Audiobook encoding help

[czechplease]

I'm trying to encode some audiobooks, and I figured the best way to set everything up would be to rip everything as WAV, merge them, and then encode them. I have a few questions that go along with this:

1) I merged the WAVs using the following command:BeSweet.exe -core( -input Chapter1.lst -output Chapter1.wav -payload -logfilea ChapterMerge.log ) -ota( -fs 44100 )This led to "popping" noises between the merged files, which is quite irritating for an audiobook. Can anyone help me fix this? I had to use "-fs 44100" or it sped up the sound of the tracks (making it sound like chipmunks).

2) What encoder should I use? I was thinking about using Apple's encoder, but it's not command line and doesn't give me that many options. I do like the "Optimize for voice" option since it is an audiobook. Do any other encoders have an option similar to this?

3) The reason I want more customization for the encoder is because I'd like to make the files pretty small. 22050kHz seems reasonable for mono, and 80kpbs would probably do, but the Apple encoder doesn't like it when I try this and makes it sound like chipmunks again.

I do have an ipod, so that's why I was using the Apple encoder in the first place. I'd like these files bookmarkable like a regular audiobook.

Thanks for any help or advice.

[foxyshadis]

ipod with or without rockbox? I ask because you could use speex if it's modded, which sounds quite fantastic at around 20kbps.

The way to fix the pop is to fade the ends of the track, but while I know of a besweet fadein plugin, I don't know of a fadeout. I don't know enough about besweet to know how to modify it for the end of the track either. =\ Might have to go with an audio editor that can do batch processing.

[czechplease]

It's just a regular iPod. It's 4th gen and I've heard there might be some issues with encoding it mono. As for the fading in and out, that's irritating. The whole point was to make this process simpler by using VBscript and stuff. Anyone else know how I can do the fading easily? Thanks for the help.