Splitting m4a podcasts into chapters WITHOUT re-encoding

[RedSkyRoad]

Hi guys,

So, here's the thing: I have m4a podcasts with chapters and Android does NOT have a music player with the ability to skip through the embedded chapter marks (Akimbo the audio book app is the only app that can but is not developed anymore - looks TERRIBLE!)

After spending the better part of my weekend in front of my PC getting my podcasts finally cut up into pieces I thought of sharing what I have leaned

I know there are one-shot apps like "Bigasoft Total Video Converter", but there is SERIOUS re-encoding going on there which causes the tracks to play with gaps.

THIS method (and Rocket Music Player) gives me totally GAPLESS playback on my phone

Software required:
01] GPAC libraries (http://gpac.wp.mines-telecom.fr/downloads/gpac-nightly-builds/)
02] MP4Box GUI (https://www.videohelp.com/tools/My-MP4Box-GUI)
03] MKVMerge (https://www.videohelp.com/tools/MKVtoolnix)
04] WinFF (http://winff.org/html_new/downloads.html)
05] Pass-Through presets for WinFF (https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/343895-Pass-Thru-presets-for-WinFF)
06] Advanced Renamer (http://www.advancedrenamer.com/download)

So, here we go...

01] Install everything and import the pass-through presets into WinFF

02] Extract the chapter file from the m4a with myMP4Box GUI




03] Open the m4a file in MKVMerge and select "mka/mkv" for the file extension (this is only a container-change process - no de/re-coding happens)




04] Select splitting and "all" under GLOBAL tab




05] "Start Muxing" and if all goes well, you should see the following:




06] Open WinFF, add all the mka/mkv files, select "pass-through" presets and "Convert"




You could stop here but the reason I extracted the chapter file is to rename all my new tracks...


07] Open "Advanced Renamer", click "Add Method" and select "List"




08] Open the chapter file in another text editor and copy and paste the text into the empty list box. Remove all text except the track names




09] "Add" files (or drag and drop) to the right-side window. Take note that if any text that is not compatible with filenames are detected, it will flag it and then just remove/change it on the left side



10] Click START BATCH at the top of the application - BOOM! You're done...

[Baldrick]

Good and detailed guide.

But it seems odd that no android audio player can skip by chapters.

[RedSkyRoad]

Good and detailed guide.

But it seems odd that no android audio player can skip by chapters.

Thanks.

Trust me on this - I've searched high and low.

[AlanHK]

But it seems odd that no android audio player can skip by chapters.

M4B is the format used by iTunes for audiobooks (also, it's what Audible uses,but encrypted).
This is an M4A file including a list of chapters.
So, try just renaming the file to m4b extension. Then use an Android audiobook app like "Smart", "Listen", etc, which recognises the chapters, then you can skip from one to the next.
VLC will do it too on Win or Mac.

However, there are different chapter formats in use: Nero and Quicktime.
M4B should use the "Quicktime" format (i.e., Apple's format, of course).
If the chapters aren't recognised, try converting them using mp4chaps from Mpeg4ip
(at https://code.google.com/archive/p/mp4v2/downloads )

mp4chaps.exe -c -Q filename.m4b