Sony prs-505 or Cybook for PDF?

kucing · 01-27-2008, 06:05 PM

Hi guys, new in forum, but already loving it here =). I know that there are a couple of sony vs cybook thread here, but i don't feel like hijacking other people's thread and they have completely different issues and priorities than the one I have.

First of all, i already have most of the books i want to read, and they're mostly PDF files (novels, not technical charts). So I probably won't be buying ebooks from either Sony or Booken anyway...

Read tons of pro and con bout each product, but i'm still not sure on which one to get...
I know for sure that Sony is:
1. made of sturdier and better material
2. has better button (the cybook one seems flimsy and hard to press according to most people)
3. has a function to browse by author or bookname, while Cybook doesnt. But cybook can be browsed by 'folder' priority. Does either one actually have folders though? so if i have 500 books i don't have to browse them page by page...
4. No dictionary (not that important to me)
5. doesn't support HTML ad has limited DRM support (not important to me)
6. Cheaper than cybook

My biggest problem with sony just this one thing i read in another thread. The thing is that i've only seen it mentioned by one guy so far (after hours of browsing), so I'm not sure how big of an issue it is. He said that the speed of doing anything in sony is a lot slower compared to cybook... from page turning to font conversion etc.

Since most of the books i read will be in pdf format, i guess we can't convert fonts anyway (not yet anyway). But what about page turning? Is cybook truly that much faster? I've actually played around with a sony reader demo... and it is quite slow (around 1.5-2sec page turn for the book they have in the demo, i dont think it was a PDF). On that note, does a PDF page take longer to turn?

and what about if i convert the PDF to LRf? will it be a lot faster then?

Basically if the speed of doing stuff in sony is about the same as cybook, and if neither have folder support to browse files with, then I'd go with sony reader....

but if sony is a lot slower than cybook, then i'm gonna have to reconsider =/

thanks a lot guys!

JSWolf · 01-27-2008, 07:43 PM

If you want to read letter sized PDF then your current best choice is the iLiad.

But if you want to read PDF on a 6' eink screen, then get a 505 and use PDFLRF to modify the PDF so it is more readable.

NatCh · 01-27-2008, 09:25 PM

Welcome to MobileRead, kucing!

I haven't heard anyone saying that there's really any difference in page turn speed, etc. between the two. They both use the same display panels, so there's no difference there, but Sony uses a more advanced driver module ... I have trouble believing that a more advanced module would give slower results ....

Now the Gen3 probably is faster than the old model 500, but if you're talking about the 505 ... nope, I'm not buying that.

JSWolf has mentioned the difficulties with Letter/A4 Sized PDF files. So I won't go into that in detail, except to agree with him that if what you're primarily wanting to read is that sort of PDF, you stand a really good chance of not being happy with any 6" device. PDFLRF will give you a manageable solution, without much processing, but you're stuck reading half-pages. If that works for what you need then it's a great solution, if not ... then not so much.

JSWolf · 01-27-2008, 09:54 PM

Well, you don't have to read half pages. Sometimes you'll find that once you've taken away the excess margin that a full page will be ok enough to read as is. But overall, you do have to play with the settings to figure out what works best for each PDF file. And none of the eink readers will read DRM laden PDF.

NatCh · 01-27-2008, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And none of the eink readers will read DRM laden PDF.

That's an excellent point, which I always seem to forget to mention.

HarryT · 01-28-2008, 02:39 AM

What will dramatically slow down the display of PDFs is if they have embedded fonts. Embed half a dozen fonts in a PDF file and you may as well give up when it comes to either the Gen3 or the Sony.

Clemenseken · 01-28-2008, 04:01 AM

Here is one point that may not be important to you - but is still worth mentioning:

Both Sonys support PDF-hyperlink-jumping, which Gen3 does not.
(As PDFs are only displayed as whole pages these Links will only jump to pages, not single items.)

kucing · 01-28-2008, 12:54 PM

Very good points guys... I think i'll stick with sony after all =). Now all I gotta do is find one (they're sold out in borders/best buy etc) =(.

Thanks for all the information!

