community mobi-support for future firmware-releases

ThR · 07-13-2009, 04:39 AM

Now as we know that mobi-support will be discontinued when the firmware with Adobe DE/epub-support will be released (see this picture) - what should we do with our books in mobi-format?
Is it possible to integrate mobi in FBReader or to extract the mobi-functions and procedures from the current firmware for building an own application for use with future firmwares?
I'm no developer - so I ask what is possible...

HansTWN · 07-13-2009, 09:40 AM

The easiest way would be to strip the DRM from your mobi books.

pdurrant · 07-13-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThR

what should we do with our books in mobi-format? [...] I'm no developer - so I ask what is possible...

Strip the DRM and then convert to ePUB with Calibre.

wallcraft · 07-13-2009, 11:39 AM

FBReader will today read DRM-free MOBI. It has several issues with MOBI though, for example: a) no cover image, b) much of the layout is ignored, c) high compression is not supported. I think FBReader's MOBI is "good enough", but not everyone agrees. It could certainly be improved, and it would not take much effort to do so.

The other approach is off-line conversion to ePub using Calibre, once again only for DRM-free MOBI. This has fewer limitations than FBReader's MOBI, although it means you will end up using Adobe's ePub viewer which has limitations of its own. An advantage of pre-processing though Calibre is that you can customize the layout to some extent.

Finally, Savory is an implementation of Calire's ePub and PDF to MOBI conversion capability on the Kindle 2. Which demonstrates that is should be possible to add Calibre's MOBI to ePub conversion directly on the DR1000S.

owl123 · 07-13-2009, 12:20 PM

Are you sure non-DRMed .mobis will no longer be supported? How will I use the dictionary function then?

wallcraft · 07-13-2009, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owl123

How will I use the dictionary function then?

What some other vendors are doing is offering both DRMed MOBI and DRMed ePub/PDF, but in separate versions of the firmware - so you get to choose which one you want. So far as I know, iRex has not said how they are going to handle this, but dictionary support won't be available at all if this is what iRex does on the DR1000S and you load the Adobe ADE (ePub/PDF) firmware. Since the DR1000S already has good DRM-free PDF support, sticking with the DRMed MOBI firmware might be the best option.

tjdean256 · 07-13-2009, 02:17 PM

Other than a possible improvement in PDF function and possibly greater access to textbooks (which for my purposes is nearly last on the priority list), Adobe DE is useless for my needs. Current PDF functioning is good enough in my opinion.

td

junkyardwillie · 07-13-2009, 06:37 PM

It has not been confirmed that Mobi will not be supported in future firmware releases. Irex said that the 1.7 update is a minor update (changing who's DRM you are supporting would be a little more than minor) and Irex hasn't said anything as to how they will support Adobe DE in the future although they have worked out some deal which hasn't been clearly articulated. That photo is from the back of someone's box that recently purchased a DR1000 but their reader still only supported Mobi DRM so its not clear that foreshadows. If anything they would probably just make it a user option as to whether they wanted to use Mobi or DE since both can't be on the device at one time.

Shaggy · 07-14-2009, 12:34 PM

It wouldn't be too surprising, if this were true. Mobipocket supposedly has exclusivity clauses in their contracts that say if you are supporting Mobi DRM on a device that you are not allowed to support any other form of DRM. iRex may not have a choice if they want to start supporting Adobe DRM and Mobipocket is unwilling to budge on that clause in the license. iRex may only be able to pick one or the other.

I asked iRex this specific question a while ago in their forum about how they were going to support both, and the response was "no comment".

IMO, it's a little early yet, since there hasn't been anything official from iRex, but it certainly sounds like the speculation is correct. Whether they remove Mobi completely, only remove Mobi DRM, or offer two versions is yet to be seen. There could be another option that we don't know about yet.

Shaggy · 07-14-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junkyardwillie

Irex said that the 1.7 update is a minor update (changing who's DRM you are supporting would be a little more than minor)

I don't believe anything will change with the supported formats in 1.7. Supposedly it's only a bugfix update with "tabs" being the only new feature. I agree, adding Adobe DRM would probably be announced as a major update.

ThR · 07-15-2009, 03:26 AM

My problem - the sticker says nothing about mobi-support. If there would be Adobe-DRM-support AND Mobi-nonDRM-support, I think, mobi would be in the list.

Imho - the sticker shows the (near?) future, not the current status. So maybe the epub-firmware will not be far away, as otherwise Irex states features for the DR, that doesn't exist. And that is a party for lawyers...

And - I have no time to convert all my mobi-books (all without drm) into epub. If fbreader supports mobi - well, this would be ok for me. ;-)

Lbooker · 07-15-2009, 04:08 AM

FBReader clearly needs more support from programmers. They have been concentrating on the iphone for months, unfortunately for us.

I am trying to convert a big (17 MB) DRM-free mobi file to epub in Calibre...24 hours and it still is not ready (on a Core2Duo). So clearly FBReader is the way to go. Especially since I want to be able to use much larger files, those huge Wikipedia files:
http://pinguinburg.de/wpmp

Shaggy · 07-15-2009, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThR

My problem - the sticker says nothing about mobi-support. If there would be Adobe-DRM-support AND Mobi-nonDRM-support, I think, mobi would be in the list.

I'd like to see something a little more "official" from iRex than a sticker. The sticker certainly gives the impression that things are going to be changing with regards to the supported formats (and it makes sense that they would), but I'd like to see an announcement from them before I jump to far to a conclusion.

HarryT · 07-15-2009, 11:30 AM

Personally I'll be sticking with the firmware that supports Mobi if "upgrading" means losing that.

