MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - How to Display Covers on Kindle Color for Books Not Bought on Amazon (Using Calibre)

Zillion_ · Today, 04:48 AM

Hello,
Just my two cents: I have covers for all my e-books on Kindle (Colorsoft 2024), and this is how:

1) For KFX format e-books that exist in the Kindle Store for your Kindle's region: ensure the Metadata "IDs" field includes a MOBI-ASIN identifier from Amazon's store. When using "download metadata" you need to limit the download sources to Amazon and ensure you select a Kindle edition of the book.
I'm using Calibre's Search the Internet function with the following custom query to look up any book in the Kindle store (with a hotkey from the Book list):

https://www.amazon.com/s?k={author}+{title:re(\s*(\[[^\]]+\])+$,)}&i=digital-text&sprefix={title:re(\s*(\[[^\]]+\])+$,)}%2Cdigital-text%2C249&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

You can get the MOBI-ASIN from the URL displayed in your browser when you've opened the correct book edition. Don't try to cheat and use the ASIN from a Paperback or CD edition: it won't work !

Note 1: I have "moved" my Kindle to the US region so that it can use the US store (It was in France originally). Amazon explains how to do this.
Note 2: if the book is removed from the Kindle store, you'll have to switch to PDOC (see below)
Note 3: If its mobi-asin changes (e.g. new edition of the book), you'll have to update the metadata and convert your book to KFX or AZW3 again for the cover to display on the device.
Note 4: This trick only works for the KFX format. Use Calibre to convert your e-books.
Note 5: The "thumbnail" cover displayed for the e-book on the kindle is fetched directly from the Kindle store. It IS NOT the book cover which you've chosen in Calibre. That will appear when you open the e-book. So you can have different covers if you wish. For example, sometimes the Store cover is plain ugly, and I get a nicer cover from another edition to show when I open the book (and this is also displayed on the Standby screen).

2) For e-books that are not in your Kindle region's Kindle store: convert them with the "PDOC" option enabled in Calibre (or rather, disable the option "Create book (EBOK) instead of personal document (PDOC)". This also exists only for KFX e-books.

If your e-book exists only as a Paperback or in another Amazon region, or if your book is only on Google or GoodReads -- or nowhere --, then PDOC is your only option.

If you have a not-too-old Kindle I see no reason not to use the KFX format.
It does require some extra installation steps (Install Kindle Previewer -- only version 3 works at this moment !! -- search the Net to find it -- and the KFX Output plugin.) and conversion takes a lot longer.
But the enhanced typesetting, automated hyphening, etc etc are worth it.

Today, 04:48 AM	#36
Zillion_ Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2023 Device: Kindle ColorSoft	Hello, Just my two cents: I have covers for all my e-books on Kindle (Colorsoft 2024), and this is how: 1) For KFX format e-books that exist in the Kindle Store for your Kindle's region: ensure the Metadata "IDs" field includes a MOBI-ASIN identifier from Amazon's store. When using "download metadata" you need to limit the download sources to Amazon and ensure you select a Kindle edition of the book. I'm using Calibre's Search the Internet function with the following custom query to look up any book in the Kindle store (with a hotkey from the Book list): https://www.amazon.com/s?k={author}+{title:re(\s(\[[^\]]+\])+$,)}&i=digital-text&sprefix={title:re(\s(\[[^\]]+\])+$,)}%2Cdigital-text%2C249&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 You can get the MOBI-ASIN from the URL displayed in your browser when you've opened the correct book edition. Don't try to cheat and use the ASIN from a Paperback or CD edition: it won't work ! Note 1: I have "moved" my Kindle to the US region so that it can use the US store (It was in France originally). Amazon explains how to do this. Note 2: if the book is removed from the Kindle store, you'll have to switch to PDOC (see below) Note 3: If its mobi-asin changes (e.g. new edition of the book), you'll have to update the metadata and convert your book to KFX or AZW3 again for the cover to display on the device. Note 4: This trick only works for the KFX format. Use Calibre to convert your e-books. Note 5: The "thumbnail" cover displayed for the e-book on the kindle is fetched directly from the Kindle store. It IS NOT the book cover which you've chosen in Calibre. That will appear when you open the e-book. So you can have different covers if you wish. For example, sometimes the Store cover is plain ugly, and I get a nicer cover from another edition to show when I open the book (and this is also displayed on the Standby screen). 2) For e-books that are not in your Kindle region's Kindle store: convert them with the "PDOC" option enabled in Calibre (or rather, disable the option "Create book (EBOK) instead of personal document (PDOC)". This also exists only for KFX e-books. If your e-book exists only as a Paperback or in another Amazon region, or if your book is only on Google or GoodReads -- or nowhere --, then PDOC is your only option. If you have a not-too-old Kindle I see no reason not to use the KFX format. It does require some extra installation steps (Install Kindle Previewer -- only version 3 works at this moment !! -- search the Net to find it -- and the KFX Output plugin.) and conversion takes a lot longer. But the enhanced typesetting, automated hyphening, etc etc are worth it. Last edited by Zillion_; Today at 04:57 AM.