PDF to ePUB/Mobi Converter for $21 today

jj2me · 10-17-2010, 11:35 AM

At BitsDuJour.

Comments say it doesn't work on 64-bit Windows. Decent license agreement: single user, can transfer to another computer, free upgrades for life, free support for one year, 7-day return.

Sorry, haven't tried it, it's the last nice day in the northeast, gotta go out!

Bikeridr · 10-17-2010, 11:58 AM

OK, so I read the "brag page" and also the comments.
What exactly is it that this software can do, which the free Calibre can't?

jj2me · 10-17-2010, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bikeridr

What exactly is it that this software can do, which the free Calibre can't?

Here's a post (post #12 in this thread) written today that says using Calibre to convert PDFs is "all wrong."

Quote:

"If that is the case, convert your PDFs to HTML, and then to EPUB/MOBI
there is some free software to convert PDF2HTML making the tables in to images that works quite nicely.

If you are using some program such as calibre/stanza or whatever it is you're doing it all wrong.

manually convert pdf => html
after you get that right, you can take the html into any format and you'll get a perfect document. "

I read that, went looking for PDF2HTML and found a dead link to a GUI for PDF2HTML, some other place said it needed ghostscript installed. Seemed old code from early-mid 2000s.

Then I stumbled upon this bitsdujour offering.

jj2me · 10-17-2010, 01:17 PM

OK, just did a quick try: NOT RECOMMENDED.

Three tests, tested only by viewing ePub output in Sony Reader Library app:

1. a varying one- and two-column french language learning book of over 400 pages. Result: only 11 pages when set to "Image", overshot margins on both one-column and two-column pages, losing text at the margins. Only 8 pages when set to "Text." Big fail.

2. An image-only PDF of viewgraphs, two to a page. Pushed down the viewgraphs, with extra white space on top and 2nd viewgraph not fully viewable. Fail.

3. Real simple text PDF: overran both left and right margins when "image" selected. OK when "text" selected. Fail.

K-Thom · 10-18-2010, 10:34 AM

Uh, download the free Mobipocket Creator from Mobipocket, upload PDF, convert to PRC. *
Read on Kindle, otherwise open calibre, upload PRC, convert to ePub, read on other devices.

= Save the 21 $ and spend them on eBooks ...

* Yup, it's not perfect, but I've seen much more worse conversions with other tools.

koland · 10-18-2010, 10:47 AM

Yes, Calibre does a poor job on many PDF's. But mobicreator is free and does an excellent job (and you can hand-edit the html if needed or desired). Once it's in mobi, Calibre can take over and convert to any format you need. So long as the formatting isn't too complex (or one of those horrid two columns per page with trash scattered all over as publishing marks formats), then a couple of clicks gives you a clean copy to read. Of course, with the ones this doesn't work with, you practically need acrobat to extract the text (and some are simply not going to look good, due to all the tables and code shown).

jj2me · 10-18-2010, 08:21 PM

Hey, thanks K-Thom and koland. I appreciate the advice, downloading now.

jj2me · 10-18-2010, 08:30 PM

Hey, thanks K-Thom and koland. I appreciate the advice, downloading now.

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10-17-2010, 11:35 AM	#1
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	PDF to ePUB/Mobi Converter for $21 today At BitsDuJour. Comments say it doesn't work on 64-bit Windows. Decent license agreement: single user, can transfer to another computer, free upgrades for life, free support for one year, 7-day return. Sorry, haven't tried it, it's the last nice day in the northeast, gotta go out!

10-17-2010, 11:58 AM	#2
Bikeridr Information Acquirer Posts: 436 Karma: 4265156 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Latvia, Rigas Rajons Device: Kindle 3 International, Pocketbook Color	OK, so I read the "brag page" and also the comments. What exactly is it that this software can do, which the free Calibre can't?

10-17-2010, 01:17 PM	#4
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	OK, just did a quick try: NOT RECOMMENDED. Three tests, tested only by viewing ePub output in Sony Reader Library app: 1. a varying one- and two-column french language learning book of over 400 pages. Result: only 11 pages when set to "Image", overshot margins on both one-column and two-column pages, losing text at the margins. Only 8 pages when set to "Text." Big fail. 2. An image-only PDF of viewgraphs, two to a page. Pushed down the viewgraphs, with extra white space on top and 2nd viewgraph not fully viewable. Fail. 3. Real simple text PDF: overran both left and right margins when "image" selected. OK when "text" selected. Fail.

10-18-2010, 10:34 AM	#5
K-Thom The one and only Posts: 3,302 Karma: 535819 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: yup!	Uh, download the free Mobipocket Creator from Mobipocket, upload PDF, convert to PRC. * Read on Kindle, otherwise open calibre, upload PRC, convert to ePub, read on other devices. = Save the 21 $ and spend them on eBooks ... * Yup, it's not perfect, but I've seen much more worse conversions with other tools.

10-18-2010, 10:47 AM	#6
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Yes, Calibre does a poor job on many PDF's. But mobicreator is free and does an excellent job (and you can hand-edit the html if needed or desired). Once it's in mobi, Calibre can take over and convert to any format you need. So long as the formatting isn't too complex (or one of those horrid two columns per page with trash scattered all over as publishing marks formats), then a couple of clicks gives you a clean copy to read. Of course, with the ones this doesn't work with, you practically need acrobat to extract the text (and some are simply not going to look good, due to all the tables and code shown).

10-18-2010, 08:21 PM	#7
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	Hey, thanks K-Thom and koland. I appreciate the advice, downloading now.

10-18-2010, 08:30 PM	#8
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	Hey, thanks K-Thom and koland. I appreciate the advice, downloading now.

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