Classic Nook worth it for purely side loading?

aagstn · 02-22-2010, 05:32 PM

I'm seriously considering moving from the iPod Touch as my main reader to a nook. I buy all my books from Fictionwise and have for over 10 years so I have a huge collection of eReader format books to sideload. However, reading some of the threads it seems like the Nook is a hassle to use with sideloaded books. Hard to find titles, etc. I really wanted to put all my books on it, but that is nearly a thousand titles and I don't want it to be a hassle to find something to read or to find a bookmark.

Trying to decide if the Nook is right for me or if I should go through the process of trying to strip the DRM and convert them to ePub and get a Sony Reader.

Blokie · 02-22-2010, 05:40 PM

Shouldn't have any issues at all with sideloading - I do exactly the same thing as I'm outside the US.

I would suggest softrooting though, as the library functions provided are better than those provided by default (everything combined as opposed to separating out sideloaded which the standard firmware does).

mgmueller · 02-22-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aagstn

I'm seriously considering moving from the iPod Touch as my main reader to a nook. I buy all my books from Fictionwise and have for over 10 years so I have a huge collection of eReader format books to sideload. However, reading some of the threads it seems like the Nook is a hassle to use with sideloaded books. Hard to find titles, etc. I really wanted to put all my books on it, but that is nearly a thousand titles and I don't want it to be a hassle to find something to read or to find a bookmark.

Trying to decide if the Nook is right for me or if I should go through the process of trying to strip the DRM and convert them to ePub and get a Sony Reader.

It's no hassle to operate the sideloaded books. Neither with the standard library, nor with the enhanced/softrooted nookLibrary.
But personally, I'm a bit obsessed by details.
If you use the standard library, you have slightly different menus (no sort by most recent) and can't show covers.
If you use the softrooted/enhanced nookLibrary, you can sort and have thumbnails. But the thumbnalis look differently. If you let nook extract them from the books, they are less appealing than the B&N ones. You can manually add thumbnails for every single book. This enhances the quality, but would you really want to do that for xxx books?
Personally, I mainly (>>80%) use nook for the original B&N books. Then it's a nice experience. And for $ 259, nook really is a catch.
But for the sideloaded books, in my opinion there are more convenient/appealing solutions in the market.
On Kindle for example (although I rank Kindle 2 slightly behind nook, but I've got a different approach with various readers for various needs) I don't see a difference at all, be it sideloaded PDFs, sideloaded Mobipockets or "original" Kindle files.
And: I LOVE the Kindle reader app on iPod touch/iPhone. Wouldn't Kindle 2 be a perfect match?
But still: nook is a great reader, has been a positive surprise.
Of my readers, over all I can recommend: Sony 900, iRex 800, Kindle 2, nook and Cybook Opus. (No specific order, always depends on ones preferences).

mgmueller · 02-22-2010, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blokie

Shouldn't have any issues at all with sideloading - I do exactly the same thing as I'm outside the US.

I would suggest softrooting though, as the library functions provided are better than those provided by default (everything combined as opposed to separating out sideloaded which the standard firmware does).

You know, that you can buy from B&N, although being outside US (from Germany myself)? You don't have to sideload, only because you're outside US.

Madam Broshkina · 02-22-2010, 06:17 PM

If you are thinking about putting 1000 books on a nook you will definitely want to softroot it and use the folder feature in Trook.

bthoven · 02-22-2010, 10:59 PM

Agree with the softroot to handle xxx ebooks.

Softroot is now easy and painless with no negative side effect.

kilmar · 02-23-2010, 10:39 AM

I only use the nook for sideloading since I am greatly against DRM. Still waiting a bit before I softroot. Right now, I only have a relatively small library of 190 books, so it's not too bad.

afv011 · 02-23-2010, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilmar

I only use the nook for sideloading since I am greatly against DRM. Still waiting a bit before I softroot. Right now, I only have a relatively small library of 190 books, so it's not too bad.

I'm on the same boat, the only thing I miss right now is a "most recent" listing, as I may be reading a couple of books at the same time, a technical one and a "for fun" one, and having to go up and down the listing is not very practical. I'm also considering the softroot approach, but do not have enough books right now to warrant it.

aagstn · 02-23-2010, 01:30 PM

Thanks for the feedback. Guess soft rooting is definitely the way I will have to go. I already have all the books set up in Calibre with cover art so I should be able to get them on there with the covers I want.

I'm kind of spoiled by how well Stanza works with Calibre, but would really like an eInk screen as a daytime option.

stangri · 02-25-2010, 01:22 PM

AFAIK you can set up nook to feed off the Stanza feed from Calibre. Hasn't it been discussed on this forum?

mlewis78 · 12-27-2011, 11:11 PM

I just put several epub books on my brand new Nook STR via calibre. Ran out of space. Not sure how many I added -- probably 100. Initially (and so far) the Nook would not connect to my home wifi network (kept saying on it that my password was wrong -- but it was right). So I can't register it but also cannot access homepage or library, settings or anything else except the access wifi pages.

Very disappointed so far. I always liked the Nook STR when I played with the demo models.

VicLavigne · 12-27-2011, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlewis78

I just put several epub books on my brand new Nook STR via calibre. Ran out of space. Not sure how many I added -- probably 100. Initially (and so far) the Nook would not connect to my home wifi network (kept saying on it that my password was wrong -- but it was right). So I can't register it but also cannot access homepage or library, settings or anything else except the access wifi pages.

Very disappointed so far. I always liked the Nook STR when I played with the demo models.

