Questions about hörbert 2011
Questions about hörbert 2011 (model with toggle switch)
Please try the following after starting the hörbert software and inserting the SD card. In the software menu at the top, go to Extras -> Select destination manually. The card should then be selectable there.
If this is not possible, our development department has taken precautions:
You can simply select a file folder on your hard drive – and not your memory card. After that, the hörbert software works on the file folder as if it *were* a memory card. And if your memory card is usable with the card reader under your operating system and mounted correctly, you can simply copy the contents of this folder to the memory card afterwards. This feature is intended for when the memory card’s mount directory still doesn’t work for some reason, and when alternatives like “Sox” also fail.
Yes, since 12/2020 the hörbert software is also available for Linux (tested on Ubuntu >16.0.4) for download here:
The publishers of our supplied content offer even more beautiful music and stories – in some cases even free of charge.
You can find the sources here: hörbert’s preregistered contents
In addition there are many contents which you can buy as MP3 download or M4a download and which really belong to you. In Amazon and iTunes you can find them under the category “”Music downloads””. There is not only music, but also stories to download.
You can find even more contents for your hörbert here on our website
Important note: For the new hörbert model 2021 with Butterfly firmware (release October 2024), you no longer need hörbert software to load the memory card. You can do this conveniently via the browser set mode or save your own files to the SD card using copy & paste via your computer’s file manager.
Find out more in this BLOG ARTICLE.
For the older hörbert model 2011 with toggle switch, you will need the hörbert software. There is also an upgrade option for your hörbert 2011 to the new version.
The software is included on the memory card of a new hörbert. As we cannot guarantee that this is the latest version of the hörbert software, we recommend downloading the latest version from this page:
System requirements:
PC or Mac (Intel), operating system: Windows 10 or higher, or Mac OS X version 10.14 or higher, Linux (tested on Ubuntu
>16.0.4) If you have an operating system older than those mentioned above, please contact our service team for support.
Screen resolution of at least 1024×768 pixels
At least 4 GB of free hard disk space
At least 2 GB of RAM
hörbert accepts files in the following common formats: mp3, wav – with the restriction that DRM (Digital Rights Management)-protected files won’t work. DRM content from (streaming) services like Audible or Deezer are copy-protected and can be played by hörbert.
However, the current hörbert model offers the possibility to simultaneously record the Bluetooth streams that hörbert is currently playing. This way you can get new audio content for free if you pair hörbert with your phone, then stream the Spotify, deezer, audible… playlist to hörbert and record it at the same time.
Furthermore, the new hörbert can serve as a radio for internet radio streams. You can also record this content simultaneously onto hörbert’s memory card whilst listening.
More about the recording functions of the hörbert 2021 model
See also our article on uploading your own content to hörbert’s memory card.
A CD with copy protection can normally be identified by the corresponding IFPI copy protection logo. It’s a black circle with a white triangle. You can find it here: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopierschutz
A tip: It is recommended to read a CD first with a program like iTunes and import it to your computer. Then the transfer to hörbert’s memory card is even faster. ITunes also has a good converter that brings the tracks into the optimal format (m4a or better still mp3). This is similarly convenient under Windows with the Media Player, but you have to set the mp3 format there, because the hörbert software does not read files with the extension.wma. After importing into iTunes, you can drag and drop songs directly from the iTunes library to the corresponding playlist window in the hörbert software using the hörbert software.
A software is necessary to conveniently arrange the tracks in the playlists and in the correct order, because if you would simply copy MP3 files to a memory card, the player would still not know in which order it should play them from which button. Another advantage is that you can also use files in OGG, WAV or FLAC format and directly from audio CDs as source material, or other common formats, which is not possible with most MP3 players. Instead of referring to hörbert as an MP3, Ogg, WAV and FLAC Player, only the term “MP3 Player” can be used as category or generic name. Otherwise you would not find our hörbert in any shop, because there is not even a category for “Audio-Player”, but at most “MP3-Player”. The term “universal audio player for children” would of course be quite correct. But we have to meet the potential customers looking for a player and limit ourselves here to the term “MP3 player” as a generic term, although hörbert can do much more.
M4A files can be played by a hörbert with toggle switch when they have been transferred via the hörbert software. The fact that 0 minutes is displayed as playing time is a technical problem that occurs only once per file during upload, and then no longer:
Before transferring, the file is displayed with length 0, as the hörbert software cannot determine the length of m4a files before converting. The file is nevertheless transferred.
The next time you insert the memory card, the correct duration will be displayed in the playlist.
Tip: If it’s a very old .m4a file with copy protection (from around 2003-2014), it cannot be transferred to hörbert. For this, you need to download this file again without copy protection – Apple offers an “exchange” of these files: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201616