Desperate at Fictionwise!

[diana.stout]

I have a Sony 505. Purchased June 9.

Friday, July 25: Purchased 4 books at fictionwise in [.pdb] file format --
It said that was the "recommended" format, and the link to the "how to get books on your sony reader" was messed up, so I figured I could convert something somehow somewhere.

Saturdya, Sunday, & Monday: Spent ANGRILY trying to get the #$%@! books onto my ereader with no luck

Tuesday: 1)Received an email from Fictionwise customer service finally - it was a snarky little thing about how it's Sony's fault that I can't read the books. Nothing useful, nothing helpful, nothing to make me feel better about the $$$$ I spent. Just a complaint to ME the customer.
2)Finally thought to check the mobileread forum (duh me~). Found the link and article and stuff. Downloaded the "Adobe Digital Editions" and the new firmware.

Here's the problem:
-why does fictionwise keep trying to make me download/buy books in their recommended "Secure Mobipocket" Format?
-is there any way to get the secure [.pdb] files onto my Sony 505
-what format do I choose to download in from fictionwise?

(I have received lots of gift certificates to their website, and I want to be able to get some new releases, not just buy the older books that are available in lrf format)

Can someone please please help me? And try not to confuse me with the techie talk. I'm not a total ignoramoose, but I'm no IT person either

Diana

[Taylor514ce]

Secure MobiPocket is a mobi file with drm. So, you will need to download and install the mobireader program onto your PC and register your PC with them. Now that you have the ability to read secure mobi files, the question is how to 1) remove the DRM, assuming you've researched the legalities yourself, and 2) converting MOBI to LRF, the native format of the Sony Reader. There is software to do both tasks. I recommend Calibre for the second part.

Fictionwise also sells books in LRF format, no conversion required. These books are labeled "MultiFormat". To avoid conversion issues, you should buy the MultiFormat books rather than the Secured format books.

Publishers determine whether or not to shackle their books to a DRM scheme, not Fictionwise.

[Nate the great]

It's the Sony Reader, not eReader. It does not read Ereader format. eReader can be read on a computer or PDA, not the PRS-505. The only way you can read those 4 ebooks on you 505 would be to remove the DRM. Unless you are a moderately technical person I would not recommend it.

As for getting more ebooks, I think you should stick with Adobe PDF until you are comfortable with format conversion.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by diana.stout

-why does fictionwise keep trying to make me download/buy books in their recommended "Secure Mobipocket" Format?
-is there any way to get the secure [.pdb] files onto my Sony 505
-what format do I choose to download in from fictionwise?

FictionWise generally recommends the Secure eReader format, and I think that comes in a .pdb file. If the ebook is keyed to your credit card number, it is an Secure eReader ebook. FictionWise recommends this format because they own eReader.

The Secure MobiPocket Format typically comes in a .prc or .mobi file.

Both Secure eReader and Secure MobiPocket files are crackable (i.e. you can strip their Digital Rights Management). For eReader use ereader2html and for MOBI use mobidedrm (both command line python scripts). Once the DRM is removed, use Calibre to convert to LRF for your Sony.

A third option, and probably the most widely recommended option (particularly if you have a Windows PC), is to buy Secure MS Reader ebooks and use ConvertLIT to strip the DRM. Then Calibre's lit2lrf will make an ebook for you.

With Adobe Digital Editions now on the PRS-505, yet a 4th option is to buy Secure Adobe Reader 7.0 ebooks. These are readable with either Adobe Reader 7.0 or Adobe Digital Editions on a PC and with Adobe DE on your PRS-505. The downside of this approach is that Adobe's DRM has not been not cracked, and so if you buy a device that does not have Adobe software you won't be able to read your ebooks on it. Also, the PRS-505 does not render Adobe Secure PDFs (like these) as well as it displays Secure Adobe ePubs (sometimes you will get a partial screen of text).

[llasram]

Originally Posted by diana.stout

-why does fictionwise keep trying to make me download/buy books in their recommended "Secure Mobipocket" Format?

Assuming you mean "Secure eReader," it's because Fictionwise bought eReader and thus (a) has control over the format and (b) doesn't have to pay any third-party for selling eReader-format books.

Originally Posted by diana.stout

-is there any way to get the secure [.pdb] files onto my Sony 505

If you live in an area where stripping DRM is legal and/or wish to take a stance of civil disobedience against the DRM regime, see if you can find a tool called "ereader2html." It will convert your eReader books into HTML, which you can then convert with calibre into something you can read on your Sony Reader.

Originally Posted by diana.stout

-what format do I choose to download in from fictionwise?

If you want to stay within the DRM fence, you'll need to wait until they start selling books in Adobe-DRMed EPUB format (assuming you have a the Reader 505 model). If DRM removal is an option, you can buy LIT, Mobipocket, or eReader books (LIT being most optimal), strip the DRM, and convert using calibre.

I hope this helps!

[Taylor514ce]

But again, if you want to buy books from FictionWise for your Sony Reader, buy the MultiFormat books and choose "LRF". No conversion necessary at all.

[curtw]

diana,

There's a place you can go in your fictionwise profile to set your "default" download format. currently mines's still set iSilo because I've been reading on Palm for seven years. But LRF is also one of the choices.

[diana.stout]

Okay, I've got the "ereader2html" script thing... but I don't have python?

I am using Windows XP. What do I do now?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by diana.stout

Okay, I've got the "ereader2html" script thing... but I don't have python?

See How to make Igor's script work. You don't need Igor's kindlepid script, but this thread explains how to download Python.

[JSWolf]

Once you create the HTML from your eReader eBooks, you'll need to use either Calibre or Book Designer to convert to LRF.