Asking the pros

bishoujo688 · 01-09-2010, 09:24 PM

Hi!

I've been trying to figure out which reader would be best for comics/manga in PDF format. I know that there is a thread already for this question somewhere here, and I have read it, but it didn't quite answer my question.

I do have a laptop, but it does get to be encumbersome sometimes, and I'm not wanting to get a netbook or anything related to Apple (5G iPod video functionality stopped working after software version 3.1 - I believe? - was released and nothing I did, and believe me, I tried every little thing I read or was told might help, short of calling Apple and paying pretty much half of what I paid for the device in the first place to get it fixed, so NO Apple products please!) or Sony (my boyfriend bought himself the PRS-505 last tax season and it did wonderfully until his birthday in November, when day of his birthday, it had lines appear on the screen, and, much like in the case of my iPod, nothing we tried to fix the problem ourselves seemed to work, and, again, like with my iPod, we would have had to shell out pretty much what he paid for the device in the first place just to fix it. It didn't even last one single whole period of 365 days before it crapped out. So, please, NO Sony products, either!). Unless of course they are the only option I have.

The two main features I am looking for are best for comics/manga PDF files and SD card. I don't really need the biggest screen, just something that can actually handle the processing of the files I'll mainly be using it for (I personally believe that I myself had a hand in killing the PRS-505 for I would read 50+ PDF manga books - with an average of 18-19 pages each - in one sitting and I don't think it was able to handle it.).

Any help would be much appreciated!!

hike_gc · 01-09-2010, 10:37 PM

Just my 2 cents, but you may want to look at the PocketBook line and the Astak pocket pro. If I hadn't just bought my 505, I 'd have either of those. But also realize the consumer electronics show just happened this week here in the US (you didn't say where you live) and there are likely some really cool products coming out in the next 4 to 6 months. Astak and PocketBook both have forums here so you can read the reviews there.

If you post your specific questions on the Astak and/or Pocketbook forums, you can likely get company representatives to answer your questions as they do monitor those forums. By the way, if you are in the US, www.frys.com has a deal on the Astak PocketPro.

The main thing is to focus on the features that are the deal breaker for you and buy the product that is right for YOU.

Good luck!

martinmach · 01-10-2010, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bishoujo688

Hi!

I've been trying to figure out which reader would be best for comics/manga in PDF format. I know that there is a thread already for this question somewhere here, and I have read it, but it didn't quite answer my question.

I do have a laptop, but it does get to be encumbersome sometimes, and I'm not wanting to get a netbook or anything related to Apple (5G iPod video functionality stopped working after software version 3.1 - I believe? - was released and nothing I did, and believe me, I tried every little thing I read or was told might help, short of calling Apple and paying pretty much half of what I paid for the device in the first place to get it fixed, so NO Apple products please!) or Sony (my boyfriend bought himself the PRS-505 last tax season and it did wonderfully until his birthday in November, when day of his birthday, it had lines appear on the screen, and, much like in the case of my iPod, nothing we tried to fix the problem ourselves seemed to work, and, again, like with my iPod, we would have had to shell out pretty much what he paid for the device in the first place just to fix it. It didn't even last one single whole period of 365 days before it crapped out. So, please, NO Sony products, either!). Unless of course they are the only option I have.

The two main features I am looking for are best for comics/manga PDF files and SD card. I don't really need the biggest screen, just something that can actually handle the processing of the files I'll mainly be using it for (I personally believe that I myself had a hand in killing the PRS-505 for I would read 50+ PDF manga books - with an average of 18-19 pages each - in one sitting and I don't think it was able to handle it.).

Any help would be much appreciated!!

I would not suggest getting a ebook reader for manga especially if they are using pdfs. Pdf support is dreadful in the smaller ereaders like the story. it is very very slow in loading new images and the zooming is absolutely dreadful. get a tablet like the archos 5 or wait for sometime for newer releases. i read several manga but prefer my laptop

bishoujo688 · 01-10-2010, 07:03 PM

I do live in the US.

One thing I noticed when my boyfriend's 505 worked, was that reading comics in the fashion of having each individual page file as a JPEG would be incredibly dreadful for not only naming them (in such a way as to keep them in order), but aslo for organization purposes. So I did the only thing I could come up with, which is to compile all the individual pages into a single PDF file, which worked nicely for both purposes.

I don't really know of any other format in which to compile the files that would do that, and still be able to work on a reader. Maybe if there was a way I could do that, it would help?

Anyway, thank you for the recommendations and suggestions!

martinmach · 01-11-2010, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bishoujo688

I do live in the US.

