If you have any queries regarding our tours or have experienced any problems in downloading or using our products, please Email responses to
and we will do our best to answer your query promptly.
1.1 - General:
What is a MP3CityGuide? An MP3CityGuide is a guided walk of a popular location. It consists of a route diagram which shows the walk on a street plan, instructions and the audio files themselves. The audio files are in MP3 format and you play them on your own equipment.
What will I get for my money? You will receive a zipped file which contains: • The guide in the form of MP3 files • A printed guide with map of the route • Instructions on how to use the guide
Why do I not just buy a guidebook? The MP3CityGuides are convenient and need only an MP3 player. The MP3CityGuides allow you to blend in with the locals; you do not "stick out" like a tourist.
How long do the walks take? This depends on how fast you walk and how often you stop. Generally a good estimate is around 2 - 3 hours.
Do I have to do all of the segments in numerical order, and do I have to start at Segment 1? No and no. You can go to any point on the route diagram and listen to the segment with the corresponding number. Each segment does direct you to the next one, but you can ignore the directions part and just listen to content wherever you want to go. And, of course, you can start anywhere.
How do I get my guide? Once your payment has been authorized, you will be presented with a "download" page. This page will allow you to download your purchased guide or guides onto your own PC or Mac.
What are these files? Each guide is divided into tracks. Each track contains an audio commentary in MP3 format with instructions on how to reach the next track. The commentary will provide information on the sights and other features of interest which you will pass or see on the segment.
What do I do with the file I download? Un-zip the file into a folder on your PC or Mac. Print the printed guide. Load the files onto your MP3 player or iPod and print out the script if you want to read the tour.
What size (in MB) will the files be? Each individual guide will contain segments. The total space required on your MP3 player for each guide will up to 30MB.
Do I have to print out the Printed Guide? You don't have to print out the whle thing if you don't want to but you should at least print out the route map or maps to help you find your way in addition to what you hear in the audio guides.
Do I have to do the stops and visit the sites in the same order as on the tour? No, you can do them in any order. You might find, though, that we sometimes refer to something we've said during an earlier stop. But you can always refer to the script which comes with the package or listen to the audio guide another time.
Why don't you include hotel recommendations in your Printed Guide? Talking to people we've found that they usually find hotel deals online through tripadvisor, lastminute.com, expedia or another travel website and so recommending hotels doesn't seem useful. However, we're always willing to review our policy...
Is there copyright on these guides? These guides are for the use of the purchaser only. Please refer to our Conditions and Terms of Use for details.
1.2 - Technical:
How can I tell if my MP3 player can accept your audio files? Format: Our files are in MP3 format and all digital audio players are able to read this format. It's for that very reason that they're generally known as MP3 players. Capacity: We recommend that you check you have sufficient memory on your player to store the audio guide files. You will need to have 30 to 50 MG of available capacity on your player. Having said that, if your player's memory if full, remember you can temporarily store your music files on your computer.
How can I tell if my portable CD Rom player can read your audio files? Format: Portable CD players read audio format and also in the last 3-4 years, MP3 format. This will usually be indicated on the casing of the player itself or in the manual if you still have it. You could also check with the store where you purchased it. Capacity: Capacity will not be a problem. CD ROMs can store several hundred Mega Octets of audio or MP3 files, that's far more than is necessary here.
How can I tell if my mobile phone can accept your audio files? - Can my phone read audio files? Check with your operator or retailer. - Does it have the necessary memory? Again, its best to check with your operator or retailer - What can I do if the answer is negative? If this is the case, see if you have enough points with your operator to upgrade to a model offering this function. Also check this new phone has sufficient memory capacity to store several audio guides.
How do I know if my phone/MP3Player/iPod is compatible with your system? All our files ar MP3 so as long as you can play MP3’s you will be fine.
How many copies of a tour do I get? How many people can I share it with? The purchase agreement allows you to share it with up to three other people.
How long are these tours active on my computer or MP3player for? Do they have a limited life? Technically they don't - you can keep them and reuse them as often as you want. But some of the information might date so if you've had a guide for a few years you might want to get the latest guide before you go to a city again.
What software do I need? You will need a means of un-zipping your downloaded file. Windows XP has file un-zipping software built in. Older versions of windows will require Winzip. If you do not already have Winzip, a free evaluation copy can be downloaded from http://www.winzip.com You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar to read and print the Printed Guide - which comes as a .PDF file. This can be downloaded free from http://www.adobe.com If you have a MAC, you will need to be able to expand (or unzip) the .zip file we send you and then you will need to be able to open and print the route diagram and instructions which we supply as Adobe Acrobat files (.PDF files). We have tested our products both on MP3 players and iPods.
1.3 - Shopping Online:
Is the online payment secure? Payment transactions are handled through Barclays who ensure complete security for on-line purchases.
This secure payment uses the SSL encryption method. Your credit card number is encoded and the retailer in this case mp3cityguides does not have access to this information.
1.4 - My account:
Do I need a Paypal account to buy a tour? No, you do not. You can also use a credit card. You simply enter your credit card details and answer a few other security questions.
I can't access my account To access your account, make sure you are logged in under ‘customer login’ which will be found at the top of each page on the mp3cityguide.com site. Enter your username and password. If you've forgotten your password, click on ‘LOST PASSWORD’ under ‘CUSTOMER LOGIN’ and we will send you your details to your e-mail address.
Where do I find my download? You'll find it under your ‘CUSTOMER LOGIN’ Check your order history in ‘ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE’. In each order, you'll find a list of all the guides you've purchased and a link enabling you to download the relevant file.
How do I download my guides? First go to your deposit box under ‘CUSTOMER LOGIN’. The guides you've purchased will be listed there. Each guide is made up of several audio (MP3) files and these have been saved to a ZIP file to make downloading easier. Firstly you have to DOWNLOAD the zipped guide to your computer and then then EXTRACT (unzip) the guide. - Follow these steps to download and extract a file:
First: Download 1/ Click on the name of the guide under order information. 2/ Click on the name of the guide in the ‘ORDER ITEMS’ 3/ You will be taken to the download area with the code in place. 4/ Start Download
Next : Extract the file If you have a Macintosh or a PC with Windows 2000 or Windows XP , you'll have no problem as the file will be unzipped automatically. Just double click on the zipped file and it will open. You can then transfer its MP3 audio content to wherever you wish.
If on the other hand, your computer has an older operating system: You may have an unzip programme (called an extraction or decompression programme) which you can use. If you don't have an unzip programme there are many free versions available to download. The best known is WinZip which you'll find at www.winzip.com . However, note that you'll be asked to pay for a licence to use this product. Alternatively, chose another free version at www.download.com
1.5 - Troubleshooting:
I did not receive my confirmation email, what is wrong? You may have typed in your email address incorrectly. If so, and you have not yet downloaded your purchase, please send us your name, correct email address and the date and time of your purchase and we will do our best to help you.
I am unable to download my guide at the time I purchased it, what do I do? You will be sent a confirmation email following your purchase. This email will provide you with a link and password to enable you to download your purchase or visit your account online and find your download there.
