PRS-950 frustration about PRS 950

pj123 · 05-23-2011, 11:58 AM

I got a PRS 950 ($199 special price) from BB. After playing with it for 2 days, I am so frustrated with the device and thinking to retun it. I use the device to read scientific papers. The reader has no folder structure. All my >300 papers are displayed according to the so called "title" or "author", which are basically displayed randomly. I could use Calibre to type in the title/author for each paper or classify them into "collections". But that will take me quite a long time to do that. Before I return the 950, I am curious about my fellow readers' feeling about this device. I am sure there are many other 950 users who also use the device to read scientific papers. How do you solve this problem? If you don't care about folder structure, why not just buy Kindle DX? Thanks.

ilovejedd · 05-23-2011, 12:09 PM

PRS+ in the Dev section.

Bookworm_Girl · 05-23-2011, 12:36 PM

If you don't want to use calibre, then another option is the Sony Reader Library software. You can create collections and then drag and drop your books into the collections. You can even order the list to be any sequence that you want and not just sort by author or title. It's just like you would create playlists for an iPod in iTunes. You can even setup collections to auto-sync if you want. It shouldn't take that long to setup.

netboy · 05-23-2011, 12:57 PM

You can add tags to your books to add them as a collection which will act as a folder. You can do this either on the reader itself or through calibre.

For example, books a,b,c just add tag physics and books d,e,f add tag math. THen when you go to the collections tab in the reader there will be two folders called "physics" and "math" with the appropriate books in them.

Prestidigitweeze · 05-23-2011, 01:32 PM

Ironically, the organization of the library is one of the PRS series' best features. You can do any of the things mentioned here to better organize books.

Rewriting some of the tags and applying the rewrite across entire group selections in Calibre would be a quick way to accomplish this. I personally will be using CFW on my new 950. Waiter, folders for everyone.

If you take your 950 back and get a Kindle DX instead, you're going to be far more frustrated with its file management system. I like a lot of the DX's features, but library organization isn't one of them.

pj123 · 05-23-2011, 03:43 PM

Hi all, thanks a lot for the help! After reading your posts, I feel much more confident about PRS 950. Netboy mentioned to add tags to each paper. I can easily use Calibre to do that. After I add the tags, I can export the files from calibre to the SD card. My question is: after I insert the SD card to the Sony reader, how to tell the Sony Reader to creat collections using the tags? I don't like to use the Sony Reader Library because I use Linux and there is no Sony Reader Library for Linux. Thank you!

barium · 05-23-2011, 04:43 PM

First, go to the collections menu and use "new collection" to create the collections you want.

Then go to the books menu, press options, and select the "add to collection" item.

You can also add items to collections from calibre, which may be easier.

Keep in mind that having lots of books on your device can make it less responsive.

jackie_w · 05-23-2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj123

Hi all, thanks a lot for the help! After reading your posts, I feel much more confident about PRS 950. Netboy mentioned to add tags to each paper. I can easily use Calibre to do that. After I add the tags, I can export the files from calibre to the SD card. My question is: after I insert the SD card to the Sony reader, how to tell the Sony Reader to creat collections using the tags? I don't like to use the Sony Reader Library because I use Linux and there is no Sony Reader Library for Linux. Thank you!

If you use Calibre you can make your life very easy:

go to Preferences - Sending books to device. In the box labelled Metadata management set it to Automatic management
go to Preferences - Plugins - Device Interface - Sony - Customize. Then find the box with a long label starting 'Comma separated list of metadata...'. The default is series, tags. Change it to just tags if that's what you'd prefer.
Connect your device to Calibre, let it do its stuff then disconnect. All the Collections should be created and kept in-synch every time you connect.

Note: This option is not compatible with you also trying to create/maintain Collections manually on your Sony.

SeaBookGuy · 05-23-2011, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj123

Hi all, thanks a lot for the help! After reading your posts, I feel much more confident about PRS 950. Netboy mentioned to add tags to each paper. I can easily use Calibre to do that. After I add the tags, I can export the files from calibre to the SD card. My question is: after I insert the SD card to the Sony reader, how to tell the Sony Reader to creat collections using the tags? I don't like to use the Sony Reader Library because I use Linux and there is no Sony Reader Library for Linux. Thank you!

It's been my experience that the Sonys read the tags as collections automatically; the reverse, however, is not the case - collections you initiate on the device will not be recognized by Calibre as "tags".

pj123 · 05-23-2011, 10:11 PM

Hi all, especially to jackie_w, thank you so much for the help! I really appreciate it. The "Automatic management" function is really cool.

