Information request: tips and tricks for the Story HD

[frostschutz]

Yes, but you should put your own books on SD card only. Or make sure that the files aren't corrupt and filename / directory path is not too long altogether.

If it hangs it does so before you even load the book - when it tries to update the database, which it does automatically every time you connect it to USB or insert/remove the SD card.

[Isles8008]

Okay, so pre-loaded books are fine to read on the device, but all others should be loaded via SD card. Got it!

How do I ensure that the file name / directory path is not too long? Do I just make sure the name of the file is under 200 characters?

By the way, I think I lucked out and got a solid device. No glitchyness or battery problems to report. From what people say on these threads, it looks like one out of every five StoryHDs are duds. Hopefully the dice fell in my favor.

[frostschutz]

Well, as long as it's on the SD card, it doesn't really matter. If it hangs after putting a new book on, you take the SD card out, put it in a cardreader, and fix it.

If you don't let Calibre create a too fancy directory structure (like author/series/date/number - series - author - date.epub) and you don't have books with funny long titles, chances are you won't be hitting the limit anyway.

[Isles8008]

Right, my Calibre always adds the author's name to the eBook title separated by a dash. For example: Ulysses-James Joyce.epub. But I loaded the SD card with about 200 eBooks yesterday and no freeze occurred, so that's a good sign if the freezing only occurs when you load the card.

[Isles8008]

Here is another question for you. It might be more of an eBook problem than an issue with the device, but I'm not sure.

Duplicate files are being shown in my iRiver folders, and they don't open.

The duplicates look like this:

._The Wealth of Nations

The regular eBooks look the same, just without the ._

The non-._ eBooks load fine, but any ideas about the duplicates?

[CJJ]

Do you have more than one format version of the titles in question stored in Calibre? When you load the flash drive from Calibre do you specify epub version only? Just a thought. If this is not the case I haven't a clue.

[frostschutz]

It shouldn't show duplicate files, unless there are duplicate files, for whatever reason...

Calibre may create some extra metadata files when exporting books, which may show up on the Story HD - it's possible to disable with a setting, not sure where though - I disabled it so long ago I forget. But IIRC those aren't files starting with ., just the same book name and a different extension.

[Isles8008]

Yeah, this is a Calibre issue. No big deal though, I just deleted the files.

I really find navigation on the Story HD quite comfortable. I was in love with the Kindle 3 keyboard, so this is a nice throwback to that type of device. Now I just need a good case.

[Isles8008]

I updated my device when I first set it up and it looks like the latest Story HD firmware is version 1.32. With this build, the eBook reading screen is totally devoid of page numbers, and the status bar at the bottom disappears after a brief display when you turn a page. There are still no options to change margin space or line height, and there is only one font option. This is okay because the font looks great, and the tight margins are easy to get used to.

Something funny/annoying that I have noticed: when you turn to the last page of an eBook, a large notifications box opens up that says "This is the last page." It remains on the screen, totally blocking out the text, for about 1.5 seconds, then disappears. I'm not sure why you need a notification to let you know when you've finished a book, especially one as intrusive as this, but it's good to know I guess.

[frostschutz]

I did make a hidelastpage mod which hides that box at the end, it still refreshes the screen though.

If it annoys you greatly, the best option may be to somehow insert an empty page at the end of every book.

[Isles8008]

Haha! Great mod idea.

I recently just got to the last page in a Kindle eBook, and although it doesn't bring up a pointless "this is the last page" message, it does bring up a recommendations popup. I guess iRiver isn't the only one that wants to remind you that you have finished the book.

[MarjaE]

Been having a lot of trouble lately.

First, the page-flip button is erratic, and keps going the wrong way.

Second, the machine freezes after each page flip.

I've cut down extra files to try to stay within 20/folder and 200/device. However, at one point Adobe Digital Editions decided to scan everything and add extra copies. Calibre has added some of its own files, I think I can delete them. OS X has a different file format, so I'm not sure whether each of the remaining files counts as 1 or 2 towards the total.

[frostschutz]

You can also flip pages with the arrow keys in the lower right corner of the keyboard.
Does that result in the same problems? Does it happen in all books, or even in the menu?

[MarjaE]

That helps with the wrong-way flips, but not the freezes.

It does a lot better on most of my files, it just keeps freezing and freezing again with this one very long epub.

[CJJ]

Well MarjaE, if worse comes to worse I have an ISHD with a broken screen. If you're up to swapping screens and willing to pay shipping it's yours. I have two others that still see daily use and work flawlessly so no real need for it. I'm in WI, USA