Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® is proud to introduce the newest addition to our audiobook family: RFB&D's AudioPlus digitally recorded textbooks on CD. Over the past decade, RFB&D has committed extensive time and resources - both human and financial - toward the development of this exciting and unique digital audio technology and placement of it into the hands of our members. Following are the most frequently asked questions you may have about RFB&D's AudioPlus books.

Q: What is digital audio?

A: Digital audio is sound recorded as data or numbers. A computer can be used to record and play back the sound of a person's voice. Because the audio is stored as data, it provides several benefits over analog tape recordings, which is how RFB&D's cassettes have traditionally been recorded.

RFB&D has developed its digitally recorded textbooks in cooperation with two standard-setting organizations: an international group known as the DAISY Consortium (Digital Accessible Information SYstem) and NISO (National Information Standards Organization).

Q: How are RFB&D's members benefitting from this technology?

A: Digitally recorded textbooks offer many benefits to our members, most notably:

• Instant access: The audio does not have to be navigated from beginning to end, as is the case for tapes. Digital audio enables you to start the book at any given point. For example, you will be able to go directly to a page or move from chapter to chapter at the press of a button - there is no need to forward through beep tones as you do with tape.
• Better audio quality: Digital audio produces recordings with significantly less noise than analog (e.g., "tape hiss"). Also, unlike analog recordings, the copies sound exactly the same as the original recording - every time!
• Convenience: Digitally recorded textbooks can be stored on CDs, which can each hold more than 40 hours of recorded material. That means that a book traditionally recorded on ten RFB&D cassettes will now fit onto a single CD. A student using five large textbooks may now only have to carry five CDs rather than 50 cassettes!

Q: How has RFB&D adapted digital audio technology for practical use?

A: Two versions of RFB&D's digital audio products eventually will be available: RFB&D's AudioPlus® and RFB&D's AudioPlus Text™. RFB&D's AudioPlus, which is now available to RFB&D members, combines the digitally recorded textbook with embedded information about the book's structure for navigation - a digital "table of contents" - to enable you to navigate more easily through the book's different parts.

RFB&D's AudioPlus Text, which will debut in the future, will contain the audio recording, the digital table of contents and the book's full text synchronized with the audio. In practical terms, RFB&D members who have a learning disability may want to see the text displayed while listening to the audio.

Currently, most of RFB&D's digitally recorded textbooks are being be created only as RFB&D's AudioPlus because they can be produced more quickly. Approximately 6,800 of RFB&D's most requested titles are available on RFB&D's AudioPlus CDs, with more being produced all the time.

Q: What equipment do I need to use these digital audio books?

A: To listen to RFB&D's AudioPlus digitally recorded textbooks, you need a special portable CD-ROM player equipped to play RFB&D's books, or you may use a standard multimedia computer equipped with a CD-ROM drive and specialized software. RFB&D is currently offering, for nonprofit sale, a choice of hardware and software playback options. We encourage you to visit our RFB&D's Learning Through Listening Tools for Success catalog page.

Q: Can I still be able to get recorded books on cassettes? What if I don't have a computer or do not wish to invest in a special CD-ROM playback device?

A: RFB&D will continue to provide books on four-track cassettes, now known as RFB&D's Classic Cassettes™, as long as there is sufficient demand for them. Offering our members RFB&D's AudioPlus will be just another way for RFB&D to serve you by offering a wider choice of formats to meet your needs.

Q: What about all the existing books that are already recorded in analog format in RFB&D's library?

A: In anticipation of our members' desire for books that are easier to navigate, we have identified the most often-requested titles in our library and have been converting them from analog to digital format. We also are continuously adding new digitally recorded titles to our collection.

Q: Can I borrow RFB&D's AudioPlus books with my current membership?

A: If the book you need is available in digital format, as long as you are equipped with a playback device or software able to play RFB&D's AudioPlus books, you'll be able to borrow it. As mentioned earlier, playback options are available directly from RFB&D. Because of US copyright law, you will be required to sign and return a Copyright Acknowledgment Statement.

Q: How much will the playback equipment or software cost?

A: Please visit our product catalog page for information on currently available playback options.

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