Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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I'm suddenly unable to download books from Bookshare (self.Blind)
submitted by BexTheMixer
So I'm not sure that this is a good/the right place to ask, but I don't know of where else to ask.
I am suddenly unable to download books from Bookshare. I use the Bookshare Download program on my BrailleSense 6, and it's worked beautifully up until a few days ago. I downloaded some books fine, but as I went to download another it said "download failed." I've tried many different books over the past few days, I even just now tried using the Voice Dream Reader app on my iPhone, but no luck.
I thought it might be that my account has to be renewed, but when I looked up my account it said it wouldn't expire for a few months yet. I renewed it anyway though, but I still can't download books.
I'm not sure why this is happening or what I can do to fix it.
If anyone has any suggestions that would be greatly appreciated.
Also if this is in the wrong place I apologize.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
I am suddenly unable to download books from Bookshare. I use the Bookshare Download program on my BrailleSense 6, and it's worked beautifully up until a few days ago. I downloaded some books fine, but as I went to download another it said "download failed." I've tried many different books over the past few days, I even just now tried using the Voice Dream Reader app on my iPhone, but no luck.
I thought it might be that my account has to be renewed, but when I looked up my account it said it wouldn't expire for a few months yet. I renewed it anyway though, but I still can't download books.
I'm not sure why this is happening or what I can do to fix it.
If anyone has any suggestions that would be greatly appreciated.
Also if this is in the wrong place I apologize.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
rwbeardjr 2 points 1y ago
Hi.
So device manufacturers and app developers have to update their stuff. Bookshare just recently started adding some human narrated books, and if you're trying to download those, that might be the problem.
So device manufacturers and app developers have to update their stuff. Bookshare just recently started adding some human narrated books, and if you're trying to download those, that might be the problem.
BexTheMixer [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Oh. That's interesting, I didn't know that. I just find it kind of strange that they only have one format option for some of their books.
TechnicalPragmatist 2 points 1y ago
See if you can download it off their website if you can then like someone else said its an api problem if not then maybe have a chat with bookshare?
CloudyBeep 2 points 1y ago
Are you able to download books from the Bookshare website?
If so, the problem seems to lie with the third-party apps you're using. Bookshare may have made a change to their API (the method through which apps connect to Bookshare).
If so, the problem seems to lie with the third-party apps you're using. Bookshare may have made a change to their API (the method through which apps connect to Bookshare).
BexTheMixer [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Ok this is weird. I was able to download a book on the website, and I just tried searching for the same book on the Bookshare Download program on my BrailleSense 6 and I was able to download it from there as well, but when I tried to download some other books it keeps saying "download failed."
CloudyBeep 1 points 1y ago
Contact HIMS or your local distributor.
BexTheMixer [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Actually, after experimenting I have a theory. I found books on the Bookshare website while searching, and not all of them were in BRF. First I tried searching for a Harry Potter book, and that was only in audio format. Then I tried searching for a School for Good and Evil book, but that said it had images. Then I tried searching for The Lightning Thief, and that one finally was in BRF. I think the Bookshare download program only downloads in BRF. I'm not sure what format Voice Dream Reader downloads in but I think not all books on Bookshare are in all formats. That would explain why some of them are able to download and some are not, but I'm not sure. I'm just going off of what I've seen right now.
retrolental_morose 1 points 1y ago
I don't think Voice Dream can handle brf, but it will do DAISY just fine.
Tasdigo 1 points 1y ago
I don’t know if this is your issue but, I was unable to download books from BookShare to my iPhone. I found out that an adblocking app was causing the problem. When I briefly disabled I was able to download the book.
BexTheMixer [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Oh, no, I can download Bookshare books to my phone using the website just fine. It's when I use other means of downloading them that I'm having issues.
Revenant624 1 points 1y ago
I get all my audiobooks off the bard app.
BexTheMixer [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Yeah, I use that primarily for all my books, but it'd still be nice to be able to have quick access to Bookshare.
Revenant624 1 points 1y ago
I never heard of book share, but what’s the difference between the two?
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
It’s kind of the same thing though bookshare has far better selection and much more and people can volunteer to contribute to the collection. The audio books on bookshare is machine read and not by a real person but braille books are largely the same though I think formatted a bit differently.
Same type concept though.
Same type concept though.
Revenant624 1 points 1y ago
Very interesting. Though I’m not sure how I would like The machine red books. I prefer A real person doing the reading sometimes they will change their voice depending on the character
BexTheMixer [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I'm actually not really sure. They're different programs, but they do both audio and Braille books. Bookshare has more formats though than just audio and BRF, and the audio books are usually done by a text-to-speech voice, whereas BARD'S books are read by actual people.
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