So, I finally ordered my eBookwise this weekend. I was going through the Fictionwise store afterwards, and it asked for my preferred default format. Well, everything I had read said I wanted IMP, so I felt pretty confident as I pulled down the menu, only to find there were two IMPs to choose from: half-VGA and full-.

I did not know at the time that some of the old Rockets were full VGA, so I wrote in to ask which I wanted and what the difference was since I did not think they were pre-paginated -- I figured the difference was just the embedded images. Since doing the research on the other Rocket models, I am convinced that the images are the only difference.

Now, however, I have received my email reply from Fictionwise, and they tell me, for the eBookwise I should download the RB file...? I knew the eBw could handle RB files, but I thought IMPs were better, then I realized I don't really know what the difference is. Can anyone tell me? Is there an advantage to IMP over RB? I do know that IMP files need to be expanded after they are downloaded, does the same apply to RB?

Any info would be appreciated! Also, any advice for a new eBw owner in general.

Jack

The eBookwise 1150 unit only reads IMP files, hence the eBookwise (http://www.ebookwise.com/) site only selling IMPs. While you can use the Librarian to convert RB or other formats to IMP, if you're satisfied with the IMPs the way the site makes them, there's no point to an extra step, and Grayscale Half-VGA (GEB 1150) is what you want.

If you're not satisfied with pre-made IMPs, then I'd think MultiFormat a better default, more easily edited to a style you like. Personally, I only ever bought one story, just to test my registration. I find the defauly font in pre-made IMPs too small, and the margins a waste of screen space. Most stuff I get elsewhere and edit to my standards, then make portrait-text IMPs in Librarian at the largest font setting, or landscape-image IMPs in BookDesigner with an even larger font.

Thanks for the reply.

I have to say, the Fictionwise support people have me pretty confused. When I responded to their email, theytold me pretty much the opposite of what you said -- they say the IMP has to be handled by the Librarian software, but the RB file can be dropped directly onto the memory card with no extra step.

Obviously, I'll have to do some experimentation... hope it gets here soon!

Jack

I never bought encrypted imp from eBookwise, but I bought a lot of multiformat books from Fictionwise, and the imp (half-VGA) is ok most of the time regarding font and margins.

If you have the librarian software the best conversion in my opinion is from .opf, and them from rtf. Conversions from txt work poorly so I always make txt files rtf in wordpad, and from html, sometimes work, sometimes do not, so again I usually make them rtf, though it's true that sometimes the html converts nicer directly. I never converted from rb.

Also you can make landscape image books (half page A4 scans work nicely), with jpg's at reduced quality for space purposes embedded in html.

I guess you gotta experience and see what works for you, but given the pixel screen size limitation Ebookwise is a pretty good device, very fast, searching/bookmarks work well and navigation is the best of anything I've ever used to e-read. I have no idea why more modern devices are stuck with slow or slower navigation...

Liviu

I have to say, the Fictionwise support people have me pretty confused. When I responded to their email, theytold me pretty much the opposite of what you said -- they say the IMP has to be handled by the Librarian software, but the RB file can be dropped directly onto the memory card with no extra step.

I drag and drop my IMP files directly onto the SM storage card and then put the card into the EBW1150. The Librarian software is not needed for this.

If you are converting your own content you will need the software in order to make the IMP files. For this I use eBook Publisher from eBook Technologies inc (It is free). I have experimented with various formats but I find RTF the best format to use when making IMP files.

I obtain content in different formats such as HTML or TXT but I always convert these to RTF before converting to the imp format. I find this gives me the best result with no strange characters appearing on the EBW. This way you can also adjust the font size to suit your eyesight.

When making the IMP file with eBook Publisher you can edit the .odf file during the process to accomodate narrower margins, running headers etc.

The eBook Publisher settings I use are Greyscale Half-VGA, and view with Large and Small Font. This will provide you with an IMP file that, when read on the EBW, can have its font size made larger or smaller.

Great! Thanks for the advice.

It should be here in the next day or so, so this weekend will be a good time for experimentation.

Thanks to everyone!

Jack

.

I drag and drop my IMP files directly onto the SM storage card and then put the card into the EBW1150. The Librarian software is not needed for this.

If you are converting your own content you will need the software in order to make the IMP files. For this I use eBook Publisher from eBook Technologies inc (It is free). I have experimented with various formats but I find RTF the best format to use when making IMP files.

I obtain content in different formats such as HTML or TXT but I always convert these to RTF before converting to the imp format. I find this gives me the best result with no strange characters appearing on the EBW. This way you can also adjust the font size to suit your eyesight.

When making the IMP file with eBook Publisher you can edit the .odf file during the process to accomodate narrower margins, running headers etc.

The eBook Publisher settings I use are Greyscale Half-VGA, and view with Large and Small Font. This will provide you with an IMP file that, when read on the EBW, can have its font size made larger or smaller.
That's great Moonraker. I've just ordered mine today and have a bunch of Baen eBooks waiting for it already in RTF.