Has anyone tried the DJVU format?

MacEachaidh · 07-02-2010, 12:43 AM

The latest version of the Story firmware offers support for DJVU files, a format which seems to be gaining popularity for graphics-heavy books, and especially technical publications like maths or engineering textbooks.

Has anyone tried this DVJU support? Had any success?

I have several files in the DJVU format, and gave them a go, but had no acceptable level of success. The first one completely hung the device, which then needed a physical reset before it would reboot -- the first time that's ever happened to me with the Story, I'm happy to say -- and the other two both showed the title page accurately, but then hundreds of completely blank pages after that. I can only imagine that -- like PDF and ePub -- there may well be a fair degree of variation within the specs of the format, some of which the Story tolerates and some of which it doesn't.

So: anyone had any luck with DJVU files on the Story?

kafkaesque1978 · 07-02-2010, 03:03 AM

I have found djvu to be not as legible as pdf. But still readable for me. Obviously I have some files that don't work, but on the whole it works fine.

MacEachaidh · 07-02-2010, 03:14 AM

What was the nature of the DJVU files you tried, kafkaesque? Text-based? With vector illustrations, equations, what?

I'm trying to understand what will work, and what won't.

kafkaesque1978 · 07-02-2010, 03:33 AM

It was a book on Bayesian probability theory. So yes it has mathematics, diagrams etc. I actually converted the djvu to a pdf and ended up with a much bigger file which did not open on the story.

Most of my files are pdfs though (for example I have over 300 pdf files from science direct) and I never have any trouble reading them (whether they have maths in or not).

And txt can be turned into epub with no problems.

Back to the grindstone of actually reading.

MacEachaidh · 07-02-2010, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kafkaesque1978

Most of my files are pdfs though (for example I have over 300 pdf files from science direct) and I never have any trouble reading them (whether they have maths in or not).

When you read a PDF, do you simply leave it in the single full-page display? (I'm assuming they're formatted for A4 pages or thereabouts?)

Or if you zoom in, how do you handle moving around on-screen?

kafkaesque1978 · 07-02-2010, 03:53 AM

Most pdfs look better turned horizontal (so that half the page or thereabouts is shown at any one time). Many pdfs are only legible like that. However I have plenty which are readable in vertical mode. And in fact, since the firmware has included reflow, I sometimes even use that mode (which can work pretty well).

And if the pdf has big margins and I really need to read it, I will chop the margins and it fits easier.

Most of the time though, I copy the file over and read it (without any fiddling or coverting).

Waiting for firmwire updates is going to give you guys ulcers!

MacEachaidh · 07-02-2010, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kafkaesque1978

Waiting for firmwire updates is going to give you guys ulcers!

Mate, thanks, but ... do you not realise I'm just trying to work out how to make various formats work that I have a need for, with very little actual information to go on?

Whatever you're finding, I'm not having success with files like PDFs, and am trying to work out why. So comments like "Works fine for me!" don't offer much of a toe-hold in information, and even more so when they're coupled with what comes across as a kind of smugness. You're in a fortunate position, by your own admission, of not actually using the formats that I'm having problems with. Good luck to you, really, but that only sounds like you've simply not put yourself in a position to experience these shortcomings, not that you're a superior user or more reasonable in your manner.

Put yourself in my shoes, please: I'm trying to find out what you mean when you say it works fine, when to me it seems it doesn't; do we have different levels of what we consider acceptable or usable, or are we actually seeing different behaviour in what are nominally the same formats -- and if so, why? It would help if iRiver offered any sort of guidelines on the degree to which the device supports certain formats, and what will work and what won't, and how to format them for optimal results ... but it doesn't.

So, I appreciate your responding, really, but please recognise that I have constructive reasons for asking, and am not just having a whinge.

07-02-2010, 12:43 AM	#1
MacEachaidh Browser Posts: 745 Karma: 578294 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura HD	Has anyone tried the DJVU format? The latest version of the Story firmware offers support for DJVU files, a format which seems to be gaining popularity for graphics-heavy books, and especially technical publications like maths or engineering textbooks. Has anyone tried this DVJU support? Had any success? I have several files in the DJVU format, and gave them a go, but had no acceptable level of success. The first one completely hung the device, which then needed a physical reset before it would reboot -- the first time that's ever happened to me with the Story, I'm happy to say -- and the other two both showed the title page accurately, but then hundreds of completely blank pages after that. I can only imagine that -- like PDF and ePub -- there may well be a fair degree of variation within the specs of the format, some of which the Story tolerates and some of which it doesn't. So: anyone had any luck with DJVU files on the Story?

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07-02-2010, 03:03 AM	#2
kafkaesque1978 Member Posts: 24 Karma: 22 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: UK Device: iriver story + Prs 600	I have found djvu to be not as legible as pdf. But still readable for me. Obviously I have some files that don't work, but on the whole it works fine.

07-02-2010, 03:14 AM	#3
MacEachaidh Browser Posts: 745 Karma: 578294 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura HD	What was the nature of the DJVU files you tried, kafkaesque? Text-based? With vector illustrations, equations, what? I'm trying to understand what will work, and what won't.

07-02-2010, 03:33 AM	#4
kafkaesque1978 Member Posts: 24 Karma: 22 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: UK Device: iriver story + Prs 600	It was a book on Bayesian probability theory. So yes it has mathematics, diagrams etc. I actually converted the djvu to a pdf and ended up with a much bigger file which did not open on the story. Most of my files are pdfs though (for example I have over 300 pdf files from science direct) and I never have any trouble reading them (whether they have maths in or not). And txt can be turned into epub with no problems. Back to the grindstone of actually reading.

07-02-2010, 03:53 AM	#6
kafkaesque1978 Member Posts: 24 Karma: 22 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: UK Device: iriver story + Prs 600	Most pdfs look better turned horizontal (so that half the page or thereabouts is shown at any one time). Many pdfs are only legible like that. However I have plenty which are readable in vertical mode. And in fact, since the firmware has included reflow, I sometimes even use that mode (which can work pretty well). And if the pdf has big margins and I really need to read it, I will chop the margins and it fits easier. Most of the time though, I copy the file over and read it (without any fiddling or coverting). Waiting for firmwire updates is going to give you guys ulcers!

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