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Old 02-06-2008, 09:48 PM   #1
OUTATIME
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Question Total N00B questions! (Apologies in advance).

Sorry if this stuff has been covered before, but I'm on a tight deadline and the search is giving me grief.



I'm off to America in a couple of days, and I'm planning on picking up a Sony Reader 505.

The thing is I want to load up the memory card before I go so I'll have stuff to read on the flight back, and I'm wondering about file types.

Most of the book files I've found online are a mixture of .rtf .html .doc and .txt, most of them .txt.

Will these files display okay if I just throw them on the card then slap it into the machine when I get it, or is there a complicated conversion process or (even worse) a mini-disc-like Check-in/Check-out process to go through?

I realise this is probably common knowledge, and I'm breaking all the rules of N00b forum Nettiquete, but I've just discovered this item and I'm on a strict deadline.

Thanks for your understanding,

Alex.
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Old 02-06-2008, 10:15 PM   #2
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Of the ones you list, RTF and TXT are the two formats that you can read on the 505. But you should also look for ebooks in LRF. That's the native format for the Sony Reader. LRF works much better than anything else. You can find LRF format ebooks at Munsey's as well as here in our ebook library. There are many more places to find them, but here's two to get you started.

P.S. Before you leave, try to find a retailer that has a 505 to sell you. Demand has been high lately and as a result supply is iffy.
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Old 02-06-2008, 10:33 PM   #3
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Hi Outatime,

No sweat. We aren't formal here. There are couple great tools out there for converting your files so I think you are going to get what you want.

The first tool is Libprs500. You can get it at:

https://libprs500.kovidgoyal.net

It will convert your rtf, txt and HTML files to LRF (Sony Reader format). It does a lot of other stuff too. If you have windows, the author has written a nice windows GUI, so get that. You can also view your converted docs on this GUI to make sure the type is big enough (leave the screen size alone).

The next tool is PDFLRFwin-0.99. It can be downloaded here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13135

Use it on PDF files. It will turn a page sideways, remove margins and thicken the letters to make them more readable. Use the default settings.

Whether you will like what you see depends on the original document and how you process it. A normal 8.5" x 11" page needs to be rotated sideways and have its margins removed in order for the type to be read comfortably. A 40 column document (pocketbook paperback) does not need to be rotated, but you still will want to remove the margins.

I don't have an answer for you on Word docs. Maybe someone else here can help.

Good luck,

Mike
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Old 02-07-2008, 03:05 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by Mike's Place View Post
I don't have an answer for you on Word docs. Maybe someone else here can help.

Good luck,

Mike
Word docs need to be converted to RTF to be read on the Reader. If you simply copy them using the Sony librarian software, it will do this conversion for you automatically.
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Old 02-07-2008, 07:05 AM   #5
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Word docs need to be converted to RTF to be read on the Reader. If you simply copy them using the Sony librarian software, it will do this conversion for you automatically.
But only if you have Word installed on your computer (I don't.)

For books to read, I didn't see anybody mention the fine downloads available in LRF format right here in this forum, and there are many thousands of books in LRF format at manybooks.net, all for free.
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Old 02-07-2008, 10:42 AM   #6
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For books to read, I didn't see anybody mention the fine downloads available in LRF format right here in this forum, and there are many thousands of books in LRF format at manybooks.net, all for free.
HAH! Good catch! Couldn't see the forest for the trees.

Thanks,

Mike
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Old 02-07-2008, 10:51 AM   #7
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For books to read, I didn't see anybody mention the fine downloads available in LRF format right here in this forum, and there are many thousands of books in LRF format at manybooks.net, all for free.
I did.
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You can find LRF format ebooks at Munsey's as well as here in our ebook library.
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Old 02-07-2008, 12:11 PM   #8
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That's really, really great guys, thank you so much.

The help is very much appreciated, I'll start looking into all that now.

Really, thanks again, you're a good bunch of lads.

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Old 02-07-2008, 12:17 PM   #9
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But only if you have Word installed on your computer (I don't.)

For books to read, I didn't see anybody mention the fine downloads available in LRF format right here in this forum, and there are many thousands of books in LRF format at manybooks.net, all for free.
Try a program like OpenOffice.Org to convert (w/o Sony's S/W) .doc to .rtf.

I've been using a PRS-505 for several months, and so far I just bring an SD card loaded with .RTF, .TXT, .JPEG, .GIF, .MP3, or large print .PDF to read / listen to.

Also, bring a PSP charging cable.

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Old 02-07-2008, 01:12 PM   #10
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Try a program like OpenOffice.Org to convert (w/o Sony's S/W) .doc to .rtf.

I've been using a PRS-505 for several months, and so far I just bring an SD card loaded with .RTF, .TXT, .JPEG, .GIF, .MP3, or large print .PDF to read / listen to.

Also, bring a PSP charging cable.

Andy
Hi Andy, thanks for the reply.

So I can just drag and drop txt and pdf on to the card and pop it in the new machine?

Why would I need the PSP charger, does the 505 not come with a charger?

Thanks again,

Alex.
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Old 02-07-2008, 02:51 PM   #11
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Correct! The Sony PRS-505 does not come with a charger ??? But it charges up just fine with the usb cable to the computer. I own a charger and haven't opened it yet because I'm happy with usb charging (albeit charges more slowly). But I imagine if you are listening to music and without your computer it would come in handy to have a small charger.
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Old 02-07-2008, 03:41 PM   #12
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Correct! The Sony PRS-505 does not come with a charger ??? But it charges up just fine with the usb cable to the computer. I own a charger and haven't opened it yet because I'm happy with usb charging (albeit charges more slowly). But I imagine if you are listening to music and without your computer it would come in handy to have a small charger.
The 505 *sometimes* charges by USB. Best bet is to use a PSP charger, which will charge any Reader model at any time. Plus, there are many compact and inexpensive PSP chargers out there.
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Old 02-07-2008, 07:36 PM   #13
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I actually have a PSP, but that's not gonna help if I need to charge it in the US before the flight...

Thank you all for that very useful (if not shocking) piece of information.
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Old 02-07-2008, 08:17 PM   #14
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Working on loading up a couple of SD cards...

Thanks again!
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Old 02-08-2008, 12:18 AM   #15
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One more suggestion. Hope it doesn't come too late. If you're loading them up yourself you don't have the option of putting them into categories so don't put too many files on any one card. It would be great to have a bunch of cards with no more than 50 files on each. That will be about 5 pages of files on each card. It gets a little frustrating to wade through twenty pages of filenames to find the one you want to read.

Don't forget about all the great books available here.

Have a blast,

Mike
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