Sony Reader now ruined for Canadians

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by HarryT

what are the benefits of the ConvertLIT GUI?

Primarily, it also supports Downconvert as well as Extract (it also supports Inscribe & Search, but I've not used them). You can set various options with each type of function which are useful as they can be set to default.

For example, when Extracting, it can be set to automatically extract to a 'filename' subfolder, or when Downconverting, set to automatically append '.downconverted' to the filename.

It also hooks into Windows Explorer, so you can just right-click on a .lit & it'll launch with the .lit preselected as the 'source'.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by HarryT

what are the benefits of the ConvertLIT GUI?

Its primary advantage is that it is a GUI, so it is a way for the command line adverse to access ConvertLIT. I use it because it defaults to the same options as its last use, so it makes it simple to explode a new LIT and put the result as a subdirectory of a standard directory.

[FligMupple]

I've read through the thread and I'm confused.

I'd like to get the book Anathem today. Normally, I would just get it from Sony and that's that. But now I can't.

So, I see it on BooksOnBoard. The formats are:

1) PDF
2) Microsoft Reader
3) MobiPocket (OD)
4) eReader

Which format do I get, and then what? I downloaded and installed Calibre today.

Also... what's up with the ePub format? Is that same as any of these?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by FligMupple

Which format do I get, and then what?

Also... what's up with the ePub format?

You can read Secure Adobe PDFs on your PRS-505, but the original page breaks will be apparent (this isn't a reflowable format, at least on the PRS-505).

The DRM on the other three formats can all be broken. If you have a Windows PC, MS Reader (LIT) format is probably best. Use ConvertLIT GUI to strip the DRM and then run the DRM-free LIT through Calibre.

EPub is the latest reflowable ebook format. The PRS-505 can read Secure Adobe ePubs, but there are not many of these available yet.

A problem with Secure Adobe PDFs and Secure Adobe ePubs is that they are only readable by Adobe Digital Editions (and Adobe Reader 7 for Windows in the case of PDFs). This means that you are locked into buying reading devices with ADE if you want to continue to read Adobe ebooks. If you take the LIT approach, the DRM-free LIT can be format shifted to work on any current or future reading device.

[DaleDe]

I believe the latest release of Sony firmware on the 505 can reflow PDF files. Are you talking about a limitation in the reflow implementation?

Dale

[Strether]

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you want to edit the book's metadata, once you've loaded the OPF file in Mobi Creator, click the "Metadata" link to view and edit it before you click "Build" to create the book.

Note: If you change data on any tab in Mobi Creator, you have to scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "Update" button to make your changes "stick".

Harry, there has to be more to it than that, because it never works for me. Used a simple novella as my sample, followed your directions, and the metadata does not "stick". The numbers in lieu of the metadata remain. What am I missing?

Jim

[FligMupple]

I have finished the process of buying an eBook from a source other than Sony's EBookstore, and transferred it to my Sony Reader.

I one point during the ordeal, I was ready to murder everyone in the world.

In the Help section on the BooksOnBoard site, it says:

Most difficult Reader to configure; increasing compatibility issues.

We do NOT recommend this format. We offer it to accommodate our long-term Microsoft Reader customers.

Should I care about this? Is there a better format that I should normally get over Microsoft if available? I use Windows XP.

Also... when I change the font size (using the button on the Reader) the Reader crashes/resets. Is this something that can be fixed? I don't really care since I set the exact font size I wanted in the conversion process, but I don't like a "misclick" while reader resetting the device.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I believe the latest release of Sony firmware on the 505 can reflow PDF files. Are you talking about a limitation in the reflow implementation?

It reflows on a page by page basis, so each original page might become 2.5 pages with half a page left blank. It does not reflow across page boundaries. As you say, this is an implementation issue - there is no good reason for reflow to stop at page boundaries.

[Valloric]

Originally Posted by FligMupple

In the Help section on the BooksOnBoard site, it says:

Most difficult Reader to configure; increasing compatibility issues.

We do NOT recommend this format. We offer it to accommodate our long-term Microsoft Reader customers.

Should I care about this?

No, you shouldn't. I don't get why they call it "the most difficult to configure". You install it, click "authorize computer" when the setup ends, and then use it. That's it.

And it's the best format out there for your Reader since you can remove the DRM in under 10 seconds (with ConvertLIT). Even if the LIT format bothers you (for some unknown reason), when you remove the DRM, you can convert it to whatever format suits you better.

And don't trust everything retailers tell you.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Strether

Harry, there has to be more to it than that, because it never works for me. Used a simple novella as my sample, followed your directions, and the metadata does not "stick". The numbers in lieu of the metadata remain. What am I missing?

Jim

Are you clicking the "Update" button after you've edited the metadata?

Look at the opf file (it's just text) - is your metadata being written back to the file?

It really is "that simple" - I have to admit that I don't know what you're doing wrong.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Its primary advantage is that it is a GUI, so it is a way for the command line adverse to access ConvertLIT. I use it because it defaults to the same options as its last use, so it makes it simple to explode a new LIT and put the result as a subdirectory of a standard directory.

The "LitConverter" GUI does the same thing .

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The "LitConverter" GUI does the same thing .

The difference is that that's all it does and to do so, it requires you to manually select both the original & the destination parent folder each time.

Even if you only ever use the extract function, it's still not worth sticking with LitConverter!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by gwynevans

The difference is that that's all it does and to do so, it requires you to manually select both the original & the destination parent folder each time.

The input folder defaults to the "\My Documents\My Library" folder (the automatic download location for LIT books). Since what I generally want to do is explode a LIT which which I've bought, this is a sensible default.

I shall, however, try the other GUI, now that I know it exists, and see if I prefer it.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

It reflows on a page by page basis, so each original page might become 2.5 pages with half a page left blank. It does not reflow across page boundaries. As you say, this is an implementation issue - there is no good reason for reflow to stop at page boundaries.

Thanks for the information. I understand a lot more now. This should probably be a user option. I can see that some people who are using it for reference might like to relate the page number in the paper document to the page number they are reading. But to force everyone into that mode is not reasonable and it certainly harms the reading experience.

Dale

[JSWolf]

I find it just easier to use ConvertLIT from the command line. I don't like any of the GUis available.