One thing I noticed when my boyfriend's 505 worked, was that reading comics in the fashion of having each individual page file as a JPEG would be incredibly dreadful for not only naming them (in such a way as to keep them in order), but aslo for organization purposes. So I did the only thing I could come up with, which is to compile all the individual pages into a single PDF file, which worked nicely for both purposes.

I don't really know of any other format in which to compile the files that would do that, and still be able to work on a reader. Maybe if there was a way I could do that, it would help?

Anyway, thank you for the recommendations and suggestions!

i use zip files to read manga, maybe there is really no difference between that and your self compiled pdfs. i hate the page turn speed for images and the small text.

bishoujo688 · 01-12-2010, 04:31 PM

Readers can read zip files?

gwynevans · 01-12-2010, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bishoujo688

Readers can read zip files?

Not normally, I think martin's (?) talking about using a laptop there.

bishoujo688 · 01-13-2010, 09:56 PM

Ah. That makes sense. I do use CDisplay on my laptop, but sometimes it gets buggy. It doesn't want to size the pages right, or it doesn't keep the pages in order.

For reading in bed, I'd rather have a device that can fit in my hands much like a book but not have it be as bulky as my laptop. With the book-sized device, I can recline a lot more than with a laptop. Ah well. I guess the technology isn't there yet.

Thanks for all the help!

01-09-2010, 09:24 PM	#1
bishoujo688 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: none	Asking the pros Hi! I've been trying to figure out which reader would be best for comics/manga in PDF format. I know that there is a thread already for this question somewhere here, and I have read it, but it didn't quite answer my question. I do have a laptop, but it does get to be encumbersome sometimes, and I'm not wanting to get a netbook or anything related to Apple (5G iPod video functionality stopped working after software version 3.1 - I believe? - was released and nothing I did, and believe me, I tried every little thing I read or was told might help, short of calling Apple and paying pretty much half of what I paid for the device in the first place to get it fixed, so NO Apple products please!) or Sony (my boyfriend bought himself the PRS-505 last tax season and it did wonderfully until his birthday in November, when day of his birthday, it had lines appear on the screen, and, much like in the case of my iPod, nothing we tried to fix the problem ourselves seemed to work, and, again, like with my iPod, we would have had to shell out pretty much what he paid for the device in the first place just to fix it. It didn't even last one single whole period of 365 days before it crapped out. So, please, NO Sony products, either!). Unless of course they are the only option I have. The two main features I am looking for are best for comics/manga PDF files and SD card. I don't really need the biggest screen, just something that can actually handle the processing of the files I'll mainly be using it for (I personally believe that I myself had a hand in killing the PRS-505 for I would read 50+ PDF manga books - with an average of 18-19 pages each - in one sitting and I don't think it was able to handle it.). Any help would be much appreciated!!

01-09-2010, 10:37 PM	#2
hike_gc Zealot Posts: 142 Karma: 556 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Erie, Colorado Device: Kindle Voyage, Nook	opinions abound here Just my 2 cents, but you may want to look at the PocketBook line and the Astak pocket pro. If I hadn't just bought my 505, I 'd have either of those. But also realize the consumer electronics show just happened this week here in the US (you didn't say where you live) and there are likely some really cool products coming out in the next 4 to 6 months. Astak and PocketBook both have forums here so you can read the reviews there. If you post your specific questions on the Astak and/or Pocketbook forums, you can likely get company representatives to answer your questions as they do monitor those forums. By the way, if you are in the US, www.frys.com has a deal on the Astak PocketPro. The main thing is to focus on the features that are the deal breaker for you and buy the product that is right for YOU. Good luck! Last edited by hike_gc; 01-09-2010 at 10:51 PM.

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01-10-2010, 07:03 PM	#4
bishoujo688 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: none	I do live in the US. One thing I noticed when my boyfriend's 505 worked, was that reading comics in the fashion of having each individual page file as a JPEG would be incredibly dreadful for not only naming them (in such a way as to keep them in order), but aslo for organization purposes. So I did the only thing I could come up with, which is to compile all the individual pages into a single PDF file, which worked nicely for both purposes. I don't really know of any other format in which to compile the files that would do that, and still be able to work on a reader. Maybe if there was a way I could do that, it would help? Anyway, thank you for the recommendations and suggestions!

01-12-2010, 04:31 PM	#6
bishoujo688 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: none	Readers can read zip files?

01-13-2010, 09:56 PM	#8
bishoujo688 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: none	Ah. That makes sense. I do use CDisplay on my laptop, but sometimes it gets buggy. It doesn't want to size the pages right, or it doesn't keep the pages in order. For reading in bed, I'd rather have a device that can fit in my hands much like a book but not have it be as bulky as my laptop. With the book-sized device, I can recline a lot more than with a laptop. Ah well. I guess the technology isn't there yet. Thanks for all the help!

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