player opens and begins playing the title.
- You may stop playback at this point if
you choose. If you're running Windows Media Player in 'Skin
Mode', be sure to switch to 'Full Mode' before proceeding.
- In the 'Now Playing' screen, ensure
that the 'Now Playing List' is displayed on the right-hand side
of the player. If it is not displayed, click the 'Restore the
Video and Visualization Pane' button.
The 'Now Playing' information and the 'Now Playing List' are
displayed.
- Click the 'Library' tab.
The media library will be displayed but the 'Now Playing List'
should remain.
- Depending on the number of parts you
want to burn to CD, do one of the following:
If you wish to burn all parts to CD, insert a blank CDR in your
CD-RW drive and click the 'Start Burn' button. Windows Media
Player will burn the parts to CD in the order that they appear
in the 'Now Playing List'. The Player will prompt you when it
requires a new CD.
-Or-
If you wish to burn only specific part(s) to CD, you may remove
parts from the Burn List. Just click on them and press the
'Delete' key. Alternately, you may right-click an unwanted part
and select 'Remove from List' from the menu. When the Burn List
is ready, insert a blank CDR in your CD-RW drive and click the
'Start Burn' button.
- Windows Media Player will inspect,
convert, and temporarily copy the part(s) in preparation for
burning.
This process may take a few minutes. You may follow the Player's
progress by monitoring the 'Status' field next to the part name
in the Burn List.
- When the burning process is complete,
the status field will indicate 'Complete'.
You may now eject the disc and play your OverDrive Audio book on
your home stereo CD player, your car stereo CD player, or on
your portable CD player.
Back to top
I came across a reference to 'licenses'.
What are licenses and why do I need them?
Licenses are files that allow protected
content to be played with Windows Media Player. Before Windows Media
Player will open a protected file, it verifies that the user has the
appropriate license. If the user does not have a license for the
content, the file will not open. Licenses are automatically managed
by OverDrive Media Console when audio books are downloaded.
Back to top
Can I
use this with my Mac or IPOD?
OverDrive Audio Books uses copyright protection technology from
Microsoft Corporation. Unfortunately the iPod (and Mac) do not currently
support copyright-protected Windows Media Audio (WMA) files. The OverDrive
Media Console is currently only available
for Windows PCs. Windows Media Player on a Macintosh will not work as a
substitute. While many audiobook titles can be burned to a CD,
they cannot be directly transferred to an IPOD.
OverDrive, along with hundreds of online music and audio book
providers, is hopeful that Apple and Microsoft can reach an agreement that
would enable support for Microsoft-based copyright-protected materials on
the iPod/Mac. At this point, there is no company that offers library
circulation of downloadable audiobooks in the IPOD format.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Where are OverDrive® audio books stored on my computer?
By default, OverDrive audio books are stored in 'C:\Documents and
Settings\<your name>\My Documents\My Audio Books'. This
folder is also accessible by navigating to My Documents > My
Audio Books. OverDrive Media Console™ allows you to modify this
default location and save your audio books to any location you
specify.
Back to top
What should I do if my audio book does not completely
download?
Whenever you need to download a book, or a part of a book, you
can do so using the 'Download Part(s)' option of
OverDrive Media Console as follows:
- Open OverDrive Media Console.
- Locate the desired title in your 'Media Library', and
single-click it.
This will select that title.
- Click the 'Download parts' button.
The 'Download Part(s)' dialog box is displayed, and
lists all of the parts of the selected title.
- If you are not already online, connect to the Internet.
- Locate the part which you want to download, and place a
checkmark in the checkbox to the left of the desired part.
- Click the 'OK' button.
The selected part will begin downloading, and the download
status will be displayed in the lower-right hand corner of
OverDrive Media Console.
Back to top
Instead of the audio book I expected, I downloaded a file with
the extension '.odm'. Where is my audio book?
The download of an .odm file can be indicative of several errors.
To access your audio book, complete the following steps in the
sequence presented.
- Double-click the .odm file. This should launch OverDrive
Media Console and allow you to use your audio book. If this does
not launch OverDrive Media Console, proceed to step 2.
- OverDrive Media Console may not be installed properly.
To reinstall OverDrive Media Console, click here. Once you
have completed the re-install, double-click the .odm file. This
should launch OverDrive Media Console and allow you to use your
audio book. If this does not launch OverDrive Media Console,
proceed to step 3.
- If you have verified that you have installed OverDrive Media
Console correctly and are still unable to use your audio book,
there may be a problem with your file associations. File
associations simply tell the computer which program should be
used to open a file. Set the file association for the .odm file
type as follows:
- Open Windows Explorer.
- Go to Tools > Folder Options > File Types
The 'Folder Options' dialog box is displayed.
- In the 'Registered file types' box, scroll down
the alphabetical list to find the entry for 'ODM'.
