Calibre and DRM in Mobi format

greeny · 02-25-2009, 11:12 AM

Hi guys, I wonder if anyone can help me. I just installed calibre and was very impressed until I transferred my ebooks to my cybook (all DRMed prc files). I cannot read them on my device as it says I have the wrong PID.
Can I set this PID info up in Calibre as I am buggered if I can find out where (this can be done simply in Mobipocket reader but was hoping to use Calibre instead)

Many thanks for any help and I apologise if it ends up with me being stupied

JSWolf · 02-25-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greeny

Hi guys, I wonder if anyone can help me. I just installed calibre and was very impressed until I transferred my ebooks to my cybook (all DRMed prc files). I cannot read them on my device as it says I have the wrong PID.
Can I set this PID info up in Calibre as I am buggered if I can find out where (this can be done simply in Mobipocket reader but was hoping to use Calibre instead)

Many thanks for any help and I apologise if it ends up with me being stupied

If you know the PID of the eBooks and go to Darkreverser’s Weblog, you can find a copy of MobiDeDRM.py 0.05 and use that to remove the DRM. Just a note. MobiDeDRM.py does not work with Python 3.0. You'll need 2.6.x or 2.5.x.

llasram · 02-25-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greeny

Many thanks for any help and I apologise if it ends up with me being stupied

No need to apaologize! This is an already-reported bug which I haven't had time to look at yet because I expect it to be tricky to fix

. The bug is in the metadata update plugin, which you can disable for now as a workaround.

pdurrant · 02-25-2009, 11:52 AM

On your CyBook go to Menu/Advanced.../About... The CyBook's Mobipocket PID will be displayed there.

You'll have to add this PID to Mobipocket reader, or perhaps to the ebook store preferences where you bought your ebooks, and then do whatever Mobipocket Reader does to add a PID to a file, or re-download them all from the ebook store.

And you'll need to do that all again with the next Mobipocket device you add.

Or you could strip the DRM from the Mobipocket files, and never have to worry about Mobipocket PIDs again.

But stripping the DRM might be illegal where you are. And telling you how to get it and use it might be illegal for some people, depending on where they live.

Sigh - DRM, only inconveniencing those who pay for ebooks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greeny

Hi guys, I wonder if anyone can help me. I just installed calibre and was very impressed until I transferred my ebooks to my cybook (all DRMed prc files). I cannot read them on my device as it says I have the wrong PID.
Can I set this PID info up in Calibre as I am buggered if I can find out where (this can be done simply in Mobipocket reader but was hoping to use Calibre instead)

Many thanks for any help and I apologise if it ends up with me being stupied

greeny · 02-25-2009, 12:45 PM

Hi guys, many thanks for your replies. When I try to access an ebook on my cybook it actually displays the PID that I need to add. It just seems that I am not able to read these books (that I have paid for and have a drm pid for) if I transfer them with Calibre. If I transfer them with Mobipocket reader, all is fine.

I think I will look into removing the DRM as a way around this. This is the stupidity of it all. I always buy my ebook in support of the author etc but this bloody DRM is so restrictive and doesn't allow the honest user to do what they would actually like to do with their legitimately bought book

The sooner this madness stops the better. Even bloody iTunes has grasped the idea

Anyway, rant over and thanks for you help guys

kovidgoyal · 02-25-2009, 01:05 PM

@llasram
Maybe the MOBI set metadata plugin should just be a no-op when it detects the file is DRMed until we find the cause of the problem?

greeny · 02-26-2009, 04:45 AM

Hi guys, so are we saying that in it's current state, I cannot use Calibre to transfer my DRMed mobi format books to my Cybook? If not, I really hope a resolution can be found to the problem (other than removing the DRM

) as I really do like the application and I would use it to replace Mobipocket Reader. Hope you clever guys can sort it

Thanks again for all your help

gwynevans · 02-26-2009, 07:16 AM

Probably not quite so drastic - try disabling the Calibre Mobi metadata plugin when you want to transfer DRM'd Mobi books until the issue's fixed.

kovidgoyal · 02-26-2009, 01:13 PM

Actually as of 141 it should now refuse to set metadata in DRMed MOBI books.

pdurrant · 02-26-2009, 02:39 PM

I suspect that when you tansfer them with Mobipocket, Mobipocket is creating a new file with the PID included, rather than just copying.

You can test this.

1. Transfer a file to CyBook using Mobipocket Reader
2. Manually copy back to your PC from the CyBook
3. Manually delete from the CyBook
4. Import the file into Calibre
5. Transfer to the CyBook from calibre.

I think that this will work. We've had people having problems with protected Mobipocket files that have not yet had a PID included, and I this is probably a similar problem .