Bookworm_Girl · 05-23-2011, 10:36 PM

Great! I'm glad you found a solution that works for you. The 950 has a lot of features packed into it. I suggest that you browse the user guide for some tips, and keep asking questions here and someone is bound to have a helpful answer.

05-23-2011, 11:58 AM	#1
pj123 Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 1050004 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Lenovo Tablet 3 Pro, Kobo Aura H2O, Ipad	frustration about PRS 950 I got a PRS 950 ($199 special price) from BB. After playing with it for 2 days, I am so frustrated with the device and thinking to retun it. I use the device to read scientific papers. The reader has no folder structure. All my >300 papers are displayed according to the so called "title" or "author", which are basically displayed randomly. I could use Calibre to type in the title/author for each paper or classify them into "collections". But that will take me quite a long time to do that. Before I return the 950, I am curious about my fellow readers' feeling about this device. I am sure there are many other 950 users who also use the device to read scientific papers. How do you solve this problem? If you don't care about folder structure, why not just buy Kindle DX? Thanks.

05-23-2011, 01:32 PM	#5
Prestidigitweeze Fledgling Demagogue Posts: 2,384 Karma: 31132263 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: White Plains Device: Clara HD; Oasis 2; Aura HD; iPad Air; PRS-350; Galaxy S7.	Ironically, the organization of the library is one of the PRS series' best features. You can do any of the things mentioned here to better organize books. Rewriting some of the tags and applying the rewrite across entire group selections in Calibre would be a quick way to accomplish this. I personally will be using CFW on my new 950. Waiter, folders for everyone. If you take your 950 back and get a Kindle DX instead, you're going to be far more frustrated with its file management system. I like a lot of the DX's features, but library organization isn't one of them. Last edited by Prestidigitweeze; 05-23-2011 at 10:33 PM.

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05-23-2011, 12:09 PM	#2
ilovejedd hopeless n00b Posts: 5,111 Karma: 19597086 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: in the middle of nowhere Device: PW4, PW3, Libra H2O, iPad 10.5, iPad 11, iPad 12.9	PRS+ in the Dev section.

05-23-2011, 12:36 PM	#3
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	If you don't want to use calibre, then another option is the Sony Reader Library software. You can create collections and then drag and drop your books into the collections. You can even order the list to be any sequence that you want and not just sort by author or title. It's just like you would create playlists for an iPod in iTunes. You can even setup collections to auto-sync if you want. It shouldn't take that long to setup.

05-23-2011, 12:57 PM	#4
netboy Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10780 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: prs-505, prs-950, irex dr800sg	You can add tags to your books to add them as a collection which will act as a folder. You can do this either on the reader itself or through calibre. For example, books a,b,c just add tag physics and books d,e,f add tag math. THen when you go to the collections tab in the reader there will be two folders called "physics" and "math" with the appropriate books in them.

05-23-2011, 03:43 PM	#6
pj123 Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 1050004 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Lenovo Tablet 3 Pro, Kobo Aura H2O, Ipad	Hi all, thanks a lot for the help! After reading your posts, I feel much more confident about PRS 950. Netboy mentioned to add tags to each paper. I can easily use Calibre to do that. After I add the tags, I can export the files from calibre to the SD card. My question is: after I insert the SD card to the Sony reader, how to tell the Sony Reader to creat collections using the tags? I don't like to use the Sony Reader Library because I use Linux and there is no Sony Reader Library for Linux. Thank you!

05-23-2011, 04:43 PM	#7
barium Connoisseur Posts: 96 Karma: 20572 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: None	First, go to the collections menu and use "new collection" to create the collections you want. Then go to the books menu, press options, and select the "add to collection" item. You can also add items to collections from calibre, which may be easier. Keep in mind that having lots of books on your device can make it less responsive.

05-23-2011, 10:11 PM	#10
pj123 Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 1050004 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Lenovo Tablet 3 Pro, Kobo Aura H2O, Ipad	Hi all, especially to jackie_w, thank you so much for the help! I really appreciate it. The "Automatic management" function is really cool.

05-23-2011, 10:36 PM	#11
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	Great! I'm glad you found a solution that works for you. The 950 has a lot of features packed into it. I suggest that you browse the user guide for some tips, and keep asking questions here and someone is bound to have a helpful answer.

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