OverDrive for Mac no longer connecting?

[odamizu]

Is anyone else having connection problems when trying to download audiobooks using the old OverDrive for Mac desktop app?

For the past couple weeks I've been having intermittent connection problems where the OverDrive app will throw an error message that says: "A connection to the Internet could not be established."

[odamizu]

I hope I'm wrong, but it appears OverDrive for Mac desktop app is now dead.

I've been using it on an old Mac running 10.13 High Sierra (it won't run on anything newer than 10.14) and when I try to download an audiobook it throws an error message: "A connection to the Internet could not be established."

Also, Safari on High Sierra can no longer connect to my library's OverDrive website; instead it throws this error: "Error loading page ... there may be a network issue".

When I try on Chrome, the OverDrive website loads fine, but the "Download MP3 audiobook" button is no longer available. So not only is OverDrive for Mac not working, but Mac web browsers aren't offered a download button to get the .odm file.

So basically, OverDrive for Mac won't connect to the Internet and there's no way to get an .odm file using a browser on Mac (without using Developer Tools to change the User Agent to a Windows machine — but then we go back to the OverDrive-for-Mac-won't-connect-to-the-Internet problem).

Are OverDrive for PC users seeing similar problems, or is it just Mac that appears to be sunsetting?

Also, I notice that when I go to the OverDrive website the prompt to switch to Libby is much bigger.

I'm a little worried the OverDrive website is also being phased out in favor of libbyapp.com

[smeelah]

I'm using Mac OSX 10.12.6 Sierra.
I'm having the same issue but I don't think it is intentional. 🤞 It started happening around the same time that other issues began with my out-of-date chrome browser.

Yesterday, I could still access the Overdrive website on Chrome although some of the book images were not working. It seems to be unable to load today.

I can still access Overdrive on Firefox 115.12.0esr and it looks the same as always.

A few people have posted about it in the subreddit /rLibbyApp

[odamizu]

Thank you @smeelah for the reference to the discussion on subreddit /rLibbyApp. I am somewhat heartened that people are having issues with both ebooks/.acsm and audiobooks/.odm, which suggests it's not an intentional phasing out of OverDrive for Mac.

[JSWolf]

Today I had a problem accessing an eBook in Overdrive and Libby. (websites, not apps). Eventually it did work and I was able to download the eBook.

Maybe you were just caught up in this issue and things were just stuck.

[smeelah]

Yes, same here!

Originally Posted by odamizu

Thank you @smeelah for the reference to the discussion on subreddit /rLibbyApp. I am somewhat heartened that people are having issues with both ebooks/.acsm and audiobooks/.odm, which suggests it's not an intentional phasing out of Kindle for Mac 🤞🤞

[smeelah]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Today I had a problem accessing an eBook in Overdrive and Libby. (websites, not apps). Eventually it did work and I was able to download the eBook.

Maybe you were just caught up in this issue and things were just stuck.

I'm still unable to download but hopefully soon 🤞

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by smeelah

I'm still unable to download but hopefully soon ��

I wasn't using the Overdrive program to download the eBook. I was just using a browser on the Library's Overdrive site and the Libbyapp site. I eventually did get the eBook to download the .acsm file from the library's Overdrive site. Also, I'm on Windows.

[JSWolf]

Using the Overdrive program on Windows 11, I was able to download an audiobook no problem.

[smeelah]

Yeah, it seems to be a mac and adobe issue.

If not solved, I plan on adding a Linux partition.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Using the Overdrive program on Windows 11, I was able to download an audiobook no problem.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by smeelah

Yeah, it seems to be a mac and adobe issue.

If not solved, I plan on adding a Linux partition.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think OverDrive Media Console for Mac is dead.

@smeelah: This works on my Sonoma Mac: https://github.com/chbrown/overdrive. (Didn't bother trying it on High Sierra).

[smeelah]

Oh interesting. I'll have to see if I can use it on my Mac mini. Otherwise I may have to try that with Linux on my macbook. Thank you!

My library gave me this url to report the issue to Overdrive: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/72230...e-Support-Form

There was an issue with downloading the odms in the last year or so and it was fixed, so while you may be right as this seems like the result of an update, I haven't totally completely lost hope ha ha.

Originally Posted by odamizu

I hope I'm wrong, but I think OverDrive Media Console for Mac is dead.

@smeelah: This works on my Sonoma Mac: https://github.com/chbrown/overdrive. (Didn't bother trying it on High Sierra).

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by smeelah

Oh interesting. I'll have to see if I can use it on my Mac mini. Otherwise I may have to try that with Linux on my macbook. Thank you!

The script was written for Mac (but also works on Linux).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by smeelah

Yeah, it seems to be a mac and adobe issue.

If not solved, I plan on adding a Linux partition.

Why use Linux when Windows works better for this?

[smeelah]

Because I have a Mac. If I'm going to run another OS, I'd prefer to try Linux. It seems lighter, if I'm not mistaken and possibly more useful.

Also, I previously used Overdrive with a PC and I didn't love it. Perhaps it has improved.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why use Linux when Windows works better for this?