Kobo Libra H20 issues

[Timboli]

I bought a Kobo Libra H20 some years ago, brand new.

For around the first year, I had no real problems with it.

Then it started having issues, where the only way I could resolve them, was to do a factory reset about every two months.

The main issue, is that after about two months it can no longer complete a sync.

The other really annoying issue, is that many of the covers don't show when browsing on the device, and even worse in a lot of cases, won't display when I put the device to sleep.

Sometimes I have been lucky, and the Repair option will fix things for a while, but not past another sync or two. Often the Repair option also gets stuck like Sync, and never completes.

I have several hundred ebooks on the device, mostly downloaded by wifi from Kobo, but also a good bunch of side-loaded ebooks gotten direct from authors or from Smashwords, BookFunnel, etc.

The side-loaded ebooks often show a wrong size cover (i.e. a small image inside a larger blank image). I've learnt how to replace such images (3 variants). I've even created a helper program to assist with that.

However, I have had no luck with adding images to my wifi downloaded ebooks, where the cover image is missing, even though the cover image actually exists in the epub file. Even checking the SQL Kobo database file doesn't help in regard to where the missing cover images should be.

I don't connect my Kobo ereader to my PC and calibre. In any case, my USB connection is at times flaky ... which seems to be the case after the device is fully charged.

I suspect I am not alone with these issues, though never confirmed that with anyone.

I have of course had many discussions with Kobo in my attempts to fix these issues. In the end I had to give up because I wasn't getting anywhere.

I am also fed up with reloading my ebooks onto my Kobo ereader. So no more factory resetting or repair attempts.

Instead, I just tolerate the issues and get around them best I can. For instance, to download a purchase from Kobo via Wifi, I pretend I want to read the ebook now, then after it downloads and opens I close it and reset to Unread.

I have contemplated doing another reset and then side-loading all my ebooks instead of using wifi, but I have on the few occasions I tested that, noticed that there is text formatting issues with my Kobo purchases, when added to the device in that manner.

Prior to buying the Kobo, I bought Kindle E-Ink devices and used them for many years (Keyboard Kindle and Paperwhite 2). I also have a 10" Samsung Tablet, which I use for ebooks with graphics.

I had several motivations for buying into the Kobo ecosystem, not least was a few issues with Amazon. I also wanted a device that would display the book cover of the ebook I was reading, when it goes to sleep. And I simply wanted to check out what a Kobo device was like, and the only option available to me was to buy one to do so. The Kobo Libra H20 appealed to me, so I took a leap of faith, and for the most part I am glad I did, because it is now my preferred ereader device, especially as I prefer using the page buttons.

All my ereaders (and tablet) have decent impact proof covers, front and back, much like an old leather hard cover novel. And I treat them all as something special.

I still use my Paperwhite Kindle regularly, because most of my prior purchases and the occasional new one are a Kindle format.

Generally, I will now purchase an ebook at Kobo instead of Amazon, unless Amazon is significantly cheaper or the ebook only exists at Amazon.

Anyway, I would appreciate any insights someone has ... if there are any.

[Sirtel]

Such issues are why I sideload everything and never sync. No problems with covers or anything else.

As to the formatting issues, there are many ways to fix those; one of them is to sideload the books as kepubs, others are editing the formatting and patching the Kobo.

Is there a reason you don't connect your Kobo to Calibre? For me, connecting to Calibre was the main reason I bought a Kobo in the first place, given how easy it is to manage metadata and collections on a Kobo automatically via Calibre.

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Is there a reason you don't connect your Kobo to Calibre? For me, connecting to Calibre was the main reason I bought a Kobo in the first place, given how easy it is to manage metadata and collections on a Kobo automatically via Calibre.

Partly it is due to that flaky USB connection.
Another reason, is the fact I paid for Wifi, and Wifi has always been the most convenient way to get my Kobo store bought ebooks onto the device.
And finally, at the moment, most of my browsing of the web and downloading is done on an older PC with an older version of Windows and an older version of calibre, that doesn't support my Kobo ereader. I'm not yet ready to transfer everything to my new replacement PC ... and life keeps getting in the way.

I fully expect I will eventually give up on wifi completely, and side load everything.

I tried to come up with my own solution for missing covers, but in the end could not work out how to determine where the image files should be. So all I could do is fix existing wrong size images.

Here's a screenshot of what I developed.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Timboli

Another reason, is the fact I paid for Wifi, and Wifi has always been the most convenient way to get my Kobo store bought ebooks onto the device.

I gave up on direct downloads more than a decade ago, when I still used Kindles. Not only because of various sync issues, but also because I edit the metadata and formatting of all my ebooks. With Kobos, there's also the additional reason of managing the metadata and collections automatically, without having to do any manual sorting on the device.

Then again, most ereader users probably prefer direct downloads via wifi and don't use Calibre at all. To each their own.

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

... I edit the metadata and formatting of all my ebooks. With Kobos, there's also the additional reason of managing the metadata and collections automatically, without having to do any manual sorting on the device.

Then again, most ereader users probably prefer direct downloads via wifi and don't use Calibre at all. To each their own.

I actually use Calibre all the time, but only for checking and modifying my ebooks to back them up, along with some complimentary programs of my own to assist with that and editing metadata (adding missing blurb and series info and case changes etc) and replacing cover images where needed or desired.

I also appropriate the Tags field of the OPF file for author names, which is especially useful where multiple authors exist for a Various authors ebook (editor names also included). In some cases it will include a series name if more than one author participates (i.e. Robin Hood or James Bond or Sherlock Homes, etc). Any other existing tags are removed and in some cases relocated to Comments, but generally I've found Tags to be a very much abused genre type field, so I replace the lot and forego genre entirely. I also limit multiple author names in the Creator field, to just be co-author names or Various.

I strongly dislike too many author names in the Author columns (and as Creators in the OPF file), and an author name as a Tag is very handy, as you may be aware, to click on and have every ebook with that author be listed (grouped) for viewing ... Various author collections included.

I'm not aware of a method to automatically assign an ebook to a collection when transferring to my Kobo ereader.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Timboli

I'm not aware of a method to automatically assign an ebook to a collection when transferring to my Kobo ereader.

You'll need to customize the Kobo driver in Calibre, it has this option.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Timboli

I'm not aware of a method to automatically assign an ebook to a collection when transferring to my Kobo ereader.

Take a look at the second page of the KoboTouch/KoboTouchExtended driver configuration dialog. For my uses, the only collection I use is Finished but you can add other columns or create a template to create collections depending on how complex you want to get. One acquaintance has a Genres column and uses that to create collections.

[Timboli]

@Sirtel and @DNSB - Thanks for that info.