PDF settings for PRS-650

nikev · 12-04-2010, 02:35 PM

Hi,

I'm wondering if anybody has suggestions for how best to set up the reader for PDF ebooks, mostly text based. I find that most PDF ebooks are a bit taller and thinner than the screen, so the default setting renders the page too small. Since text reflow is a bit unreliable, I have been trying to read in landscape mode which gives an okay half page rendition, but I'm wondering if there's a better way. The main problem with the half page rendition is that the bottom couple of lines are repeated at the top of the next page, so it's hard to read smoothly at page turns.

Thanks in advance,

Nike

SkyDream · 12-04-2010, 03:59 PM

Optionally you can try to convert PDF to ePub using calibre. As your PDFs are mostly text based the result should be a better fit for the 650.

SeaBookGuy · 12-04-2010, 04:21 PM

I've found the Calibre conversion to Epub highly unreliable, though perhaps I'm doing something wrong?

Fif23 · 12-04-2010, 05:22 PM

I never find the need to convert the PDF's.
I just throw them on the device and reflow - It's always good enough !

SeaBookGuy · 12-04-2010, 07:46 PM

I usually read PDF books in Medium size - the reflow leaves orphan lines, the page number at the top of the page instead of the bottom, etc., but nothing major (no deal breaker).

Double-column PDF stuff reads best under the 4-quadrant option, but those are somewhat rare I believe.

Rizla · 12-04-2010, 10:45 PM

Just use them in the original PDF format. Works okay. The only annoying thing is there is a big jump in font sizes. However, if you put it in landscape mode, you seem to get an in-between font size. Play around with it. It works okay.

NSqirrel · 12-05-2010, 07:01 AM

When I am converting from word docs to PDF, I set the pdf printer to A7 page size and set the margins to 0. Also I use 9pt for the main text. (Where there is mixed sizes, I decrease all globally via the font size shortcut, until the main text is 9pt.)

This seems to work for me.

johnnyb · 12-05-2010, 07:07 AM

Hi there I actually have a question that ties in here very well I think:
What are the correct settings for PDFs to be readable in Reflow mode...
Apart from Ocr-ing the document, how can I remove the picture that is underlying the recognized text. And which settings guarantee a proper rendering in Reflow mode? In some PDFs I have (that actually look quite good and seem to have been produced as text-only PDFs), the line breaks cannot be removed, how to I have to reconvert PDFs to make that go away? Adobe Acrobat is available (though not for extensive testing).
Any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!

NSqirrel · 12-05-2010, 07:17 AM

Re johnnyb

I have tried reflow in all sorts of PDF progs and given up. Hence I convert to a word doc (or RTF, then into word) edit and set pages size etc. before printing as a PDF again. As I set to A7 before printing as PDF, I can see if any diagrams, etc. need resizing.

Possibly a long-winded way but I hope that this helps you.

nikev · 12-05-2010, 03:32 PM

Thanks for all the replies.

I tried to go PDF --> RTF -->resize ---> PDF, but it's a bit time consuming. Probably I need to set up a few presets to do the various steps quickly.

On the other hand, it does seem the the PRS 650 will read RTF natively, so you can also just load the RTF directly to the Reader in Calibre. The reader does a pretty good job fitting the text to the page and reflowing to suit, although it's rather slow to load and change font size. However, it works reasonably well.
Probably I should figure out how to optimize the RTF so that the reader can handle it faster.

12-04-2010, 02:35 PM	#1
nikev Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS 505	PDF settings for PRS-650 Hi, I'm wondering if anybody has suggestions for how best to set up the reader for PDF ebooks, mostly text based. I find that most PDF ebooks are a bit taller and thinner than the screen, so the default setting renders the page too small. Since text reflow is a bit unreliable, I have been trying to read in landscape mode which gives an okay half page rendition, but I'm wondering if there's a better way. The main problem with the half page rendition is that the bottom couple of lines are repeated at the top of the next page, so it's hard to read smoothly at page turns. Thanks in advance, Nike

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12-04-2010, 03:59 PM	#2
SkyDream Wizard Posts: 1,377 Karma: 9400 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Europe Device: PRS-650, iPod touch 4G, iPad 3	Optionally you can try to convert PDF to ePub using calibre. As your PDFs are mostly text based the result should be a better fit for the 650.

12-04-2010, 04:21 PM	#3
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	I've found the Calibre conversion to Epub highly unreliable, though perhaps I'm doing something wrong?

12-04-2010, 05:22 PM	#4
Fif23 Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 499132 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: None	I never find the need to convert the PDF's. I just throw them on the device and reflow - It's always good enough !

12-04-2010, 07:46 PM	#5
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	I usually read PDF books in Medium size - the reflow leaves orphan lines, the page number at the top of the page instead of the bottom, etc., but nothing major (no deal breaker). Double-column PDF stuff reads best under the 4-quadrant option, but those are somewhat rare I believe.

12-04-2010, 10:45 PM	#6
Rizla Member Retired Posts: 3,183 Karma: 11721895 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook STR (rooted) & Sony T2	Just use them in the original PDF format. Works okay. The only annoying thing is there is a big jump in font sizes. However, if you put it in landscape mode, you seem to get an in-between font size. Play around with it. It works okay.

12-05-2010, 07:01 AM	#7
NSqirrel Enthusiast Posts: 43 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South Bucks, UK Device: PRS-600	When I am converting from word docs to PDF, I set the pdf printer to A7 page size and set the margins to 0. Also I use 9pt for the main text. (Where there is mixed sizes, I decrease all globally via the font size shortcut, until the main text is 9pt.) This seems to work for me.

12-05-2010, 07:07 AM	#8
johnnyb Cloud Reader Posts: 1,110 Karma: 4000066 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle Oasis, Kindle Scribe, iPad Pro 11	Hi there I actually have a question that ties in here very well I think: What are the correct settings for PDFs to be readable in Reflow mode... Apart from Ocr-ing the document, how can I remove the picture that is underlying the recognized text. And which settings guarantee a proper rendering in Reflow mode? In some PDFs I have (that actually look quite good and seem to have been produced as text-only PDFs), the line breaks cannot be removed, how to I have to reconvert PDFs to make that go away? Adobe Acrobat is available (though not for extensive testing). Any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!

12-05-2010, 07:17 AM	#9
NSqirrel Enthusiast Posts: 43 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South Bucks, UK Device: PRS-600	Re johnnyb I have tried reflow in all sorts of PDF progs and given up. Hence I convert to a word doc (or RTF, then into word) edit and set pages size etc. before printing as a PDF again. As I set to A7 before printing as PDF, I can see if any diagrams, etc. need resizing. Possibly a long-winded way but I hope that this helps you.

12-05-2010, 03:32 PM	#10
nikev Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS 505	Thanks for all the replies. I tried to go PDF --> RTF -->resize ---> PDF, but it's a bit time consuming. Probably I need to set up a few presets to do the various steps quickly. On the other hand, it does seem the the PRS 650 will read RTF natively, so you can also just load the RTF directly to the Reader in Calibre. The reader does a pretty good job fitting the text to the page and reflowing to suit, although it's rather slow to load and change font size. However, it works reasonably well. Probably I should figure out how to optimize the RTF so that the reader can handle it faster.

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