- What are purchasable MP3 audiobook downloads?
- How come the same works on CD/CDMP3 are more expensive than those which can be bought as downloads?
- How do I buy your downloads?
- Why are the files containing the product I've ordered ZIP instead of MP3?
- How much time and how many attempts do I have to download my audiobook/s before my right to buy expires?
- What happens if I do not manage to complete the download of an audiobook?
- What can I do if I accidentally delete one or more files I have downloaded after having bought them?
- How can I access my Download Area if I do not remember my username and/or password ?
- Can I order CD/CDMP3 audiobooks at the same time as buying downloads?
- What do I need in order to download the MP3 files I have ordered?
- What is the .M3U file which is found together with the other MP3 files extracted from the zip file?
- Where should I save the audiobook files I have downloaded?
- Why are the audiobooks divided into parts and how do you do this?
- Are audiobook downloads compatible with the Linux system?
- How large are the files and what are the download times?
What are purchasable MP3 audiobook downloads?
These are audiobooks which you can buy and download from our site and come in the form of zip files, once saved on your computer you can listen to them using MP3 software and players. All our audiobooks can be downloaded in ZIP files (so you need the
Winzip program which allows you to unzip them) which are in turn subdivided in MP3 files. Titles no longer under copyright also include a Word or PDF file containing the text.
How come the same works on CD/CDMP3 are more expensive than those which can be bought as downloads?
Audiobook downloads are cheaper because their production and distribution costs are much lower compared to CD/CDMP3. In general their cover price is about 33% to 50% lower than the corresponding CD version. They do not bear costs of cover design, printing, CD recording, transport, distribution. Naturally there are the costs of putting audiobooks online in downloadable MP3 format as well as author rights, bank, server and provider charges, etc. But they are not as high as they are when produced in standard CD format. A great saving for our customers and a little for us!
How do I buy your downloads?
To buy our audiobooks in MP3 downloads you have to access the corresponding catalogue viewable on all the website pages:
Audiolibri scaricabili - Download MP3 on top left of the page.
The catalogue is divided by category: Narrativa italiana classica, Narrativa italiana moderna, Poesia, Bambini e Ragazzi, Scienza e Filosofia, etc.
When clicking on a category all available titles appear. When clicking on a particular product you get onto the page providing all the relevant information needed when choosing a product (price, running time, narrator's voice, size in MB, MP3 compression, and other useful information).
Click on
AGGIUNGI AL CARRELLO (add to cart). To continue buying click on
ORDINA and you can access your cart containing the products ordered. The cart will hold your purchases while you continue browsing the catalogue. You can remove items in the cart by simply changing the 'Quantità ' (quantity) to zero and clicking
RICALCOLA (recalculate). Then click
VAI ALLA CASSA (go to the cash) and follow the istructions.
But pay attention please ! To buy one or more products,
you need to be registered, that is to have an
Username and
Password. Only after your
Login you can continue the payment process following the istructions.
When you have ordered all the products you want, you will enter a protected area with secure payment system - where you can make your payment using your credit card or via PayPal.
Once your order has been made you will be automatically sent a receipt of payment with the link to access the Area Download and from here download the zip files containing the work (or works) purchased. You can also access directly the
Area Download after Login.
The conditions relating to the recording, payment, shipping costs are determined and guaranteed by il Narratore s.r.l.
For further information send an e-mail to
sales@ilnarratore.com
Why are the files containing the product I've ordered ZIP instead of MP3?
All the works in our catalogue are made up of one or more zip files, which contain one or more MP3 files. This means that each work has been subdivided into various audio MP3 files. This means the user can choose whatever chapter they wish to listen to. For more information, see the answer to the FAQ on file size and running time.
How much time and how many attempts do I have to download my audiobook/s before my right to buy expires?
