PRS650 PDF zoom/scroll issue

TommyT · 09-11-2010, 05:34 AM

Hi everyone

I've picked up PRS-650 today - it is a very nice reader and I love it already. If any of you have any questions about it - ask away, I'd be happy to answer.

But there is one thing about it that bothers me.

When I try to read a non-OCR pdf (ie it's a scanned file and I can't change the font size), it shows the whole page, which makes the text too small to read, so I want to zoom. I go to zoom, choose the required zoom setting and then press LOCK. It removes the scroll buttons so that I can read the zoomed part of the page. So far, so good.

But when I finish reading that part and want to move to the rest of the same page, I can't just press forward because it takes me to the next page.

Instead, I need to press UNLOCK, then press scroll down (or whichever way I want to move to) and then LOCK again to continue reading. This is bit annoying. I thought I should be able to navigate across the zoomed page directly in the LOCK mode. Am I missing something?

Tom

TommyT · 09-11-2010, 08:26 AM

This reader is actually great for reading scientific articles. Basically, you can split the page into 2x2 or 3x2 views and scroll through them using normal navigation. For example, if your article has two columns, the 2x2 split works great. I am looking at this article now:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...pdf/zpq145.pdf

and in the 2x2 mode, it works REALLY well. I can read each 1/4th without any problems and because I can see a bit of the other column too, I sort of always understand exactly where in the article I am when I read it. Very impressive.

But what is missing is 1x2 and 1x3 mode as per my post above. In other words, it would divide the page into two or three rows. Reading non-OCR one-column PDFs would be REALLY easy then. SONY, you guys must be reading these forums, you gotta implement this as a software update and your readers will have no competition.

etienne66 · 09-11-2010, 09:00 AM

Try it in landscape mode (change orientation). I think it will do what you are asking automatically.

Etienne66

TommyT · 09-11-2010, 09:43 AM

Actually, you are right, but only if I don't need any zoom.

If my text is too small in landscape without zooming and I go into the zoom/lock mode, the page turn just takes me to the next page. This is not what I want. I want the page turn in the zoom mode to show me the rest of the same page. It doesn't do that I think.

etienne66 · 09-11-2010, 10:18 AM

It's for reasons like that, that I want an Adam from Notion Ink to read PDFs.

Although it would be nice if Sony would add that 1x2 and 1x3 mode, don't expect it. They don't have any history for adding functionality to older readers, except for adding epub support to older ones when the stopped supporting LRX.

I still want the PRS-650 to read novels though.

Etienne66

TommyT · 09-11-2010, 10:28 AM

Yeah I guess Sony has always been like that. But hey other than that, this device is really awesome, I am not complaining really.

OrcaBlue · 09-11-2010, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyT

But when I finish reading that part and want to move to the rest of the same page, I can't just press forward because it takes me to the next page.

Instead, I need to press UNLOCK, then press scroll down (or whichever way I want to move to) and then LOCK again to continue reading. This is bit annoying. I thought I should be able to navigate across the zoomed page directly in the LOCK mode. Am I missing something?
Tom

Tommy, have you tried to use your finger to move the page. On my PRS 600, when you use your fingure it moves very smoothly to other part of the page. Also, on the 600, there are four arrows pointing four directions. Have you tried those to shift the screen left or right?

TommyT · 09-11-2010, 11:02 AM

Yeah I did try that. It now has a LOCK button that locks the zoom. After you press it, you can turn pages without resetting the zoom settings. I think this was not possible at 600.

But if you want to see the rest of the zoomed page, you need to press unlock, use the arrow button and then lock again. While this is not a big deal really, it could have been a bit simpler.

yts06mgr · 09-11-2010, 12:36 PM

One thing I found the zoom lock feature was awesome was that after the page was zoom locked, if you press the Home button to read other books it actually remembers the last zoom lock state of each book so that you can always go back instantly without having to re-adjust. It is so convenient when you have collections of Manga.

fyre182 · 09-11-2010, 01:03 PM

Hey, I've got the prs-650 on pre-order and was wondering whether or not you could use both a sd card and a memory stick pro duo at the same time to expand storage.

I have around 30-40 gigs of straight ebooks, which is why I'm wondering

Cheeseandpickles · 09-11-2010, 04:45 PM

Are you saying that the font resize options are not available anymore? They used to be under options and had s m l and xl buttonson the 600. I've seen them on a video of a epub file on the 650, but if they have removed that function for PDF, it makes the device as useful to me as a kindle.

I can't see why they would remove it, but this IS Sony we are talking about.

My purchase really rides on this feature. No resize/reflow, no buy.

elcreative · 09-11-2010, 06:17 PM

Read more carefully, OP says "non-OCR" i.e. a scan (picture, jpg whatever) not text based... sizing fine in pdf files where text base but not picture based...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheeseandpickles

Are you saying that the font resize options are not available anymore? They used to be under options and had s m l and xl buttonson the 600. I've seen them on a video of a epub file on the 650, but if they have removed that function for PDF, it makes the device as useful to me as a kindle.

I can't see why they would remove it, but this IS Sony we are talking about.

My purchase really rides on this feature. No resize/reflow, no buy.

