Mike, thanks. I gather that .smil files are for multimedia presentations and the like, and can contain links to sounds, animations and what not. I suppose they could be used for a book, though I've never come across them anywhere but this odd disc. All the other RNIB library books I've got seem to be made up of .mp3 files, as you say. RNIB are aware of my problem, such as it is. Vince. ======================================== Message Received: Apr 24 2014, 03:57 PM From: "Mike Cassidy" To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Subject: [access-uk] Re: .smil files Hi Vince, Dump that one back to RNIB; I don't think a Daisy book will be readable audible without MP3 files unless there happen to be some .txt or .html files. All the ones I've looked at contain MP3 files.. After all that, I've never discovered what .smil files do! Cheers, Mike From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Vincent Thacker Sent: 10 April 2014 14:27 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: .smil files Richard, no, there aren't any MP3 files with that book, except for the initial RNIB announcement. The book won't play in AMIS DAISY software. Of course, it will be up to RNIB in the end to put me right, but I thought I'[d just ask around. The other books I've had from RNIB are flawless, and present no problems. Vince. ======================================== Message Received: Apr 10 2014, 02:20 PM From: "Richard Godfrey-McKay" To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Subject: [access-uk] Re: .smil files It's surely a Daisy book which you could read with netplextalk. There will also be MP3 files which you cuuld play with your usual player. Richard Richard Godfrey-McKay Telephone: 01738-445 880 Mobile: 07791 452 593 From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Vincent Thacker Sent: 10 April 2014 14:17 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] .smil files Talking of dodgy formats, RNIB sent me a book composed of .smil files. These are a kind of XML file containing multimedia, I believe. RealPlayer will open them, but then there are loads of syntax errors. Lawdy, all this to read a book? I don't have a clue what the syntax errors actually are, so maybe there's some kind of test program that will show them up? Any clues, anyone. Vince. ======================================== Message Received: Apr 10 2014, 12:36 PM From: "goshawk on horseback" To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, "BCAB Discussion List" , VICUG-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Subject: [access-uk] accessible program for .mobi files? hello all, does anyone know of any window-eyes accessible software for reading .mobi files? as in typical RNIB mismanagement fashion, the super easy to use .doc and newsreader format is being discontinued as part of there take over of tnauk, and the html versions as one of the formats set to replace it, A can't be downloaded, and B is very tedious to navigate. the only other options are text, which is going to be even worse, epub, which to the best of my knowledge isn't a very usable format with screenreaders, (although I am not 100% sure that is the case), and this new and to me unknown .mobi format. out of the 3 bits of software I have managed to find for this format, Mobipocket ebook Reader, Stanza Desktop, and calibre E-book reader, I could only get the calibre one to actually download, and that seems to be a dead loss access wise. Simon