mobi cover art aspect ratio

jknight · 05-20-2012, 07:02 PM

Hi all,

Sorry if this has been pounded into the ground, but I'm still having some trouble with the cover art on conversion from epub to mobi.

I'm working from InDesign. I've tried using a cover image in 600 x 800 ratio. When I export from ID, the epub looks fine. Then, when converting with Calibre to mobi, the output looks wonky. There is a large white border especially on the right side and bottom.

Can someone tell me how to correct this?

Thanks in advance!

dwig · 05-20-2012, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jknight

...when converting with Calibre to mobi, the output looks wonky. There is a large white border especially on the right side and bottom. ...

So how do you know this?? (read: what ebook reader or ereader app are you using to proof calibre's output)

Don't use calibre's ebook-reader module to proof conversions. You should be using either an actual Kindle device or using Kindle Previewer.

jknight · 05-20-2012, 10:39 PM

Yes, I should have mentioned that. I'm testing on the kindle app on an ipad as well as the kindle previewer for Mac.

dwig · 05-21-2012, 09:16 AM

The 600x800 pixel (3:4 aspect ratio) works well on "traditional" eInk Kindles. When viewed on tablets (Kindle Fire, iPad, smart phones, ...) the image may not fill the display. Most tablets have a different aspect ratio than 3:4 (Fire=~3x5, 600x1024 pixel) and few reading apps will automatically scale the cover to fill the display. There is no good, reliable way to make the cover fill the display with no border on all devices and apps.

In general, if the cover image is centered left to right in the original source document it will display centered on the Kindle device/app given good conversion methods. I've had no problems with ePub>MOBI conversion in either KindleGen (via Kindle Previewer) or calibre.

Increasing the image size to match the Kindle Fire's display resolution may work for now, but when the device landscape changes who knows. Certainly, using a 600x1024px image will leave borders on the eInk Kindles (read: most Kindles in use today).

theducks · 05-21-2012, 10:01 AM

Dead Tree books come in various shapes..
Do you insist that these fill the entire Height and Depth of the Book shelf (spine out)? Did not think so

So why the insistence that All Covers fill the screen

PeterT · 05-21-2012, 10:24 AM

Well for the non standard sizes I tend to enlarge the covers images to the needed size, then affix a new cover around the book (front back and spine) that has the right sized image on it

This way all my books are the same height in the bookshelf.

If only I could get all books to be the same thickness too

05-20-2012, 07:02 PM	#1
jknight Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: Kindle	mobi cover art aspect ratio Hi all, Sorry if this has been pounded into the ground, but I'm still having some trouble with the cover art on conversion from epub to mobi. I'm working from InDesign. I've tried using a cover image in 600 x 800 ratio. When I export from ID, the epub looks fine. Then, when converting with Calibre to mobi, the output looks wonky. There is a large white border especially on the right side and bottom. Can someone tell me how to correct this? Thanks in advance!

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05-20-2012, 10:39 PM	#3
jknight Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: Kindle	Yes, I should have mentioned that. I'm testing on the kindle app on an ipad as well as the kindle previewer for Mac.

05-21-2012, 09:16 AM	#4
dwig Wizard Posts: 1,613 Karma: 6718479 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Paradise (Key West, FL) Device: Current:Surface Go & Kindle 3 - Retired: DellV8p, Clie UX50, ...	The 600x800 pixel (3:4 aspect ratio) works well on "traditional" eInk Kindles. When viewed on tablets (Kindle Fire, iPad, smart phones, ...) the image may not fill the display. Most tablets have a different aspect ratio than 3:4 (Fire=~3x5, 600x1024 pixel) and few reading apps will automatically scale the cover to fill the display. There is no good, reliable way to make the cover fill the display with no border on all devices and apps. In general, if the cover image is centered left to right in the original source document it will display centered on the Kindle device/app given good conversion methods. I've had no problems with ePub>MOBI conversion in either KindleGen (via Kindle Previewer) or calibre. Increasing the image size to match the Kindle Fire's display resolution may work for now, but when the device landscape changes who knows. Certainly, using a 600x1024px image will leave borders on the eInk Kindles (read: most Kindles in use today).

05-21-2012, 10:01 AM	#5
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,792 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Dead Tree books come in various shapes.. Do you insist that these fill the entire Height and Depth of the Book shelf (spine out)? Did not think so So why the insistence that All Covers fill the screen

05-21-2012, 10:24 AM	#6
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,162 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	Well for the non standard sizes I tend to enlarge the covers images to the needed size, then affix a new cover around the book (front back and spine) that has the right sized image on it This way all my books are the same height in the bookshelf. If only I could get all books to be the same thickness too

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