Ran out of space with only 100 sideloaded epubs? They must have been either scans or really heavy with illustrations. The majority of my epub books are about 1/2 mb in size. Still, you always have the SD card slot for expansion.

mlewis78 · 12-27-2011, 11:46 PM

I forget how many megabytes of books that were on there, but I was surprise, because most of these are novels. I haven't bought a card for extra books yet, but I think it's limiting how much non-B&N content I can put in the main area. Added them via calibre.

Worse than that is that I can see my library, settings or anything else except the wifi access page (I think I already said this, but this is my main gripe -- can't even see what I put on there, let alone read it.).

VicLavigne · 12-28-2011, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlewis78

I forget how many megabytes of books that were on there, but I was surprise, because most of these are novels. I haven't bought a card for extra books yet, but I think it's limiting how much non-B&N content I can put in the main area. Added them via calibre.

Worse than that is that I can see my library, settings or anything else except the wifi access page (I think I already said this, but this is my main gripe -- can't even see what I put on there, let alone read it.).

The partitioned area for non-B&N ebooks is well-known, yet I would still say 100 epubs should fit without a problem. I believe this area is about 240 - 250mb in size. Comics, magazines, pdf's and scans will be much bigger in file size and will reduce how many will fit. Also any epub that has lots of illustrations. The choice of picture file for the book cover can also affect file size. If you are using calibre, it will show you the file size for each ebook in your library.

Vic

mlewis78 · 12-29-2011, 02:56 PM

After I registered my Nook, I could see that I have 161 epub books on it. I think I'll have to buy a micro SD card (SDHC, I think) to add more books. I will delete after I read each one, but 161 isn't a lot of books. I think there is a limitation on books not purchased from them.

02-22-2010, 05:32 PM	#1
aagstn Evangelist Posts: 422 Karma: 1004351 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3, iPad mini 2	Nook worth it for purely side loading? I'm seriously considering moving from the iPod Touch as my main reader to a nook. I buy all my books from Fictionwise and have for over 10 years so I have a huge collection of eReader format books to sideload. However, reading some of the threads it seems like the Nook is a hassle to use with sideloaded books. Hard to find titles, etc. I really wanted to put all my books on it, but that is nearly a thousand titles and I don't want it to be a hassle to find something to read or to find a bookmark. Trying to decide if the Nook is right for me or if I should go through the process of trying to strip the DRM and convert them to ePub and get a Sony Reader.

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02-22-2010, 05:40 PM	#2
Blokie Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505, Nook	Shouldn't have any issues at all with sideloading - I do exactly the same thing as I'm outside the US. I would suggest softrooting though, as the library functions provided are better than those provided by default (everything combined as opposed to separating out sideloaded which the standard firmware does).

02-22-2010, 06:17 PM	#5
Madam Broshkina Manic Do Fuse Posts: 2,312 Karma: 3325462 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony 500, 505, 350, Kindle 3, DXG, nook, Irex DR800SG, iPad	If you are thinking about putting 1000 books on a nook you will definitely want to softroot it and use the folder feature in Trook.

02-22-2010, 10:59 PM	#6
bthoven Evangelist Posts: 475 Karma: 590 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Agree with the softroot to handle xxx ebooks. Softroot is now easy and painless with no negative side effect.

02-23-2010, 10:39 AM	#7
kilmar Connoisseur Posts: 65 Karma: 500 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: nook color, nook, Sony PRS-700	I only use the nook for sideloading since I am greatly against DRM. Still waiting a bit before I softroot. Right now, I only have a relatively small library of 190 books, so it's not too bad.

02-23-2010, 01:30 PM	#9
aagstn Evangelist Posts: 422 Karma: 1004351 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3, iPad mini 2	Thanks for the feedback. Guess soft rooting is definitely the way I will have to go. I already have all the books set up in Calibre with cover art so I should be able to get them on there with the covers I want. I'm kind of spoiled by how well Stanza works with Calibre, but would really like an eInk screen as a daytime option.

02-25-2010, 01:22 PM	#10
stangri Addict Posts: 352 Karma: 55400 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: YVR/BWS/PUJ Device: nook	AFAIK you can set up nook to feed off the Stanza feed from Calibre. Hasn't it been discussed on this forum?

12-27-2011, 11:11 PM	#11
mlewis78 Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 6449772 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New York City Device: Kindle Oasis 2 (7"); HDX 8.9"; Ipad2	I just put several epub books on my brand new Nook STR via calibre. Ran out of space. Not sure how many I added -- probably 100. Initially (and so far) the Nook would not connect to my home wifi network (kept saying on it that my password was wrong -- but it was right). So I can't register it but also cannot access homepage or library, settings or anything else except the access wifi pages. Very disappointed so far. I always liked the Nook STR when I played with the demo models.

12-27-2011, 11:46 PM	#13
mlewis78 Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 6449772 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New York City Device: Kindle Oasis 2 (7"); HDX 8.9"; Ipad2	I forget how many megabytes of books that were on there, but I was surprise, because most of these are novels. I haven't bought a card for extra books yet, but I think it's limiting how much non-B&N content I can put in the main area. Added them via calibre. Worse than that is that I can see my library, settings or anything else except the wifi access page (I think I already said this, but this is my main gripe -- can't even see what I put on there, let alone read it.).

12-29-2011, 02:56 PM	#15
mlewis78 Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 6449772 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: New York City Device: Kindle Oasis 2 (7"); HDX 8.9"; Ipad2	After I registered my Nook, I could see that I have 161 epub books on it. I think I'll have to buy a micro SD card (SDHC, I think) to add more books. I will delete after I read each one, but 161 isn't a lot of books. I think there is a limitation on books not purchased from them.