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w3c / audiobooks

Audiobook profile of a Web Publication
https://w3c.github.io/audiobooks/
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Requirements when distributing audiobooks #12

Closed HadrienGardeur closed 5 years ago

HadrienGardeur commented 5 years ago

Context

I’ve recently started a new position as Director of R&D at De Marque, an aggregator and digital distributor connected to major ebook and audiobook retailers.

Since we’re receiving audiobooks from major publishers in Canada, France, Spain and Italy, the audiobook spec is very relevant for us as it might become the standard format that we request from them.

Given the lack of a standard format for distributing audiobooks, it felt relevant to explore what various retailers expect to receive when we deliver them an audiobook and figure out what might be different and/or missing for the proposed spec.

Documentation

Manifest Examples

Apple (XML) ``` en AppleseedBooks audiobook 9781106701657 Dracula (Unabridged) 2009-01-05 Apple Publishing Group 2008 Apple Publishing Group 2008 Apple Publishing Group cover.jpg 56723 58a9947e2e5de47bc3039092964ad3a3 Dracula is the seminal gothic horror novel of its time as Bram Stoker introduced the world to the legendary vampire Count Dracula. Published in 1897 and told through a series of diary entries and letters, the story journeys into the dark world of Count Dracula through the eyes of several different narrators. The novel explores many themes, the role of women in Victorian culture, conventional and conservative sexuality, immigration, colonialism, post colonialism and folklore. Irish author Abraham "Bram" Stoker (1847 - 1912) was a writer of novels and short stories. He was also the personal assistant of the actor Henry Irving and the business manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London, which Irving owned. AU 3 2009-01-05 true GB 3 2009-01-05 true Bram Stoker 2683478 Author true Christopher Saul 301336965 Narrator false audiobook 9781106701657_1 Dracula Track 1 (Unabridged) Apple Publishing Group none 1 9781106701657_1.wav 172149800 2e669877c1913f59c6686a86b4d84d1d en 240 Bram Stoker 2683478 Author true Christopher Saul 301336965 Narrator false 00:00:00.000 Chapter 1 - Jonathan Harker’s Journal 02:00:08.567 Chapter 2 - Jonathan Harker’s Journal Continued 03:59:40.321 Chapter 3 - Jonathan Harker’s Journal Continued ```
Kobo (JSON) ``` { "manifest_version": 1, "file_list": [ { "duration": 15, "media_type": "audio/mpeg", "file_name": "01-somefilename.mp3", "file_order_id": 0 }, { "duration": 60, "media_type": "audio/mpeg", "file_name": "02-anotherfilename.mp3", "file_order_id": 1 }, { "duration": 200, "media_type": "audio/mpeg", "file_name": "doesnt need-to-be-in-filename-order.mp3", "file_order_id": 2 }, { "duration": 30, "media_type": "audio/mpeg", "file_name": "lastchapter.mp3", "file_order_id": 3 } ], "table_of_contents": [ { "title": "Introduction", "file_order_id": 0, "offset": 0 }, { "title": "1. We hear you", "file_order_id": 1, "offset": 0 }, { "title": "2. Another chapter", "file_order_id": 2, "offset": 0 }, { "title": "3. The End", "file_order_id": 3, "offset": 0 } ] } ```

Notes

Closing Remarks

wareid commented 5 years ago

(First off: Congrats on the new job!)

I think the current draft of the spec and the requirements you list above are close. I agree we should include the abridged/unabridged and explicit content options, which I am happy to discuss in the meeting next week, I don't think they'll be contentious.

I have been thinking about the TOC question again. I'm reluctant to open that particular pandora's box but I see both sides of the argument and I've talked to people here about it too. Both options are possible and I would be open to discussing the pros/cons in a world of publication manifest. I'll add it to the agenda as well.

Would like to hear options about samples, I think we have covered supplemental material as best we will manage. I don't want to be prescriptive about it in version 1.

HadrienGardeur commented 5 years ago

Would like to hear options about samples [...]

I've seen the following use cases in the various retailer requirements:

It's worth pointing that what Apple does (pointing to the beginning of a sample) and what Google does (define the length of the sample) would work better together than separately.

