Bebook as sony alternative?

socalpimp · 01-25-2009, 10:36 PM

As a sad owner of a broken sony 505, I am looking for a new ebook reader. I was hoping to purchase a open source ebook reader that would read books in their native format such as html or lit. I am wondering if the BeBook will work without conversion software and how well does it render .lit, .lrf, .html?

I noticed that the bebook is now 279. 15 for shipping

thanks

slayda · 01-26-2009, 09:37 AM

I have the EZ Reader (USA version on the Hanlin V3 which is the same hardware as BeBook). Also a Cybook Gen3 and a Sony PRS-500. The EZ Reader is my favorite, especially now that I have flashed the firmware to OpenInkPot.

I had had some automatic reboots with the original EZ Reader firmware reading the Mobipocket format. So far none with the OpenInkPot firmware. It not only seems more stable but has the ability to search for words and to delete books directly from the reader.

IMO the Hanlin hardware is the best of all the readers I've tried and the OI firmware is the best.

wallcraft · 01-26-2009, 12:07 PM

Only the Sony's will read LRF, but there are conversion tools (LRFTools. Convert LRF to EPUB, HTML, PDF and RTF) and if you used Calibre to create the LRF from some other format then Calibre can now create ePub or MOBI from the original format (but not from LRF).

The BeBook firmware includes LIT and HTML support, but I find (using the Hanlin firmware, which is similar to the BeBook's) that FB2 has the best support followed by MOBI. Only MOBI allows DRM. If you don't care about DRM support, then the best option of all is to install OpenInkPot, which is Open Source firmware for the Hanlin V3. You can either reflash the firmware or use a "live" version on top of the original firmware. The OI does not support LIT (OpenInkPot do .lit natively?), but it now has both FBReader and Cool Reader 3 for DRM-free ebook formats.

socalpimp · 01-26-2009, 01:38 PM

Im just confused as to the advantage of Hanlin Ebook over sony's 505?

If calibre works fantastic with sony what is the advantage of having the Hanlin if you end up having to convert the files anyways?

I was hoping Hanlin would be able to read the files natively.

Dave_S · 01-26-2009, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socalpimp

Im just confused as to the advantage of Hanlin Ebook over sony's 505?

If ALL you care about is .LRF then, of course, the Sony has the advantage since it is their proprietary book format. The advantage of the Hanlin types is their format flexibility and openness. Since I prefer .PRC and .FB2 the advantage is obvious for me.

socalpimp · 01-26-2009, 09:58 PM

yes I understand that, but how well does the Hanlin handle .lit .html. .txt ebooks without having to run it through a conversion program? I would love just to drop my files onto a sd card and read without converting.

bigmoney · 01-27-2009, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socalpimp

yes I understand that, but how well does the Hanlin handle .lit .html. .txt ebooks without having to run it through a conversion program? I would love just to drop my files onto a sd card and read without converting.

From what I've seen at the BeBook forums (mybebook.com/forum), people is very happy with the recent firmware update when it comes to .lit files.

01-25-2009, 10:36 PM	#1
socalpimp Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: prs505(broken), Bebook	Bebook as sony alternative? As a sad owner of a broken sony 505, I am looking for a new ebook reader. I was hoping to purchase a open source ebook reader that would read books in their native format such as html or lit. I am wondering if the BeBook will work without conversion software and how well does it render .lit, .lrf, .html? I noticed that the bebook is now 279. 15 for shipping thanks Last edited by socalpimp; 01-26-2009 at 01:06 AM.

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01-26-2009, 09:37 AM	#2
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	I have the EZ Reader (USA version on the Hanlin V3 which is the same hardware as BeBook). Also a Cybook Gen3 and a Sony PRS-500. The EZ Reader is my favorite, especially now that I have flashed the firmware to OpenInkPot. I had had some automatic reboots with the original EZ Reader firmware reading the Mobipocket format. So far none with the OpenInkPot firmware. It not only seems more stable but has the ability to search for words and to delete books directly from the reader. IMO the Hanlin hardware is the best of all the readers I've tried and the OI firmware is the best.

01-26-2009, 12:07 PM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Only the Sony's will read LRF, but there are conversion tools (LRFTools. Convert LRF to EPUB, HTML, PDF and RTF) and if you used Calibre to create the LRF from some other format then Calibre can now create ePub or MOBI from the original format (but not from LRF). The BeBook firmware includes LIT and HTML support, but I find (using the Hanlin firmware, which is similar to the BeBook's) that FB2 has the best support followed by MOBI. Only MOBI allows DRM. If you don't care about DRM support, then the best option of all is to install OpenInkPot, which is Open Source firmware for the Hanlin V3. You can either reflash the firmware or use a "live" version on top of the original firmware. The OI does not support LIT (OpenInkPot do .lit natively?), but it now has both FBReader and Cool Reader 3 for DRM-free ebook formats.

01-26-2009, 01:38 PM	#4
socalpimp Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: prs505(broken), Bebook	Im just confused as to the advantage of Hanlin Ebook over sony's 505? If calibre works fantastic with sony what is the advantage of having the Hanlin if you end up having to convert the files anyways? I was hoping Hanlin would be able to read the files natively.

01-26-2009, 09:58 PM	#6
socalpimp Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: prs505(broken), Bebook	yes I understand that, but how well does the Hanlin handle .lit .html. .txt ebooks without having to run it through a conversion program? I would love just to drop my files onto a sd card and read without converting.

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