Quote:

Originally Posted by greeny

Hi guys, many thanks for your replies. When I try to access an ebook on my cybook it actually displays the PID that I need to add. It just seems that I am not able to read these books (that I have paid for and have a drm pid for) if I transfer them with Calibre. If I transfer them with Mobipocket reader, all is fine.

I think I will look into removing the DRM as a way around this. This is the stupidity of it all. I always buy my ebook in support of the author etc but this bloody DRM is so restrictive and doesn't allow the honest user to do what they would actually like to do with their legitimately bought book

The sooner this madness stops the better. Even bloody iTunes has grasped the idea

Anyway, rant over and thanks for you help guys

greeny · 02-26-2009, 03:10 PM

Hi guys, many thanks for your replies, it's much appreciated. I am still a bit confused as the best way to solve this. I would prefer to use Calibre completely without using Mobipocket software so copying to and from the Cybook is a good idea but a little impractical (although I will try it to confirm your theory pdurrant - cheers).

How do I disable the mobipocket plugin ( i know it's a thick question but I can't seem to find where to do it)

Thanks again for all your advice guys

kovidgoyal · 02-26-2009, 03:32 PM

update to 0.4.141 and you dont need to disable the mobipocket plugin

Angst · 02-26-2009, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Sigh - DRM, only inconveniencing those who pay for ebooks.

Amen.

gwynevans · 02-27-2009, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greeny

How do I disable the mobipocket plugin ( i know it's a thick question but I can't seem to find where to do it)

Just for completeness, (i.e. Don't actually do it, just upgrade to 0.4.141 instead,) it's under Configuration/Plugins/"Metadata writer plugins", where you can expand the node to see the actual plugins then select & enable/disable them.

greeny · 02-27-2009, 09:24 AM

Hi guys, thanks again for all your replies. I've just downloaded the latest version of Calibre and shall be installing it over the weekend. I'll let you know how I get on with it

Thanks again fellas

02-25-2009, 11:12 AM	#1
greeny Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Cybook	Calibre and DRM in Mobi format Hi guys, I wonder if anyone can help me. I just installed calibre and was very impressed until I transferred my ebooks to my cybook (all DRMed prc files). I cannot read them on my device as it says I have the wrong PID. Can I set this PID info up in Calibre as I am buggered if I can find out where (this can be done simply in Mobipocket reader but was hoping to use Calibre instead) Many thanks for any help and I apologise if it ends up with me being stupied

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02-25-2009, 12:45 PM	#5
greeny Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Cybook	Hi guys, many thanks for your replies. When I try to access an ebook on my cybook it actually displays the PID that I need to add. It just seems that I am not able to read these books (that I have paid for and have a drm pid for) if I transfer them with Calibre. If I transfer them with Mobipocket reader, all is fine. I think I will look into removing the DRM as a way around this. This is the stupidity of it all. I always buy my ebook in support of the author etc but this bloody DRM is so restrictive and doesn't allow the honest user to do what they would actually like to do with their legitimately bought book The sooner this madness stops the better. Even bloody iTunes has grasped the idea Anyway, rant over and thanks for you help guys

02-25-2009, 01:05 PM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,839 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	@llasram Maybe the MOBI set metadata plugin should just be a no-op when it detects the file is DRMed until we find the cause of the problem?

02-26-2009, 04:45 AM	#7
greeny Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Cybook	Hi guys, so are we saying that in it's current state, I cannot use Calibre to transfer my DRMed mobi format books to my Cybook? If not, I really hope a resolution can be found to the problem (other than removing the DRM ) as I really do like the application and I would use it to replace Mobipocket Reader. Hope you clever guys can sort it Thanks again for all your help

02-26-2009, 07:16 AM	#8
gwynevans Wizzard Posts: 1,402 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: iPad 2, iPhone 6s, Kindle Voyage & Kindle PaperWhite	Probably not quite so drastic - try disabling the Calibre Mobi metadata plugin when you want to transfer DRM'd Mobi books until the issue's fixed.

02-26-2009, 01:13 PM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,839 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Actually as of 141 it should now refuse to set metadata in DRMed MOBI books.

02-26-2009, 03:10 PM	#11
greeny Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Cybook	Hi guys, many thanks for your replies, it's much appreciated. I am still a bit confused as the best way to solve this. I would prefer to use Calibre completely without using Mobipocket software so copying to and from the Cybook is a good idea but a little impractical (although I will try it to confirm your theory pdurrant - cheers). How do I disable the mobipocket plugin ( i know it's a thick question but I can't seem to find where to do it) Thanks again for all your advice guys

02-26-2009, 03:32 PM	#12
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,839 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	update to 0.4.141 and you dont need to disable the mobipocket plugin

02-27-2009, 09:24 AM	#15
greeny Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Cybook	Hi guys, thanks again for all your replies. I've just downloaded the latest version of Calibre and shall be installing it over the weekend. I'll let you know how I get on with it Thanks again fellas