Cheeseandpickles · 09-11-2010, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative;

Read more carefully, OP says "non-OCR" i.e. a scan (picture, jpg whatever) not text based... sizing fine in pdf files where text base but not picture based...

Sorry. I didn't know what OCR meant. Honestly, sounds like a bit of a none issue then.

OP can scroll down with his finger if it's any like 600. If you want to scroll around the file, why do you need to lock the zoom?

Read the page, scroll back to the starting point, Lock the zoom, change the page unlock and repeat.

Maybe there is a more elegant solution but I think that's a more than sufficient way to deal with things.

09-11-2010, 05:34 AM	#1
TommyT Member Posts: 12 Karma: 3448 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650	PRS650 PDF zoom/scroll issue Hi everyone I've picked up PRS-650 today - it is a very nice reader and I love it already. If any of you have any questions about it - ask away, I'd be happy to answer. But there is one thing about it that bothers me. When I try to read a non-OCR pdf (ie it's a scanned file and I can't change the font size), it shows the whole page, which makes the text too small to read, so I want to zoom. I go to zoom, choose the required zoom setting and then press LOCK. It removes the scroll buttons so that I can read the zoomed part of the page. So far, so good. But when I finish reading that part and want to move to the rest of the same page, I can't just press forward because it takes me to the next page. Instead, I need to press UNLOCK, then press scroll down (or whichever way I want to move to) and then LOCK again to continue reading. This is bit annoying. I thought I should be able to navigate across the zoomed page directly in the LOCK mode. Am I missing something? Tom

09-11-2010, 08:26 AM	#2
TommyT Member Posts: 12 Karma: 3448 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650	This reader is actually great for reading scientific articles. Basically, you can split the page into 2x2 or 3x2 views and scroll through them using normal navigation. For example, if your article has two columns, the 2x2 split works great. I am looking at this article now: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...pdf/zpq145.pdf and in the 2x2 mode, it works REALLY well. I can read each 1/4th without any problems and because I can see a bit of the other column too, I sort of always understand exactly where in the article I am when I read it. Very impressive. But what is missing is 1x2 and 1x3 mode as per my post above. In other words, it would divide the page into two or three rows. Reading non-OCR one-column PDFs would be REALLY easy then. SONY, you guys must be reading these forums, you gotta implement this as a software update and your readers will have no competition. Last edited by TommyT; 09-11-2010 at 08:35 AM. Reason: Typos

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09-11-2010, 09:00 AM	#3
etienne66 Groupie Posts: 185 Karma: 9832 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Texas, US Device: Kindle 2, PRS-600 Black, PRS-650 Red, Adam w/ Pixel Qi(pre-ordered)	Try it in landscape mode (change orientation). I think it will do what you are asking automatically. Etienne66

09-11-2010, 09:43 AM	#4
TommyT Member Posts: 12 Karma: 3448 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650	Actually, you are right, but only if I don't need any zoom. If my text is too small in landscape without zooming and I go into the zoom/lock mode, the page turn just takes me to the next page. This is not what I want. I want the page turn in the zoom mode to show me the rest of the same page. It doesn't do that I think.

09-11-2010, 10:18 AM	#5
etienne66 Groupie Posts: 185 Karma: 9832 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Texas, US Device: Kindle 2, PRS-600 Black, PRS-650 Red, Adam w/ Pixel Qi(pre-ordered)	It's for reasons like that, that I want an Adam from Notion Ink to read PDFs. Although it would be nice if Sony would add that 1x2 and 1x3 mode, don't expect it. They don't have any history for adding functionality to older readers, except for adding epub support to older ones when the stopped supporting LRX. I still want the PRS-650 to read novels though. Etienne66

09-11-2010, 10:28 AM	#6
TommyT Member Posts: 12 Karma: 3448 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650	Yeah I guess Sony has always been like that. But hey other than that, this device is really awesome, I am not complaining really.

09-11-2010, 11:02 AM	#8
TommyT Member Posts: 12 Karma: 3448 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650	Yeah I did try that. It now has a LOCK button that locks the zoom. After you press it, you can turn pages without resetting the zoom settings. I think this was not possible at 600. But if you want to see the rest of the zoomed page, you need to press unlock, use the arrow button and then lock again. While this is not a big deal really, it could have been a bit simpler.

09-11-2010, 12:36 PM	#9
yts06mgr Nameless Being	One thing I found the zoom lock feature was awesome was that after the page was zoom locked, if you press the Home button to read other books it actually remembers the last zoom lock state of each book so that you can always go back instantly without having to re-adjust. It is so convenient when you have collections of Manga.

09-11-2010, 01:03 PM	#10
fyre182 Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	Hey, I've got the prs-650 on pre-order and was wondering whether or not you could use both a sd card and a memory stick pro duo at the same time to expand storage. I have around 30-40 gigs of straight ebooks, which is why I'm wondering

09-11-2010, 04:45 PM	#11
Cheeseandpickles Banned Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Prs 600, iPad	Are you saying that the font resize options are not available anymore? They used to be under options and had s m l and xl buttonson the 600. I've seen them on a video of a epub file on the 650, but if they have removed that function for PDF, it makes the device as useful to me as a kindle. I can't see why they would remove it, but this IS Sony we are talking about. My purchase really rides on this feature. No resize/reflow, no buy.