While I have used quicktime to speed up podcasts, I prefer the sound of the VLC media player which to me sounds better when sped up.
Robert Carter On Feb 26, 2012, at 4:08 PM, Eric Caron wrote: > Dear Listers, > > Success! It is truly a time saver to have the ability to speed up > podcasts. Thanks to Esther and the support she provides this is a current > option. Hopefully it will eventually be a standard part of iTunes. > I had some trouble initially completing this task because the process > is very detailed. I often thought I had followed the directions exactly only > to find I had missed something. > > I also was not familiar with the Script Editor. At the end I had everything > working correctly but didn't even know it. When I entered the Scripts Menu > now showing on the Status menu I didn't arrow down far enough to see the new > scripts waiting there for me. > > And, thanks to Esther and this new experience I'll be listening to > suggestions for other helpful scripts. > > Eric Caron > On 2012, at 9:29 PM, Eric Caron wrote: > >> Wow! Esther and others, >> >> I am going to make every effort to follow these amazing directions. >> This is going to push my Mac skills to the limit. I'm looking forward to >> adding this capability to iTunes. >> >> >> I'm very grateful, and slightly intimidated by this undertaking. I'm glad >> the list support is out there! >> >> ERic Caron >> >> >> On Feb 23, 2012, at 10:34 PM, Esther wrote: >> >>> Hi Eric, >>> >>> You wrote: >>> >>>> So am I right that this is not a option on the Mac in iTunes? >>>> Thanks again! I'm off to power through some podcast listening. >>> >>> >>> iTunes can't change the speed of playback, but VLC and QuickTime Player >>> can. The version of QuickTime Player that was used by default before Snow >>> Leopard, and which is now called QuickTime Player 7, has an A/V >>> (audio/visual) control window. You show or hide it with the shortcut >>> Command-K, and there are sliders that let you adjust playback speed, along >>> with volume, balance, treble, bass, pitch, along with video brightness, >>> color, and tint. This is AppleScriptable, so what I do is use a pair of >>> AppleScripts to switch between playing a track in iTunes and Quick Time >>> Player 7. >>> >>> The first AppleScript pauses iTunes, notes the time into the track where >>> playing was paused, then starts QuickTime Player 7 playing at that time at >>> a faster rate of my choosing. Here it is coded for 2 times speed, pasted >>> in below: >>> >>> (* >>> Play selected track in QuickTime at 2x speed >>> Source: Mac OS X hints Jan 6, 2006 Play this podcast at 1.5x >>> http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20060103000452805 >>> *) >>> tell application "iTunes" >>> try >>> pause >>> set my_track to location of current track >>> set my_seconds to player position >>> on error >>> set my_track to location of item 1 of selection >>> set my_seconds to 0 >>> end try >>> end tell >>> >>> tell application "QuickTime Player 7" >>> open my_track >>> set my_movie to first document >>> set sound volume of my_movie to 256 --set volume to 100% >>> set ts to time scale of my_movie >>> set current time of my_movie to my_seconds * ts >>> set rate of my_movie to 2.0 -- starts playing >>> activate >>> end tell >>> >>> The second AppleScript handles passing control back to iTunes, and notes >>> the current playing position from QuickTime Player 7, so that when you go >>> back to the track in iTunes its bookmarked position will resume from where >>> you left off in QuickTime Player 7. If you play to the end of a podcast in >>> QuickTime Player 7, the time will be set to the beginning of the podcast >>> when you switch back to iTunes, just as though you had played through the >>> podcast in iTunes. One warning is that you have to keep the track that is >>> playing in iTunes as the current track, in order to correctly pass back the >>> time with the second AppleScript. I don't imagine people will try >>> navigating to different podcasts, radio streams, etc. in iTunes while >>> listening to the speeded up podcast or audiobook in QuickTime Player 7, but >>> in principle, they could. Here's the pasted in version of the AppleScript >>> to return control to iTunes at normal playback speed: >>> >>> tell application "iTunes" >>> set my_track to location of current track >>> end tell >>> >>> tell application "QuickTime Player 7" >>> set my_movie to first document >>> set ts to time scale of my_movie >>> set my_seconds to (current time of my_movie) / ts >>> close my_movie >>> end tell >>> >>> tell application "iTunes" >>> set player position to my_seconds >>> play >>> end tell >>> >>> The same AppleScripts can be used in Leopard and Tiger, with the name of >>> the application in the script set to "QuickTime Player" instead of >>> "QuickTime Player 7". If you have Lion, you'll have to download QuickTime >>> Player 7 to use these AppleScripts. Snow Leopard users will find it on >>> their install DVDs. Here's the Knowledge Base Article on "Installing >>> QuickTime Player 7 on Mac OS X v.10.6 or Later" that describes the process >>> and has a download link for Lion: >>> http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3678 >>> >>> To set up your speed-up solution