What are some good PDF ereaders that aren't premium-priced?

[fabricalado]

Hi there, longtime lurker here. Congrats on whoever edited the stuff for the Completed Works area, you're a lifesaver!

Anyway, for context: I want to read PDFs*, but don't need to annotate them. For a while, I've used KOreader on my Forma, and even though the screen size is great, I found it a bit clunky to read in bed (and those side buttons ). Sometimes I'll use my old iRiver HD, but it tends to do funny things to my PDFs.

Thus, I've been looking for an ereader solely for PDF purposes. Doesn't even need to be an e-ink tablet, I think. So far I've been watching the Onyx and the Litebook, but there are a lot of other options on the Good Ereader Store, so, I thought I'd ask the experts. Sorry for the long post!

*most of which don't really exist in ebook form, cause they were released in my native language (Portuguese).

[lazyreadr]

The problem is simply: None of the ereaders are really good for pdfs. That data format just sucks on the ereaders, because pdf is usually optimized for A4 or upwards and e-readers tend to be too small. Means you need to magnify and scroll a lot.

[fabricalado]

I see. Was hoping one of the Alita or Onyx models would fix that.

[MarjaE]

It depends on the pdf.

I'm using a Kindle Dx, so older software but a good big screen. And buttons.

For scanned pdfs, I've found Willus's k2pdfopt helpful. It usually reflows pages for smaller screens, but -mode copy -dev dx avoids that and gets good results with the Kindle Dx.

For pdf-born-pdfs, I've written a script to separate the images from the text, run the images through k2pdfopt -mode copy, and run the text through cpdf -backtext, before splicing everything back together.

[ps67]

For PDF You need a large screen. 10.3" is better than Your 8" Forma screen. So You could check Likebook Alita, Onyx Boox Note 2 and Pocketbook Inkpad X.

Alita and Note 2 are Android device, so You can install on it Android apps while Inkpad X is a Linux device that can do a lot of things but it has no app (apart KOReader).

If You want only read may be that Inkpad X fits Your needs, and You can use on it KOReader.

Of course none of these devices is cheap.

[fabricalado]

Originally Posted by MarjaE

It depends on the pdf.

I'm using a Kindle Dx, so older software but a good big screen. And buttons.

For scanned pdfs, I've found Willus's k2pdfopt helpful. It usually reflows pages for smaller screens, but -mode copy -dev dx avoids that and gets good results with the Kindle Dx.

I used to have a Dx too till it took an arrow to the knee =/

My books are mostly academic literature, but not a lot of images or tables (think: philosophy and sociology books).

K2PDF is great and I love it, but am thinking of cutting some of the time it takes me to set stuff up.

Originally Posted by ps67

If You want only read may be that Inkpad X fits Your needs, and You can use on it KOReader.

didn't know about Inkpad, will look into it. Thanks! I'm not super tech savy, do you know if it's too hard to install KOreader or sideload books on it?

[Marinolino]

Originally Posted by fabricalado

I used to have a Dx too till it took an arrow to the knee =/

My books are mostly academic literature, but not a lot of images or tables (think: philosophy and sociology books).

K2PDF is great and I love it, but am thinking of cutting some of the time it takes me to set stuff up.



didn't know about Inkpad, will look into it. Thanks! I'm not super tech savy, do you know if it's too hard to install KOreader or sideload books on it?

I can read majority of my academic documents (b/w A4 pages without a lot of images or tables therein) even on 8" 300 dpi Kobo Aura One using Koreader app, either using two-column mode (or reflow mode or pan & zoom) for two-column pdfs, or using landscape mode (margins cropped completely) for single-column A4 sized pdfs with the text width at about 16 cm, whereas for A4 documents with the text width at about 17-18 cm I can use Koreader's reflow mode that can reflow both scans and textual pdfs, but I'd rather use 10" ereader in landscape mode (margins cropped) instead.

So, using any newer 10" eink (a couple of years old) with Koreader app or a good native pdf app like with Onyx ereaders, should be good enough for you.

Indoors (darker room) I read pdfs either on iPads (50% of the time), eink with frontlight (25%) or lcd monitor 25% (brightness and contrast always considerably reduced as with iPads), outdoors usually on 10" or 8" eink.

[ps67]

Originally Posted by fabricalado

I used to have a Dx too till it took an arrow to the knee =/

My books are mostly academic literature, but not a lot of images or tables (think: philosophy and sociology books).

K2PDF is great and I love it, but am thinking of cutting some of the time it takes me to set stuff up.



didn't know about Inkpad, will look into it. Thanks! I'm not super tech savy, do you know if it's too hard to install KOreader or sideload books on it?

To install KOReder on a Pocketbook is very easy.
About sideload: the same: You can do it with or without calibre, it also handle DRMed files without the needs of passing trough ADE (of course You need a ADE account).

[dawsonthrilled]

I need this too, probably I will just use the Onyx.