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Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with TonieToolbox in just a few minutes! This guide will walk you through your first audio conversion.

Choose Your Method

TonieToolbox offers two main interfaces:

Perfect for converting audio files to TAF format:

# Convert a single file
tonietoolbox input.mp3

# Convert with custom output name
tonietoolbox input.mp3 my_tonie.taf

# Convert entire folder
tonietoolbox /path/to/audio/folder/

Learn more about CLI options

The graphical interface is a TAF file player with plugin support:

  1. Launch the GUI: 

    tonietoolbox --gui

  2. Load TAF files: Drag and drop TAF files to play them

  3. Navigate chapters: Jump to specific parts of your audiobooks
  4. Manage playlists: Queue multiple TAF files

GUI Conversion Coming Soon

Audio conversion via GUI is planned for a future release. Currently, use the command line for conversion.

Learn more about GUI player

Your First Conversion

Let's convert your first audio file step by step:

Step 1: Prepare Your Audio File

Make sure you have an audio file ready. TonieToolbox supports:

  • MP3 files
  • FLAC files
  • WAV files
  • OGG files
  • M4A/AAC files
  • And many more formats supported by FFmpeg!

Step 2: Convert the File

Using Command Line

  1. Navigate to your audio file's directory: 

    cd /path/to/your/audio/files

  2. Run the conversion: 

    tonietoolbox your-audio-file.mp3

  3. Check the output: 

    ls output/
# You should see: your-audio-file.taf

Step 3: Play the Result (Optional)

You can play your converted TAF file in the GUI player:

# Launch GUI and load your TAF file
tonietoolbox --gui
# Then drag and drop the TAF file to play it

Or analyze the file details:

# Analyze the created TAF file
tonietoolbox --info output/your-audio-file.taf

This will display information about the converted file including: - File size and duration - Audio codec details - Tonie header information

Common First-Time Scenarios

Converting an Audiobook

If you have multiple chapter files that should be combined:

# Put all chapter files in a folder
tonietoolbox audiobook-chapters/ audiobook.taf

Converting with Better Quality

For higher quality audio (larger file size):

tonietoolbox input.mp3 --bitrate 128

Converting Multiple Albums

Process an entire music collection:

tonietoolbox --recursive /path/to/music/collection/

What Happens During Conversion?

Understanding the conversion process:

  1. Input Analysis: TonieToolbox examines your audio file
  2. Format Conversion: Audio is converted to Opus format if needed
  3. TAF Creation: The Tonie Audio Format file is created with proper headers
  4. Verification: The output file is validated
  5. Output: Your TAF file is saved to the output directory

Quick Tips for Success

Pro Tips

  • Use descriptive names: tonietoolbox input.mp3 "My Favorite Songs.taf"
  • Check file sizes: Tonie boxes have storage limits
  • Use appropriate bitrates: 64-96 kbps is usually sufficient for spoken content
  • Organize your files: Use folders to keep your conversions organized

Common Mistakes

  • Don't use extremely high bitrates (>256 kbps) unless necessary
  • Ensure your input files aren't corrupted
  • Check that you have enough disk space for the output

Next Steps

Now that you've completed your first conversion:

Need Help?

If something didn't work as expected:

Congratulations on your first TonieToolbox conversion! 🎉