Separate sample file

This could be handled through a reference in either links or resources that would be properly identified (using a specific rel value).

"resources": [
  {
    "rel": "preview", 
    "url": "sample.mp3", 
    "encordingFormat": "audio/mpeg"
  }
]

Pointing to the beginning of a sample

This could be handled through a reference in either links or resources and re-use the start rel value or define our own.

"links": [
  {
    "rel": "start", 
    "url": "chapter1.mp3#t=78", 
    "encordingFormat": "audio/mpeg"
  }
]

Length/duration of a sample

I think this has been suggested by Google before (ping @GarthConboy) as additional metadata but I can't find back where this was suggested (I remember a separate Google Presentation for example).

GarthConboy commented 5 years ago

The Preview PR has been relocated to the Publishing Manifest document here

geoffjukes commented 5 years ago

@HadrienGardeur It is important to bear in mind that the term 'sample' is used to describe 2 different things, with 2 different purposes.

The first (most commonly supplied as a separate file) is a marketing resource, effectively unrelated to the audiobook as it ships. Samples are often created before the audio is available i.e. it is more akin to a movie trailer than a sample of the book. This sample may change over the lifetime of the book, at the whims of the marketing department.

The second is a snippet of audio extracted directly from the book. This is more akin to a preview.

Both of these can be subject to strict contractual obligations from the author or publisher, and both can exist simultaneously.

It is my understanding that Google use the 'sample' (more appropriately a 'preview') to facilitate contextual audio samples based on search results - leveraging the publishers 'you can play X seconds of this book as a sample'. It is worth emphasizing that not all publisher/author contracts allow for this type of sample (but it is becoming more common)

The term 'sample' has an established meaning in the industry as the marketing resource, and it is already managed via ONIX deliveries (along with the cover image) and I do not think it appropriate to embed it in the distribution package at all.

If we focus on the term preview (and Google's use of it) then I think that it is perfectly appropriate to embed it into the distribution.

HadrienGardeur commented 5 years ago

Both of these can be subject to strict contractual obligations from the author or publisher, and both can exist simultaneously.

@geoffjukes could you explain their respective use cases when they both exist simultaneously?

I get your point about "trailer" (basically replaces the description or a back cover) vs "preview" (which lets me sample what the experience will be) but I would imagine that most of the time they're used the same way by a retailer.

In previous discussions, we've talked about "authored samples" vs "generated samples". My guess is that a retailer should prioritize an "authored sample" over a generated one, but it doesn't hurt to offer at least some controls about the way these "generated samples" are calculated.

The term 'sample' has an established meaning in the industry as the marketing resource, and it is already managed via ONIX deliveries (along with the cover image) and I do not think it appropriate to embed it in the distribution package at all.

"Authored samples" and covers can definitely be delivered using ONIX, but it's still common to have file naming conventions for covers (this is true for both EPUB and audiobooks). It's worth discussing whether this is truly redundant with ONIX or if it serves a purpose.

"Generated samples" are usually created based on a default setting per retailer and/or contractual obligations (I've seen a lot of contracts with either 5%/10% or the first chapter, whichever is the smallest). If fine-grained controls over the way they're generated (like Apple or Google) is useful, then ONIX can't easily fulfill that role.

geoffjukes commented 5 years ago

@geoffjukes could you explain their respective use cases when they both exist simultaneously?

Using your terms @HadrienGardeur - Prior to publishing, the "Authored Sample" will be the only one that exists, and is used to promote the book. After publishing, the "Authored sample" may (or may not) be updated any number of times (in practice, it is rarely updated after publication, unless the book is optioned for a movie or similar).

It is true to say that the "Authored Samples" are most often "generated", but it is not true to say that they are always generated, and that is the distinction. I find it useful to think of "Authored Samples" as "highly-abridged versions of the book, used for marketing and promotion only".

iherman commented 5 years ago

This issue was discussed in a meeting.

wareid commented 5 years ago

Just an update here, I've added abridged and preview to the specification.

We are still discussing isFamilyFriendly for publication manifest as there is some implications on interpretation there, so I think it's worth including but not required right away, and we should look at options for how best to include it.

iherman commented 5 years ago

This issue was discussed in a meeting.