Mobi/BeBook/SD card

[sirdouglas]

I already posted this in another old thread in response to the Mobipocket support news for BeBook, but I think it got buried as no replies were posted in the past few weeks...
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This news of Mobi support sounds great! I'm a little new with using Mobi and have been busy converting my PDFs to Mobi (pretty good results so far). I've also been trying to organize my files well within Mobipocket reader, edit author/title correctly, make reader lists, etc. Will the BeBook have my mobi files organized exactly as in Mobipocket reader, correctly labeled with reading lists, or will the files, themselves, be listed as they are in my ebooks folder on my computer?

Also, I want to have as much storage as possible on my BeBook. What is the largest SD card that is compatible with it? The produce up to 32gb by now (incredible if you ask me)... would it work on my BeBook though?

One more question, how long does the battery on the BeBook last when playing mp3s? I'd like to put my audio books on it.

Thanks for the help!

Doug

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by sirdouglas

I've also been trying to organize my files well within Mobipocket reader, edit author/title correctly, make reader lists, etc.

I don't have BeBook, but I can answer this part of your post.

When you update the author/title using Windows MobiPocket Reader the MOBI file isn't updated but instead the new information goes into the associated .mbp file. These files are marked as hidden, so you may need to check tools -> folder options -> view -> show hidden files to see them. So far as I know, none of the EInk devices with MOBI support import and use the Windows .mbp files - so all this information is lost when the ebook is copied to the device.

I'm not sure it makes any difference on the BeBook (i.e. if the author and title is used at all), but the generic fix for this is to use MobiPerl's, mobi2mobi command with its --mbpfile option to get this information into the actual MOBI file. Note that there are Windows binaries for MobiPerl (so you don't need to install Perl), but it is a command line tool. There is a GUI, see Mobi2Mobi v0.13 - GUI for Mobiperl but I'm not sure if it supports --mbpfile.

One of the big advantages of the BeBook is that it has folders and so you can organize your ebooks by folders. However, Windows MobiPocket Reader does not support folders. So you can't use Windows MobiPocket Reader's export capability if you want to take advantage of folders. Just copy files to the device just as you would to any USB drive. I also suggest use a consistent file naming convention, e.g. Author_TitleOfTheBook.prc or whatever works for you.

[delta114]

As far as organizing files with BeBook, only the book title is displayed for Mobipocket files (as per metadata contained within the file itself), and folders are probably the easiest way to organize (e.g. Author>>Series>>prc files).

For storage, the largest size is 4gb (see specifications here, and I suspect the card must be SD (and not SDHC).

I don't use my BeBook for audio books or mp3 so can't help you with battery life, I'm afraid.

[Eagleeye]

Originally Posted by delta114

For storage, the largest size is 4gb (see specifications here, and I suspect the card must be SD (and not SDHC).

SDHC works, too. I have a 4 GB-SDHC-Card inside my BeBook; it can read the card without any problems.

[sankar10]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

I don't have BeBook, but I can answer this part of your post.

When you update the author/title using Windows MobiPocket Reader the MOBI file isn't updated but instead the new information goes into the associated .mbp file. These files are marked as hidden, so you may need to check tools -> folder options -> view -> show hidden files to see them. So far as I know, none of the EInk devices with MOBI support import and use the Windows .mbp files - so all this information is lost when the ebook is copied to the device.

I'm not sure it makes any difference on the BeBook (i.e. if the author and title is used at all), but the generic fix for this is to use MobiPerl's, mobi2mobi command with its --mbpfile option to get this information into the actual MOBI file. Note that there are Windows binaries for MobiPerl (so you don't need to install Perl), but it is a command line tool. There is a GUI, see Mobi2Mobi v0.13 - GUI for Mobiperl but I'm not sure if it supports --mbpfile.

One of the big advantages of the BeBook is that it has folders and so you can organize your ebooks by folders. However, Windows MobiPocket Reader does not support folders. So you can't use Windows MobiPocket Reader's export capability if you want to take advantage of folders. Just copy files to the device just as you would to any USB drive. I also suggest use a consistent file naming convention, e.g. Author_TitleOfTheBook.prc or whatever works for you.