Icey · 10-22-2008, 11:35 AM

Edit : sorry windows miss :/

01-27-2008, 06:05 PM	#1
kucing Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: sony prs-505	Sony prs-505 or Cybook for PDF? Hi guys, new in forum, but already loving it here =). I know that there are a couple of sony vs cybook thread here, but i don't feel like hijacking other people's thread and they have completely different issues and priorities than the one I have. First of all, i already have most of the books i want to read, and they're mostly PDF files (novels, not technical charts). So I probably won't be buying ebooks from either Sony or Booken anyway... Read tons of pro and con bout each product, but i'm still not sure on which one to get... I know for sure that Sony is: 1. made of sturdier and better material 2. has better button (the cybook one seems flimsy and hard to press according to most people) 3. has a function to browse by author or bookname, while Cybook doesnt. But cybook can be browsed by 'folder' priority. Does either one actually have folders though? so if i have 500 books i don't have to browse them page by page... 4. No dictionary (not that important to me) 5. doesn't support HTML ad has limited DRM support (not important to me) 6. Cheaper than cybook My biggest problem with sony just this one thing i read in another thread. The thing is that i've only seen it mentioned by one guy so far (after hours of browsing), so I'm not sure how big of an issue it is. He said that the speed of doing anything in sony is a lot slower compared to cybook... from page turning to font conversion etc. Since most of the books i read will be in pdf format, i guess we can't convert fonts anyway (not yet anyway). But what about page turning? Is cybook truly that much faster? I've actually played around with a sony reader demo... and it is quite slow (around 1.5-2sec page turn for the book they have in the demo, i dont think it was a PDF). On that note, does a PDF page take longer to turn? and what about if i convert the PDF to LRf? will it be a lot faster then? Basically if the speed of doing stuff in sony is about the same as cybook, and if neither have folder support to browse files with, then I'd go with sony reader.... but if sony is a lot slower than cybook, then i'm gonna have to reconsider =/ thanks a lot guys!

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01-27-2008, 07:43 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,037 Karma: 129333114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If you want to read letter sized PDF then your current best choice is the iLiad. But if you want to read PDF on a 6' eink screen, then get a 505 and use PDFLRF to modify the PDF so it is more readable.

01-27-2008, 09:25 PM	#3
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Welcome to MobileRead, kucing! I haven't heard anyone saying that there's really any difference in page turn speed, etc. between the two. They both use the same display panels, so there's no difference there, but Sony uses a more advanced driver module ... I have trouble believing that a more advanced module would give slower results .... Now the Gen3 probably is faster than the old model 500, but if you're talking about the 505 ... nope, I'm not buying that. JSWolf has mentioned the difficulties with Letter/A4 Sized PDF files. So I won't go into that in detail, except to agree with him that if what you're primarily wanting to read is that sort of PDF, you stand a really good chance of not being happy with any 6" device. PDFLRF will give you a manageable solution, without much processing, but you're stuck reading half-pages. If that works for what you need then it's a great solution, if not ... then not so much.

01-27-2008, 09:54 PM	#4
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,037 Karma: 129333114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Well, you don't have to read half pages. Sometimes you'll find that once you've taken away the excess margin that a full page will be ok enough to read as is. But overall, you do have to play with the settings to figure out what works best for each PDF file. And none of the eink readers will read DRM laden PDF.

01-28-2008, 02:39 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	What will dramatically slow down the display of PDFs is if they have embedded fonts. Embed half a dozen fonts in a PDF file and you may as well give up when it comes to either the Gen3 or the Sony.

01-28-2008, 04:01 AM	#7
Clemenseken eWriter Posts: 267 Karma: 175607 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Frankfurt, FRG Device: PB-IQ / Sony PRS-500	Here is one point that may not be important to you - but is still worth mentioning: Both Sonys support PDF-hyperlink-jumping, which Gen3 does not. (As PDFs are only displayed as whole pages these Links will only jump to pages, not single items.)

01-28-2008, 12:54 PM	#8
kucing Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: sony prs-505	Very good points guys... I think i'll stick with sony after all =). Now all I gotta do is find one (they're sold out in borders/best buy etc) =(. Thanks for all the information!

10-22-2008, 11:35 AM	#9
Icey Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Onyx max	Edit : sorry windows miss :/

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