How to setup a PDF file for the PRS-505

James Cole · 02-17-2009, 02:25 PM

Hello First post here and I need help right away...

I purchased my Sony Prs-505 yesterday from target... (because it can be returned in 48hrs no charge) I am testing it the only thing I can seem to do is to crop the ebooks so that they expand and take all the screen making the letters bigger and more readable... I tried cropping but it didnt work... now I can enlarge the fonts to M but then if the book has graphics it will screw them up (no the case with this file).

So my question is... How would one setup a PDF file so that it has very small margins and takes over all the real state in the PRS?

I attach an example so if someone can modify it for me it would be great to see that it can be done!

Thanks!!!

JC

gwynevans · 02-17-2009, 06:00 PM

If you start with PDF's you're fairly restricted in what you can do - apart from the reflowing (which is what's happening when you resize to M or L), you can switch to viewing in landscape (press & hold the resize button), or you can use some of the utils to reprocess the PDFs.

Just to be 100% sure, are you looking at the reader from a viewpoint of specifically reading existing PDF docs, or is it just that you've chosen PDF as an example format?

If the former, then if the reflow and/or landscape mode of the 505 aren't good enough, you'd be better off looking at the PRS-700, as that has a better PDF zoom. If it's just the format you've gone with, there are better alternatives! LRF, ePub or even PDF with a page size that matches the device, rather than A4/Letter.

James Cole · 02-17-2009, 07:22 PM

Thanks for the response... I am looking at the reader for exclusively reading PDFs, so I need to know how can the PDFs be optimized (from my computer) for viewing in the 505, I did look at the 700 and well the screen is not nearly as good as the 505 and the zoom future is nice but there is no way you can leave it zoomed like you like it and change pages, you have to zoom, read, change page(zoom goes back to normal) and then re-zoom wich is a hassle.

Let me know what are my options in this case so that if not I return this product ASAP.

Thanks,
JC

netseeker · 02-17-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Cole

Thanks for the response... I am looking at the reader for exclusively reading PDFs

If you really want read PDFs on an electronic reading device then you should consider a device with a bigger screen than the sony.

Ok, you did want to know what your options are to make PDFs better readable:
One option is reading in landscape mode and without using zoom. Another option could be soPDF. It can crop the margings of a PDF as well as split and rotate pages to make them better readable out of the box. There exist some other programs as well which can help to make a PDF better readable. Just use the search function of the forum and i'm sure you will find a lot of threads with similiar questions and hints which other tools can be helpful.

ddavtian · 02-17-2009, 09:02 PM

Do a google search for "pdflrfwin", it used to be hosted here. I have not used soPDF, but used pdflrfwin all the time. It's similar to netseeker's description: removes margins, cuts pages to fit into the reader screen. Output is an lrf file, built from images. You lose search capability in the book, and file size may become bigger. But it does make pdf files much more readable on the reader.

frabjous · 02-17-2009, 10:59 PM

Just as an experiment, I used calibre to convert that .PDF to an .LRF. You can see if you like that any better. It's by no means a perfect process. The paragraph breaks are sometimes off, and the headers will get stuck in the middle sometimes. It's hard to tell how well it would handle graphics, since there aren't really graphics in this file except the cover.

And I don't even own a reader yet, so I can't say how exactly it looks.

From what I surmise from testing things out in store, in general, I don't think resizing/reflow alone necessarily ruins graphics. (I think it's more likely to ruin tables or mathematical formula...) There you might be better off with pdflrfwin or PDFread or something like that.

[I deleted the attachment since it looked like it might be copyrighted material... but you can download calibre and do the conversion for yourself if you like.]

But there are tons of reformatting, converters and conversion tools on this website... check of the format forums especially to find things to play around with.

JSWolf · 02-17-2009, 11:04 PM

If you've generated the PDF yourself, you ca set the page size to be the screen size of the Reader for the PDF so it looks the way you want.

Most PDF you find on the net are set for 8.5"x11" and have very wide margins and thus look terrible when reduced down to the size of a 6" eink screen.

Yes, these devices can view PDF. But that does not always give a satisfying read.

02-17-2009, 10:59 PM	#6
frabjous Wizard Posts: 1,213 Karma: 12890 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Amherst, Massachusetts, USA Device: Sony PRS-505	Just as an experiment, I used calibre to convert that .PDF to an .LRF. You can see if you like that any better. It's by no means a perfect process. The paragraph breaks are sometimes off, and the headers will get stuck in the middle sometimes. It's hard to tell how well it would handle graphics, since there aren't really graphics in this file except the cover. And I don't even own a reader yet, so I can't say how exactly it looks. From what I surmise from testing things out in store, in general, I don't think resizing/reflow alone necessarily ruins graphics. (I think it's more likely to ruin tables or mathematical formula...) There you might be better off with pdflrfwin or PDFread or something like that. [I deleted the attachment since it looked like it might be copyrighted material... but you can download calibre and do the conversion for yourself if you like.] But there are tons of reformatting, converters and conversion tools on this website... check of the format forums especially to find things to play around with. Last edited by frabjous; 02-18-2009 at 05:51 PM. Reason: noted in edit

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02-17-2009, 06:00 PM	#2
gwynevans Wizzard Posts: 1,402 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: iPad 2, iPhone 6s, Kindle Voyage & Kindle PaperWhite	If you start with PDF's you're fairly restricted in what you can do - apart from the reflowing (which is what's happening when you resize to M or L), you can switch to viewing in landscape (press & hold the resize button), or you can use some of the utils to reprocess the PDFs. Just to be 100% sure, are you looking at the reader from a viewpoint of specifically reading existing PDF docs, or is it just that you've chosen PDF as an example format? If the former, then if the reflow and/or landscape mode of the 505 aren't good enough, you'd be better off looking at the PRS-700, as that has a better PDF zoom. If it's just the format you've gone with, there are better alternatives! LRF, ePub or even PDF with a page size that matches the device, rather than A4/Letter.

02-17-2009, 07:22 PM	#3
James Cole Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: None	Thanks for the response... I am looking at the reader for exclusively reading PDFs, so I need to know how can the PDFs be optimized (from my computer) for viewing in the 505, I did look at the 700 and well the screen is not nearly as good as the 505 and the zoom future is nice but there is no way you can leave it zoomed like you like it and change pages, you have to zoom, read, change page(zoom goes back to normal) and then re-zoom wich is a hassle. Let me know what are my options in this case so that if not I return this product ASAP. Thanks, JC

02-17-2009, 09:02 PM	#5
ddavtian Addict Posts: 271 Karma: 332 Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: San Francisco, USA Device: Sage, Elipsa, Oasis, Galaxy Tab 8U, S22U	Do a google search for "pdflrfwin", it used to be hosted here. I have not used soPDF, but used pdflrfwin all the time. It's similar to netseeker's description: removes margins, cuts pages to fit into the reader screen. Output is an lrf file, built from images. You lose search capability in the book, and file size may become bigger. But it does make pdf files much more readable on the reader.

02-17-2009, 11:04 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,987 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If you've generated the PDF yourself, you ca set the page size to be the screen size of the Reader for the PDF so it looks the way you want. Most PDF you find on the net are set for 8.5"x11" and have very wide margins and thus look terrible when reduced down to the size of a 6" eink screen. Yes, these devices can view PDF. But that does not always give a satisfying read.