in Lion: >>> 1. Get QuickTime Player 7 and install it from: >>> http://support.apple.com/kb/DL923 >>> 2. Open AppleScript editor from your Utilities folder (in Finder >>> Command-Shift-U, then type "a p" and Command-Down arrow to launch the >>> AppleScript editor). >>> 3. Set your AppleScripts to display in the status menu bar in preferences >>> by pressing Command-Comma, then navigating to "Show Script menu in menu >>> bar" and checking this option (VO-Space). You can check this works by >>> using VO-M-M or Control-F8 to navigate to the status menu bar. VoiceOver >>> should say, "AppleScript", and if you arrow down the menu you'll find "Open >>> Scripts Folder" and "Open AppleScript Editor", followed by category folders >>> of AppleScripts in the "/Library/Scripts" folder on your Mac. This is the >>> "Computer Scripts Folder" that is one of the submenu options to open under >>> "Open Scripts Folder", and is also where the VoiceOver scripts for "Time of >>> Day" are stored (under the VoiceOver category folder at the bottom of the >>> list). Press escape to leave navigating the menu options and return to your >>> AppleScript preferences and continue navigating through the options of the >>> General tab. By default, the "Show Computer scripts" box is checked, which >>> is what gives yo u > >> ac >>> cess to the list of folders from the status menu bar. You may optionally >>> select the radio button to show application scripts at "top". This can >>> slightly speed up navigation to scripts you add to the menu, by placing >>> them before the category folders. Command-W to close the preferences >>> window. >>> >>> 4. Copy and paste in the scripts into the AppleScript editor window. I use >>> comment lines that start with a left parenthesis followed by a star, and >>> that end with a star followed by a right parenthesis, to remind me that >>> the current speed is set to 2x and give source of this AppleScript's MacOSX >>> hints article, but you can skip over these in the first script and use >>> VO-down arrow in mail to navigate to the "tell application "iTunes"" line, >>> then make sure you're at start of the line with Command-left arrow. Hold >>> down the Shift key for selection, then start arrowing down until you get to >>> the end of the script. You can keep arrowing down until you reach my text >>> description, just to be sure you've gotten everything, and then up arrow >>> again so that the last highlighted line is the "end tell" command. As long >>> as you continue to hold down the Shift key while pressing Up or Down arrow, >>> you can continue to move forwards and backwards to refine your selection. >>> When you've selec t > e >> d >>> the whole script, release the Shift key and press Command-C to copy. Then >>> Command-Tab to switch back to the AppleScript editor, and paste the script >>> in with Command-V. If you want to break this up into steps, you can always >>> copy and paste your AppleScript selection in to a TextEdit file to review, >>> then undertake using the AppleScript Editor at a later time. (I frequently >>> just save parts of tasks I want to work on in TextEdit files.) >>> >>> 5. To check things are working before I save the AppleScript, I'll first >>> start a podcast playing in iTunes. Then I'll switch back to the >>> AppleScript Editor window with Command-tab and use Command-R to run the >>> script (rather than just compiling it with Command-K). If this works as it >>> should, QuickTime Player 7 will be launched, and you'll start hearing the >>> same podcast playing at faster speed in QuickTime Player 7. I'll actually >>> paste the first script to speed up playing into the AppleScript Editor, >>> then open a second window with Command-N, and paste the second AppleScript >>> to resume iTunes playback before starting my playback checks. So after >>> using Command-R to run the first script, and hearing the podcast play at >>> speed, I'll use Command-accent (where accent is the leftmost key in the row >>> of number on an English language input keyboard) to switch to the second >>> AppleScript Editor window, and press Command-R to run it, and check whether >>> playback transfers back to iTunes a > t >> n >>> ormal speed. >>> >>> 6. Save your AppleScripts using Command-S under names you select, e.g. >>> "Play Faster" and "Normal Speed". I use Command-Shift-G in Finder to >>> navigate to my account's Library folder by typing: >>> ~/Library/ >>> into the dialog window and pressing return. Then I create a folder named >>> "Scripts". (This may not be case sensitive, but I use a capital "S"). I >>> save these scripts to my "User Scripts File" -- the location pointed to >>> under the AppleScript menu. You can also save these to the general >>> /Library/Scripts folder of your hard drive, if you have permission to write >>> in that folder. >>> 6a. Incidentally, I found a really quick way to make the Library folder >>> under my account visible under Lion that does not involve typing a command >>> in Terminal or getting TinkerTool to configure this. Go to Doug's >>> AppleScripts for iTunes web page that describes "Installing AppleScripts >>> under OS X Lion": >>> http://dougscripts.com/itunes/2011/07/installing-applescripts-under-os-x-lion/ >>> 6b. Navigate