I Think Hanlin V3 creates MBP files when .PRC files are copied to the device, with the firmware last released by Jinke supporting .prc files

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by sankar10

I Think Hanlin V3 creates MBP files when .PRC files are copied to the device, with the firmware last released by Jinke supporting .prc files

Yes. MBP files presumably include the last read pointer for example - so they are always present after a file has been opened by any version of MobiPocket Reader. My point was that these are not copies of the MBP file from Windows and so don't include any new author and title that has been manually added to the ebook via Windows Mobipocket Reader.

This at least is my experience on the iLiad, and delta114 seems to be confirming this for the BeBook.

[sirdouglas]

I know the specifications say 4gb, but often times you can get by with more than the listed limit. Has anyone had any experience with 8,16, or ever 32 gb cards? What about battery playing mp3s?

Thanks

Doug

[sirdouglas]

.. please?

[reycat]

Maybe someone can help me.

I've just updated to the V3 2.00 2008-09-23 firmware and bought an ebook from Books on Board.

I've installed Mobipocket Reader for Windows and I got the book in my Bookshelf.

However, I've got a problem. I added a new "Removable disk" device with my V3's PID and called it "Hanlin", but when I plug my V3 it's shown as a Removable disk different from the device I create. Therefore, I cannot send my book to "Hanlin" (which has my proper PID), but to "Removable device (H" (which hasn't) and when I try to open the book in the V3, I get the "Wrong PID" message.

This is my first experience with Mobipocket and I can't figure out what's the problem.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by reycat

However, I've got a problem. I added a new "Removable disk" device with my V3's PID and called it "Hanlin", but when I plug my V3 it's shown as a Removable disk different from the device I create. Therefore, I cannot send my book to "Hanlin" (which has my proper PID), but to "Removable device (H" (which hasn't) and when I try to open the book in the V3, I get the "Wrong PID" message.

I have no idea what that means. What do you mean "Added a new removable device"? Added it to what? Do you mean you added the V3 PID to the BoB web store? If not, you need to do that. If so, you need to re-download the ebook.

BOb

[wallcraft]

I find it is helpful to have a (more or less correct) mental model of what is going on behind the scenes with DRM-protected MOBI ebooks. The PID is encoded into the copy of the ebook that you download from your ebook retailer, the MOBI Reader on the V3 "knows" its own PID and so can decode the ebook. Each ebook can have up to 4 PIDs inside, and so can be read on up to 4 devices (the number of PIDs allowed varies from store to store, but is never more than 4).

I find it easiest to manage PIDs manually - go to the ebook sellers site and under "my account" (or whatever) find where to add new PIDs and add the V3. Then redownload the ebooks. The ebook needs to be redownloaded because now it has the V3 PID inside.

It is probably possible to automate this process via Windows Desktop MobiPocket Reader, but I don't know the details of how to do this.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

I find it is helpful to have a (more or less correct) mental model of what is going on behind the scenes with DRM-protected MOBI ebooks. The PID is encoded into the copy of the ebook that you download from your ebook retailer, the MOBI Reader on the V3 "knows" its own PID and so can decode the ebook. Each ebook can have up to 4 PIDs inside, and so can be read on up to 4 devices (the number of PIDs allowed varies from store to store, but is never more than 4).

I find it easiest to manage PIDs manually - go to the ebook sellers site and under "my account" (or whatever) find where to add new PIDs and add the V3. Then redownload the ebooks. The ebook needs to be redownloaded because now it has the V3 PID inside.

It is probably possible to automate this process via Windows Desktop MobiPocket Reader, but I don't know the details of how to do this.

To add to this mental picture you have to realize that many people use MobiReader on a PC to buy books and it also has a PID. Even if you use a browser the PC PID could get used if you haven't separately registered your eBook Reader. It is easy to get the wrong PID if you don't realize what is happening.

Dale