Single-click the 'ODM' entry.
This will to select the entry for 'ODM'.
- In the 'Details for "ODM" extension' box, click
the 'Change' button.
The 'Open With' dialog box is displayed.
- From the list of programs displayed in the
'Open With' dialog box, select 'OverDrive Media Console'.
- Click 'OK' to save your change and close the
'Open With' dialog box.
- Click 'OK' to close the 'Folder Options' dialog
box.
- Double-click the .odm file you downloaded to
launch the OverDrive Media Console and access your audio
book.
Back to top
I downloaded an audio book using Firefox but am unable to open
it. What should I do?
Open the audio book file you have downloaded as follows:
- Open Firefox.
- Go to Tools > Options.
The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
- In the 'Options' dialog box, click the 'Downloads' button.
- Under the heading 'File Types', select either 'ODM
OverDrive.Media' or 'application/x-od-media' (the option you
will see will vary depending on the version of Firefox you are
using) and click the 'Change action' button.
The 'Change Action' dialog box is displayed.
- Select 'Open them in this application'.
The 'Choose Application' dialog box is displayed.
- Browse to 'OverDrive Media Console' and double-click
'OverDrive Media Console'.
The 'Choose Application' dialog box is closed, displaying the
'Change Action' dialog box again.
- Click the 'OK' button to save your change.
The 'Change Action' dialog box is closed, displaying the
'Options' dialog box again.
- Click 'OK' to exit the 'Options' dialog box.
- Be sure you are connected to the Internet, then browse to
the file you were unable to open. Double-click the file.
OverDrive Media Console launches, allowing you to use your audio
book file.
Please note that the initial download of the audio file is very
small, and is more of a pointer for the OverDrive Media Console. You
download the actual audio book chapters from within the OverDrive
Media Console application.
Back to top
I was prompted to perform a 'Windows Media Player Security
Upgrade'. What is this, and how do I complete this process?
The Windows Media Security Upgrade is a
one-time process that must be performed before Microsoft Windows
Media Player will allow any copyright-protected files to be played.
A security measure, the security update identifies the copy of
Windows Media Player with the computer on which the Player is being
used.
The first time that Windows Media Player
attempts to open a protected file, it will alert the user that a
Security Update must be performed before the file may be opened. The
update takes just a few moments.
To review instructions on completing the Windows Media Player
Security Upgrade, click here.
Back to top
I encountered a problem while downloading a part of my audio
book, and now, OverDrive Media Console won't let me download that
part again. What should I do?
Follow these steps to download the part:
- Ensure that OverDrive Media Console is closed.
- In Windows Explorer, go to My Documents > My Media,
and open the folder for the book that you're trying to download.
- Delete the .WMA file that corresponds to the incomplete
part.
- Open OverDrive Media Console.
- Select your book and click on 'Download Part(s)'. You should
now have the option to re-download the incomplete part.
Please note that downloads of parts cannot be resumed from the
point at which they were interrupted.
Back to top
When I try to download an audio book, I receive the message
'Unable to open the specified OverDrive Media file', followed by a
file path that references a temporary directory on my computer. How
can I solve this?
This error typically indicates that your browser's temporary
Internet files are too full to process the download. This can be
corrected by clearing the temporary Internet files from your web
browser as follows:
If you are using Internet Explorer...
- Launch Internet Explorer.
- Go to Tools > Internet Options.
The 'Internet Options' dialog box is displayed.
- Click the 'Delete Files' button.
The 'Delete File' dialog box is displayed.
- Click the 'OK' button to confirm the deletion of your
temporary Internet files.
- Click the 'OK' button again to close the ‘Internet Options’
dialog box.
- Attempt to download again.
If you are using Firefox...
- Launch Firefox.
- Go to Tools > Options.
The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
- Click the 'Privacy' button.
From the areas listed, locate ‘Cache’. Click the 'Clear' button
to the right of ‘Cache’ to delete your temporary Internet files.
- Click the 'OK' button again to close the ‘Options’ dialog
box.
- Attempt to download again.
If you are using Netscape...
- Go to Edit > Preferences.
The 'Preferences' dialog box is displayed.
- Under the 'Advanced' category, click on the 'Cache' section.
- Click the 'Clear Disk Cache' button, then click the 'OK'
button to confirm the deletion of your temporary Internet files.
- Close the 'Preferences' dialog box.
- Attempt to download again.
Back to top
When I try to burn a CD, the 'Inspection' process starts, but
then nothing seems to happen. What should I do?
This error can occur when multiple parts are selected to be
burned to CD. In Windows Media Player, remove all of the parts from
the 'Now Playing' list except for the part that you wish to burn on
your next CD. Then, click the 'Start Burn' button to begin burning
the selected part.
Back to top
