Cinepal PMP for pdfs?

[sark666]

You'll see a lot of posts of people trying to read manual/technical pdfs that may contain graphs and people attempting to read them on the smaller 6' e-readers. Some resize the pdfs and use landscape with varying results.

Most in the end suggest an ipad, mainly because of the larger accommodating display. But how about this device?

http://aluratek.com/cinepal-hd-personal-media-player

I've read great things it as a video player, and know it's not wifi/touch device like the ipad, but it's $149 in Canada.

But the info on it as a ereader is next to nil. The web site just says 'but also ebooks (txt format).' Nothing more mentioned in the manual. A search here for this model turns up on results.

Does anyone have any experience with this as a reader? It seems like a great alternative right now for people who read more computer manual/tech documents etc that are usually in pdf.

From what I gather, it's literally just txt files. For pdf people convert to jpgs. I'm not sure how time consuming that is and the results given. Like is it readable in portrait or should you still go landscape, and if so how well is it at moving an image?

[Patricia1066]

Interesting device. I emailed aluratek with some questions and this is the (very speedy) reply:
The Cinepal only supports TXT format ebooks. There are no plans to add
support for PDF ebooks. What chip are you referring to? The USB port does
not support a keyboard or input device. However, you can attach a USB
external hard drive to the port but it must have its own power supply.

There are chinese PMPs that have chips better suited to reading PDF and text (firmware embedded in the chip then branded as ainol etc) but this one has a great size screen and much superior resolution.

If anyone does know what chip is used I'd love to know which it is. I wonder why aluratek dont develop its reader capability! That is their business after all.

[mrkarl]

what I've seen it do it does pretty good, it's inexpensive, but as a reader, yeah it's text only........I suppose you could convert pdfs to a bunch of jpegs, that might work, but that sounds like work

[Patricia1066]

This link gives quite a few examples of programs for Windows users for PDF to JPG conversion.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-ways-...o-a-jpg-image/

(thanks to Sunny at digital8.org)

Then you need a batch convertor which isnt so easy for PDF even when there are no DRM restrictions.

Conversion to TXT can be done on calibre, which can handle several at once. The "remove header/footer" option I find dont work, but I havent tried enough pdfs to judge.

PDF > JPG would preserve formatting, particularly if the batch managed the naming convention to make navigation easy on the device. You can only develop the batch program when you know how you need to name the files.

My manga comics are already in JPG format so that isnt a problem.

[Patricia1066]

Also known as Gadmei PMP900, you will find an unboxing video and reviews on sites such as digital8 and MP4nation. General consensus is that it copes well with MKV and AVI 720p, the chip is amlogic, firmware written by Chinachip. Nothing of its ereading capability unfortunately.

It doesnt offer official support for MKV but it can play it apparently, and divx is also playable but you need to alter the filetype to .avi. See the spec sheet for other features.