Convert from Kindle's .azw to other formats?

[Audiobook Fan]

There seems to have been a lot of interest and solutions created for converting other file formats to something viewable on Kindle, but what about the other way around. Are there any solutions yet for getting from Kindle's .azw and converting to a non-encrypted file of .pdf, .doc, .lit, or HTML?

[igorsk]

AZW files are just .mobi files. Once you remove DRM, you can use for example mobiperl tools.

[TallMomof2]

Many of the AZW files aren't DRMed so all it takes is changing the file extension to .mobi

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by igorsk

AZW files are just .mobi files. Once you remove DRM, you can use for example mobiperl tools.

Not in every case. I'm finding some Mobi eBooks are created using high compression. Mobiperl won't handle those.

[wallcraft]

I agree that many AZW files use the high compression option. Perhaps Amazon is trying to save on Whispernet costs. In any case, mobi2oeb format shifts any DRM-free MOBI file to HTML and images (the .opf file it produces only contains the bare minimum of info though). It is part of calibre.

[TantricWarrior]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

Many of the AZW files aren't DRMed so all it takes is changing the file extension to .mobi

How does/can one tell (from looking at the Amazon page) if it is DRM'd or not? Or can you only tell once it is downloaded?

[Kingston]

Originally Posted by TantricWarrior

How does/can one tell (from looking at the Amazon page) if it is DRM'd or not? Or can you only tell once it is downloaded?

There's a discussion of that here:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...uestion+kindle

Often, if no sample is offered the book is drm free. But not always. If the file name is a number and not a word it often means no drm...but again, not always.

Usually only smaller books (less than 200 pages or so) have no drm. But not always...

[JSWolf]

In English, there is no way to tell short of buying the eBook. But, there is also no way of knowing ahead of time if you'll get AZW or Topaz.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

In English, there is no way to tell short of buying the eBook. But, there is also no way of knowing ahead of time if you'll get AZW or Topaz.

I assume that the sample chapter (if available) will be in the same format as the full ebook. One reason an ebook might be in Topaz is to use a different font, but the font used can be terrible. If there is no sample and the ebook ends up in Topaz with a non-standard font, then this is a perfectly good reason to return the ebook and if enough Kindle owners return Topaz ebooks perhaps Amazon and publishers will get the message that Topaz is a bad idea.

[JSWolf]

Or they might get the idea that Topaz is a good idea since the DRM cannot (currently) be removed.

[TallMomof2]

I've only purchased about a dozen books (some were $0.00) and most have DRM, all had sample chapters but *none* are Topaz. I only spend $$ for Kindle books if I don't care if they are locked to that device.

[Ervserver]

be nice to just be able to edit the azw format books. Someone will develop some proggies before long

[memoconsult]

Originally Posted by igorsk

AZW files are just .mobi files. Once you remove DRM, you can use for example mobiperl tools.

Seems very simple... but HOW???

[memoconsult]

Thanks igorsk!!! I'll try and tell you what happened.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

I've only purchased about a dozen books (some were $0.00) and most have DRM, all had sample chapters but *none* are Topaz. I only spend $$ for Kindle books if I don't care if they are locked to that device.

I had about 25 free, non-public domain Amazon books on the Kindle for PC app that I wanted to be able to read on my new JBL. My first go-round, I kept getting a Topaz error message. I discovered by accident, however, that if I archived the book and then re-downloaded it from Amazon, voila, no Topaz error and the process worked. I ended up with 5 of the 25 apparently really being Topaz, the rest are now liberated.