HIGHLY RECOMMEND - for non-PDF

[Philosopher]

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Kindle for non-PDF books. (It can read them - but its not really ideal for this - as it is just the image - and tend thus to be fairly small and you can't highlight the PDF).

But for those that are in any other format - I can't recommend the Kindle (any version - but the PaperWhite versions are outstanding) more highly.

No matter what format your file is - you can convert it without any real problems to MOBI for the Kindle. Of course - the easiest way to really do this - is using CALIBRE. (but if you are not - there are many other ways to do this). But it has both a built-in conversion utility - AND - automatically asks to convert to MOBI if you try to upload another format (except PDF) such as EPUB when you tell it to send it to the device.

NOW - if I can get BETTER (I have gotten a bit of a handle on it - but not sufficient yet) at converting PDF to MOBI/EPUB (taking automatic care of keeping the paragraph formatting the same - and in particular - removing headers and such - and having the page gaps removed) - I will be REALLY HAPPY.

Until then - I tend to read my PDF's on my iPad using GOODREADER primarily - and that works great. But it is not as 'easy' to read as with a Kindle (the design is just SO GOOD for reading ebooks). Sometimes I want to use the PDF - to see the ACTUAL book as it is in print (including pages, page numbers, images, colors, etc). But in general - I would prefer to read using the Kindle - and so have been trying to perfect that PDF convert to MOBI/EPUB technique - to make this feasible.

[markom]

Actually we can easily and comfortably read most of pdf books on any 6" screen (if we prefer eink screen) because they are usually A5 sized or A4 two-column formated (by using landscape mode with cropped margins or two-column mode).

Any scanned Pdf can also be highlighted with annotations, searched through, scribbled on etc. after quick or detailed OCR-ing (using Abbyy, Acrobat, k2pdfopt or any other OCRing app there).

If our 6" reader has poor pdf capabilities or is slow in landscape mode, then we can use k2pdfopt to quickly adjust pdf for our reader or tablet beforehand.

k2pdfopt can also reflow one-column A4 pdf scans for 6" readers, but 10" eink readers or lcd tablets are a lot better solution for one-column A4 pdf (landscape, with or without margins cropped).

Those who want to read pdfs, djvus and epubs on Kindles, Kobos or Pocketbooks should immediately install KOReader(KPV for older Kindles) thereon, though.

KOReader on Kobo H2O, from 21:00 min.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...zVAMpDQ#t=1263

KOReader on Paperwhite 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QMATVc6ZeA

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=254659

http://www.willus.com/k2pdfopt/

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Philosopher

No matter what format your file is - you can convert it without any real problems to MOBI for the Kindle.

Except if it's a library ebook in most of the world.

Was there a "which one should I buy?" question in this?

[JSWolf]

The problem with most PDF is that they are made for a page size of 8.5"x11" with very wide margins, a header with a lot of space, and a footer with a lot of space. This then makes the PDF quite small on a 6" eInk screen. Even with newer high resolution screen as on an H2O (6.8' screen) or Voyage (6" screen), PDF don't display well in most cases.

The other issue is that if the PDF is a complex layout, then reflow is going to make a right mess of that and it's not going to be all that readable.

You can't do PDF>another format all that well because you will have errors. The only way to avoid errors in the conversion is to A/B compare the entire PDF to the entire other format. Then after you've fixed the errors can you say you've done a good conversion.

And if you are going to use ePub, you are best (IMHO) to go with an H2O. It handles ePub just fine without the need to convert it to some other format.

[Philosopher]

Originally Posted by markom

Any scanned Pdf can also be highlighted with annotations, searched through, scribbled on etc. after quick or detailed OCR-ing (using Abbyy, Acrobat, k2pdfopt or any other OCRing app there).
....
Those who want to read pdfs, djvus and epubs on Kindles, Kobos or Pocketbooks should immediately install KOReader(KPV for older Kindles) thereon, though.

I had not realized the Kindle COULD highlight/annotate a PDF - as I hadn't been using it for those files often. Just on a rare occasion. BUT - the LANDSCAPE option I had not thought of - I will give it a try.

And thanks for this KOReader suggestion - I will give it a look.

[Philosopher]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You can't do PDF>another format all that well because you will have errors. The only way to avoid errors in the conversion is to A/B compare the entire PDF to the entire other format. Then after you've fixed the errors can you say you've done a good conversion.

Yes - I have been trying to "perfect" a system to convert PDF to mobi - for my Kindle - but so much time editing the little details. But I have been reading a few suggestions on streamlining this process - like for getting rid of headers/footers , etc. And so I am keeping it on the back burner to try and see if I can come up with a "set" of standard procedures (the other problem - is that not all PDF's are THE SAME format - so it will vary by file).

I hope someone comes up with a fairly EASY (GUI) transform program for PDF to others. It would be a great program. (Perhaps the people at A-PDF - who have so many great PDF tools - might consider it).

But one which has a dual window - with the ORIGINAL PDF on the left - showing it formatting, etc. And on the right - the NEW FORMAT as it WILL APPEAR.

So you can SEE if you make a particular change - if it will be something that will universally work throughout the whole file, etc. And so then be able to see the final product - before doing the processing - and so be fairly certain of the quality of the outcome.

That seems possible/doable - and would be great. (I guess it could go the other way too - TO PDF - but I really have no problem with the general product you get converting mobi or epub to PDF. It would be nice to have it do a better job PAGINATING when becoming the PDF - but its still easily readable without that so that when I need that - I can use it fairly productively).

On that note - ONE OTHER idea I wish could be developed - is a way to have a DJVU file (with text not just image) convert to a PDF (and keep the text - not just give you the image - as is now a LIMITATION of all that I know of). I guess that's probably a bit harder - given that there are actually two layers - the image - and in the background (but "linked" to the image [sometimes not that great - the highlight not really going over the actual line - but this is not the norm)] - and it would have to know how to create a new image in the pdf - and take that background text layer in the DJVU - but know how to "link" it to the "place" on the page where the image has the line of text.

I guess its possible - but perhaps too difficult to make it a really viable idea. Thus leaving me the task of convert DJVU (with text) to PDF (as image) - and then have Acrobat OCR the PDF (or another program). But that's not going to give you the "perfect" output - that the DJVU had. But at least the OCR functionality has been getting better and better every year.