to the link for "download this AppleScript applet" and >>> download the file (Option-Return). >>> 6c. Open the "Show Downloads" window in Safari with Command-Option-L and >>> navigate to the group, interact twice to get to the "Make Users Library >>> Folder Visible" downloaded item group items, and navigate (VO-Right arrow) >>> to the "Show in Finder" button then press (VO-Space). >>> 6d. Command-Down arrow to launch the applet in Finder. Your Library folder >>> is now visible. (This took a few seconds to do, and much longer to type out >>> instructions.) >>> >>> 7. You can now use these AppleScripts to speed up and slow down your >>> listening of podcasts and audiobooks. Start a podcast, audiobook, or movie >>> track playing in iTunes, then navigate to the AppleScripts menu and select >>> your "Play Faster" AppleScript to shift playback to QuickTime Player 7. >>> Then select the "Normal Speed" AppleScript to shift back to iTunes and >>> record your current position before pausing/stopping. >>> >>> There are some limitations on this: QuickTime Player can only be used on >>> tracks without DRM, so Audible audiobooks or books purchased from the >>> iTunes Store cannot be sped up this way. Neither can you use this to speed >>> up commercial movies or TV shows that you purchase, but video clips without >>> DRM will work. Also, I assume you use the "Get Info" (Command-I) shortcut >>> to change the "Media Kind" pop up menu setting of your tracks to "Podcast" >>> or "Audiobook" on the Option tab, and to check the boxes for "Remember >>> playback position" and "Skip when shuffling". If I download Eric's podcast >>> about list recorder from its Dropbox location and add it to my iTunes >>> library, it will go into my Music library, and will start playing from the >>> beginning of the track, because iTunes has no way of distinguishing this as >>> a podcast unless you make the changes. >>> >>> The AppleScripts menu on the status menu bar can be accessed from any app, >>> so you can navigate to other applications and work while listening to the >>> podcast. You can do more complicated setups that involved assigning >>> keyboard shortcuts or making these AppleScripts into Services with >>> Automator instead. This is just a very basic way to solve the problem. >>> >>> If you want to read more about this basis these AppleScripts, check out the >>> Mac OS X Hints web page from 2006 on "Listen to podcasts at 1.5x speed": >>> http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20060103000452805 >>> >>> HTH. Cheers, >>> >>> Esther >>> <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> >>> >>> To reply to this post, please address your message to >>> [email protected] >>> >>> You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum >>> at either the list's own dedicated web archive: >>> <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> >>> or at the public Mail Archive: >>> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. >>> Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: >>> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> >>> >>> The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus >>> and worm-free! >>> >>> Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting >>> the list website at: >>> <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/> >> >> <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> >> >> To reply to this post, please address your message to >> [email protected] >> >> You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at >> either the list's own dedicated web archive: >> <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> >> or at the public Mail Archive: >> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. >> Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: >> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> >> >> The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus >> and worm-free! >> >> Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting >> the list website at: >> <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/> > > <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> > > To reply to this post, please address your message to > [email protected] > > You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at > either the list's own dedicated web archive: > <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> > or at the public Mail Archive: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. > Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> > > The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and > worm-free! > > Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting > the list website at: > <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/> <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> To reply to this post, please address your message to [email protected] You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at either the list's own dedicated web archive: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> or at the public Mail Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and worm-free! Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting the list website at: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/>