Shaggy · 07-15-2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Personally I'll be sticking with the firmware that supports Mobi if "upgrading" means losing that.

If they don't give you a choice of Mobi vs Adobe, then you'd also be losing any future updates/fixes. It would be nice if (hypothetically) 1.8 is the Adobe udpate, that it's optional. Then when 1.9 comes out there is a 1.9-mobi and a 1.9-adobe, so that customer's have the choice of which format they prefer.

I have no idea if they're going to do that though, just wishful thinking on my part.

07-13-2009, 04:39 AM	#1
ThR Tatütatuter Posts: 390 Karma: 3148 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Germany, Baden, Karlsruhe Device: Aura H2O, Glo HD, Paperwhite, PRS-950	community mobi-support for future firmware-releases Now as we know that mobi-support will be discontinued when the firmware with Adobe DE/epub-support will be released (see this picture) - what should we do with our books in mobi-format? Is it possible to integrate mobi in FBReader or to extract the mobi-functions and procedures from the current firmware for building an own application for use with future firmwares? I'm no developer - so I ask what is possible... Last edited by ThR; 07-13-2009 at 04:45 AM. Reason: link included...

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07-13-2009, 09:40 AM	#2
HansTWN Wizard Posts: 4,538 Karma: 264065402 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Device: HP Touchpad, Sony Duo 13, Lumia 920, Kobo Aura HD	The easiest way would be to strip the DRM from your mobi books.

07-13-2009, 11:39 AM	#4
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	FBReader will today read DRM-free MOBI. It has several issues with MOBI though, for example: a) no cover image, b) much of the layout is ignored, c) high compression is not supported. I think FBReader's MOBI is "good enough", but not everyone agrees. It could certainly be improved, and it would not take much effort to do so. The other approach is off-line conversion to ePub using Calibre, once again only for DRM-free MOBI. This has fewer limitations than FBReader's MOBI, although it means you will end up using Adobe's ePub viewer which has limitations of its own. An advantage of pre-processing though Calibre is that you can customize the layout to some extent. Finally, Savory is an implementation of Calire's ePub and PDF to MOBI conversion capability on the Kindle 2. Which demonstrates that is should be possible to add Calibre's MOBI to ePub conversion directly on the DR1000S.

07-13-2009, 12:20 PM	#5
owl123 Addict Posts: 234 Karma: 214 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy NotePro 12.2, InkBook	Are you sure non-DRMed .mobis will no longer be supported? How will I use the dictionary function then?

07-13-2009, 02:17 PM	#7
tjdean256 Zealot Posts: 138 Karma: 70 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Louisiana Device: irex dr1000s; Pocket edge	Other than a possible improvement in PDF function and possibly greater access to textbooks (which for my purposes is nearly last on the priority list), Adobe DE is useless for my needs. Current PDF functioning is good enough in my opinion. td

07-13-2009, 06:37 PM	#8
junkyardwillie Addict Posts: 316 Karma: 570 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Onyx Note Pro, Kobo H20 and iPad	It has not been confirmed that Mobi will not be supported in future firmware releases. Irex said that the 1.7 update is a minor update (changing who's DRM you are supporting would be a little more than minor) and Irex hasn't said anything as to how they will support Adobe DE in the future although they have worked out some deal which hasn't been clearly articulated. That photo is from the back of someone's box that recently purchased a DR1000 but their reader still only supported Mobi DRM so its not clear that foreshadows. If anything they would probably just make it a user option as to whether they wanted to use Mobi or DE since both can't be on the device at one time.

07-14-2009, 12:34 PM	#9
Shaggy Wizard Posts: 4,293 Karma: 529619 Join Date: May 2007 Device: iRex iLiad, DR800SG	It wouldn't be too surprising, if this were true. Mobipocket supposedly has exclusivity clauses in their contracts that say if you are supporting Mobi DRM on a device that you are not allowed to support any other form of DRM. iRex may not have a choice if they want to start supporting Adobe DRM and Mobipocket is unwilling to budge on that clause in the license. iRex may only be able to pick one or the other. I asked iRex this specific question a while ago in their forum about how they were going to support both, and the response was "no comment". IMO, it's a little early yet, since there hasn't been anything official from iRex, but it certainly sounds like the speculation is correct. Whether they remove Mobi completely, only remove Mobi DRM, or offer two versions is yet to be seen. There could be another option that we don't know about yet.

07-15-2009, 03:26 AM	#11
ThR Tatütatuter Posts: 390 Karma: 3148 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Germany, Baden, Karlsruhe Device: Aura H2O, Glo HD, Paperwhite, PRS-950	My problem - the sticker says nothing about mobi-support. If there would be Adobe-DRM-support AND Mobi-nonDRM-support, I think, mobi would be in the list. Imho - the sticker shows the (near?) future, not the current status. So maybe the epub-firmware will not be far away, as otherwise Irex states features for the DR, that doesn't exist. And that is a party for lawyers... And - I have no time to convert all my mobi-books (all without drm) into epub. If fbreader supports mobi - well, this would be ok for me. ;-)

07-15-2009, 04:08 AM	#12
Lbooker Addict Posts: 316 Karma: 1021312 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS-T1	FBReader clearly needs more support from programmers. They have been concentrating on the iphone for months, unfortunately for us. I am trying to convert a big (17 MB) DRM-free mobi file to epub in Calibre...24 hours and it still is not ready (on a Core2Duo). So clearly FBReader is the way to go. Especially since I want to be able to use much larger files, those huge Wikipedia files: http://pinguinburg.de/wpmp

07-15-2009, 11:30 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Personally I'll be sticking with the firmware that supports Mobi if "upgrading" means losing that.