From the moment you place an order you have 120 days and 5 attempts to download before losing the right to buy. If an audiobook is made up of various files, time and number of attempts refer to each file displayed in your account ('Il Mio Account . Area Download'). If you have bought various audiobooks over a period of time, your account will show all your orders, the files making up the orders and the download attempts available for each file. In this way, particularly for works with long running times, you can choose which files to download as you wish to listen to them without having to download the complete work all at once. The time and attempt limits are imposed on us by the use of the connection band to the server which hosts the site. If you have any problems or difficulties when downloading, check the FAQ section first, if this does not help then e-mail us at
sales@ilnarratore.com specifying the problem. We will attempt to reply immediately and provide you with the necessary technical advice.
What happens if I do not manage to complete the download of an audiobook?
Nothing. You can always try again at a later time. Audiobooks may be download over 5 attempts in 120 days from the order date. In the Download Area, which you can access at any time by entering your Username and Password, you can always check how many download attempts and days are still available to you. If you find yourself in real difficulty with the download contact us and we will try to work out the best solution to the problem: sales@ilnarratore.com
What can I do if I accidentally delete one or more files I have downloaded after having bought them?
As we said above, from the order date you have 120 days to repeat the downloads . In total you have 5 attempts for each file.
How can I access my Download Area if I do not remember my username and/or password ?
This is not a problem. Click under the Login box on the top right of the page or on the left column: 'Hai dimenticato i dati d'accesso?' (Forgot your access data?).
You just have to enter your e-mail address in the Indirizzo E-mail (e-mail address) box and send. You will receive an e-mail including your Username and Password. In case of difficulty write to sales@ilnarratore.com indicating your name and surname and the request for your Username and Password. You will immediately receive an e-mail with the information requested.
Can I order CD/CDMP3 audiobooks at the same time as buying downloads?
Certainly. You only have to remember that CDs are shipped, while for downloads you will receive a reply e-mail with the link to your account in order to proceed immediately to the download.
What do I need in order to download the MP3 files I have ordered?
The il Narratore download system requires the use of a web browser (e.g. Explorer or Mozilla) with the cookies activated (for information on cookies, see the corresponding FAQ) and zip file decompression software (e.g. Winzip, downloadable free in the trial version from Internet) which allows you to access the audio MP3 files. These are programs and procedures by now standardized for all types of computers, including palmtops, latest generation cell phones, etc
WARNING: we recommend you do not use software such as Download Manager when downloading files (for example, Accelerator Plus, Flash Get or other similar programs) because it can happen that the program will automatically download all available files including the 5 available attempts and at times errors may occur in such an operation.
What is the .M3U file which is found together with the other MP3 files extracted from the zip file?
The .M3U file is a playlist file generated by certain MP3 players' software (e.g. Winamp or AudioCatalyst) in order to sequence the MP3 files according to the progressive order of the work in audiobook format. This means that if you drag the file .M3U into the player all the MP3 files will be in the correct listening order.
A separate problem may arise when using Apple products such as iPod and iTunes; for this we suggest you refer to the relevant FAQ.
Where should I save the audiobook files I have downloaded?
We advise you to create a folder with the title of the work you have bought before downloading it onto your PC and put this folder's address in the window which opens when downloading the files. If you do not remember where you have saved the ZIP/MP3 files, just search the hard disc using the relevant file name.
Why are the audiobooks divided into parts and how do you do this?
Each audiobook (particularly unabridged works) has been opportunely subdivided into a number of audio MP3 files. This means the user can choose whatever chapter they wish to listen to. In general the work is divided according to the chapters in the original printed version of the work. If the chapters are very long, or the book does not have any, then the work is divided at appropriate points in the narrative plot bearing in mind the 'normal' listening attention span of the average listener, (no longer than 20 to 30 minutes per part, track or file).
Are audiobook downloads compatible with the Linux system?
If you have a Linux MP3 player installed in your computer, you can listen quite easily to all our works in download.
How large are the files and what are the download times?
This depends on the audiobook and the connection used to download. Audiobooks range from 30 Mb to over 1 Gb. For sizes and running times of each work you must access the product details pages.