Glo Image problem

[davidfor]

I bought a Kobo Glo on the weekend, and can now see what you mean. The map wrapped in svg tags doesn't look very good. The map part was OK, but the title looked terrible. It must be something in the resizing that is done to go from the 600*800 image to the 758*1024 screen. The non-svg map still looks good, but it isn't resized to fit the screen.

Looking at the specs for the PRS-T2, the screen is 600*800. That is the same as the Kobo Touch which I was using for the last batch of tests. They probably look similar as neither need to resize the map to display it.

I tried a couple of other things.

I extracted the map and put it on the Glo. This was displayed full screen and looked very good.

Kobo have their own format. This is known as "kepub" and is basically just an epub with some extras and a different DRM. kepubs are read with a different reader app on the device. If you put an epub on the device with the extension ".kepub.epub", it will be seen as a kepub. When I tried this with your book, both versions of the map were resized to fit the screen and both looked good. If you sell through Kobo, both the epub and kepub version will be available to readers.

From that test, it might be the fault of ADE. The Kobo's use ADE to show epubs. It could be ADE or code it is calling that is at fault. But it might be a common library that Kobo has chosen for images.

[Andrew Ashling]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I bought a Kobo Glo on the weekend, and can now see what you mean. The map wrapped in svg tags doesn't look very good. The map part was OK, but the title looked terrible. It must be something in the resizing that is done to go from the 600*800 image to the 758*1024 screen. The non-svg map still looks good, but it isn't resized to fit the screen.

Looking at the specs for the PRS-T2, the screen is 600*800. That is the same as the Kobo Touch which I was using for the last batch of tests. They probably look similar as neither need to resize the map to display it.

In my latest file the maps look excellent on both the Glo and the Sony.
Don't ask me what I did - I don't know. I tried so many things that I'm at a loss what worked.

I think it might have something to do with the size of the original images. I made them 600*900 pixels, but wrapped them in svg tags specifying 600*800 pixels. The result is a crisp image that fits both the screens of the Kobo and the Sony.

By the way: both the screens of the Sony and Kobo have a ratio of 600*800. However, the resolution of the Sony is also 600*800 pixels, but the Kobo has a resolution of 758*1024 pixels, as you can see here.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Andrew Ashling

In my latest file the maps look excellent on both the Glo and the Sony.
Don't ask me what I did - I don't know. I tried so many things that I'm at a loss what worked.

I think it might have something to do with the size of the original images. I made them 600*900 pixels, but wrapped them in svg tags specifying 600*800 pixels. The result is a crisp image that fits both the screens of the Kobo and the Sony.

The maps in the version you sent me look good on both the Touch and the Glo. There is probably a bit of luck in the sizes involved and the resizing algorithm used.

By the way: both the screens of the Sony and Kobo have a ratio of 600*800. However, the resolution of the Sony is also 600*800 pixels, but the Kobo has a resolution of 758*1024 pixels, as you can see here.

That is the Glo. The Touch is the 600*800 like the Sony. My previous tests were with the Touch. I now have a Glo to test with as well.

I had a look at the sample you sent. It looks good. The fonts for the titles and chapters were a bit hard to read at first, but they fit the book perfectly. And they are growing on me. The section dividers and other adornments look good to. And the large start letters (I know there is a name for it) works perfectly on both the Glo and Touch. About the only comment I have is the fixed left and right margins. If these are set, the Kobo devices will respect them and not let the user change them. Removing them means the reader can set them how they want. I would suggest removing them unless they are part of the look you are after.

[Andrew Ashling]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The maps in the version you sent me look good on both the Touch and the Glo. There is probably a bit of luck in the sizes involved and the resizing algorithm used.

Yep, that must be it.

Originally Posted by davidfor

I had a look at the sample you sent. It looks good. The fonts for the titles and chapters were a bit hard to read at first, but they fit the book perfectly. And they are growing on me. The section dividers and other adornments look good to. And the large start letters (I know there is a name for it) works perfectly on both the Glo and Touch. About the only comment I have is the fixed left and right margins. If these are set, the Kobo devices will respect them and not let the user change them. Removing them means the reader can set them how they want. I would suggest removing them unless they are part of the look you are after.

• The large letters at the start of chapters and sections are called dropcaps.
  
• The margins that were fixed are now adjustable on the Glo (and Touch, I suppose). You can test it for yourself if you want by changing the first item in the stylesheet into this:
  
  

  @page {
      margin-bottom: 15px;
      margin-top: 20px;
      margin-right: 40px;
      margin-left: 40px;
      }

  
  
• The font has a medieval look. I only use it for chapter titles, as I know most people have their own preferred font for reading (and the Kobo lets you add your own fonts in a very simple way). I thought the title font added a nice touch, without taking away the reader's choice.

Thank you very much for your help and suggestions.