PSP as ebook reader

Labib Rahman · 05-27-2009, 06:48 AM

Okay, I am probably the youngest member of this forum - a 16 year old in a forum whose members are mostly older than me, but I have some experience with portable reader devices, my favorite being the PRS-505.

Due to a certain incident, I ended up chucking my PRS-505, and broke it.

The upper left corner got bent, and I had to send it back to the US (I live in Bangladesh) to get it exchanged for a refurbished one.

But now I have summer vacation ahead of me, and no portable reader devices. With that in mind, I thought I could use my PSP as a portable reading device.

Now the problem is my PSP doesn't use custom firmware - which means it isn't hacked. If it was I could installed Bookr a homebrew that would have let me natively read pdf files.

But since I can't natively read pdf files, I need a way to convert pdf files to html which the PSP can read.

I've tried zamzar.com to do the conversion online, but all I got was blank pages.

So, could anyone tell me how to convert pdf files to html accurately, or an alternative way to read pdf files on the psp?

If I don't get any help, I face a summer without much reading and I'm sure forum members can imagine how painful that is. Please

ilovejedd · 05-27-2009, 09:31 AM

Converting PDF to HTML is a bit tricky. If you open the PDF file via Adobe Acrobat, does it give you the option to Save As Text? Not all PDF files can be converted to HTML without OCRing. You're probably better off converting your PDF to PNG images.

Labib Rahman · 05-27-2009, 12:09 PM

I tried converting pdf files to png images, but the resulting files were so large I wouldn't be able to store more that four ebooks in my psp at a time.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but in summer I have to go to places that make carrying my laptop around impossible.

I guess I could save as text and transfer, but I have no idea how to get the psp to read text files. Thanks anywho.

ilovejedd · 05-27-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labib Rahman

I guess I could save as text and transfer, but I have no idea how to get the psp to read text files. Thanks anywho.

I do believe the built-in browser is able to read plain txt files. I don't have my PSP with me right now so I can't double-check it at the moment.

Besides, even if it doesn't, converting from txt to html is easy.

Labib Rahman · 05-27-2009, 12:18 PM

I tried converting pdf files to png images, but the resulting files were so large I wouldn't be able to store more that four ebooks in my psp at a time.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but in summer I have to go to places that make carrying my laptop around impossible.

I guess I could save as text and transfer, but I have no idea how to get the psp to read text files. Thanks anywho.

Labib Rahman · 05-27-2009, 12:20 PM

Ooops double post. Yeah I just tried it works fine, with the only problem being irritating line breaks in the middle of sentences, but as a stopgap measure until I get my refurbished Sony PRS-505, it should work fine.

Thanks a lot. BTW, do you read much on your PSP?

Labib Rahman · 05-27-2009, 12:23 PM

Oh, I found a link that says how to save and read text files on the psp:

http://www.psp411.com/forum/12114/1/162083

Catire · 05-27-2009, 01:22 PM

Why dont you hack your psp and install bookr? is it one of the unhackable ones?

ilovejedd · 05-27-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labib Rahman

BTW, do you read much on your PSP?

I used to, with PSPReader (txt) and Bookr (pdf). Seriously, why are you not running custom firmware on your PSP? If your PSP is unhackable, why haven't you traded it in for a hackable version?

Just kidding. That's just the avid reader/tinkerer in me talking. There really isn't much by way of games that I like on the PSP. I used mine more for reading than playing. I've got Bookr and various reading material on all my memory sticks.

Nowadays, though, I just use iPhone+Stanza+Calibre. Being able to copy books even when I'm away from home is darned convenient.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labib Rahman

Oh, I found a link that says how to save and read text files on the psp:

http://www.psp411.com/forum/12114/1/162083

I knew the browser could do it.

Labib Rahman · 05-28-2009, 01:24 AM

I didn't want to talk about 'hacking' the psp because heretofore I had assumed that mobileread was a strictly legit forum since no one's been handing out links to illegally download copyrighted ebooks.

A guy once claimed he had 12000+ ebooks and nearly got booted out of here. But I guess PSP things get relaxed.

My PSP is probably the most hackable version ever - the fat 1001 version, the reason I haven't hacked it is because it is very difficult to find people to get it done in Bangladesh. A lot of my friends got theirs 'bricked' - as in the system software crashed and they couldn't use it anymore.

And I can't just tell my dad to get it hacked in the US, right? My dad is a very legallish kind of person, so that's out of the question

Gideon · 05-28-2009, 01:34 AM

Talking about hacking your device is one thing, handing out free copies of things is another. I'm not sure about telling you how to do it here.. but it isn't necessary, there are other places that will.

It used to be pretty easy, but it depends on your firmware. A hacked PSP is a wonderful, wonderful device that can do marvelous things. A non-hacked PSP... meh.

ilovejedd · 05-28-2009, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labib Rahman

A guy once claimed he had 12000+ ebooks and nearly got booted out of here.

Ah, but that's not hacking, that's piracy. There's a big difference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labib Rahman

My PSP is probably the most hackable version ever - the fat 1001 version, the reason I haven't hacked it is because it is very difficult to find people to get it done in Bangladesh. A lot of my friends got theirs 'bricked' - as in the system software crashed and they couldn't use it anymore.

And I can't just tell my dad to get it hacked in the US, right? My dad is a very legallish kind of person, so that's out of the question

I've got 9 PSPs, 6 of which are running custom firmware. Lol, I guess that's one reason I'm a bit cavalier with regards to installing custom firmware. I believe "hard bricking" can now be fixed using the latest version of Despertar del Cementerio (requires Pandora battery) so if you use that method, you should be able to minimize the risk if not eliminate it altogether. What method did your friends use to install custom firmware?

Lol, in the Philippines, when you buy a PSP, custom firmware is already pre-installed and you get a memory stick filled with pirated games.

Faenad · 06-05-2009, 12:20 AM

To convert PDF to HTML you can use Mobipocket Creator. It's free.
Result will not be perfect for complex PDF, but still far better than a conversion from text.

if you are picky you can after that resize all image extracted from the PDF in a size adapted to the PSP screen resolution, using a bach converter like Photoscape (free too).

05-27-2009, 06:48 AM	#1
Labib Rahman Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 576 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangladesh Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PSP and an age old Dell Inspiron 1150	PSP as ebook reader Okay, I am probably the youngest member of this forum - a 16 year old in a forum whose members are mostly older than me, but I have some experience with portable reader devices, my favorite being the PRS-505. Due to a certain incident, I ended up chucking my PRS-505, and broke it. The upper left corner got bent, and I had to send it back to the US (I live in Bangladesh) to get it exchanged for a refurbished one. But now I have summer vacation ahead of me, and no portable reader devices. With that in mind, I thought I could use my PSP as a portable reading device. Now the problem is my PSP doesn't use custom firmware - which means it isn't hacked. If it was I could installed Bookr a homebrew that would have let me natively read pdf files. But since I can't natively read pdf files, I need a way to convert pdf files to html which the PSP can read. I've tried zamzar.com to do the conversion online, but all I got was blank pages. So, could anyone tell me how to convert pdf files to html accurately, or an alternative way to read pdf files on the psp? If I don't get any help, I face a summer without much reading and I'm sure forum members can imagine how painful that is. Please

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05-27-2009, 09:31 AM	#2
ilovejedd hopeless n00b Posts: 5,110 Karma: 19597086 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: in the middle of nowhere Device: PW4, PW3, Libra H2O, iPad 10.5, iPad 11, iPad 12.9	Converting PDF to HTML is a bit tricky. If you open the PDF file via Adobe Acrobat, does it give you the option to Save As Text? Not all PDF files can be converted to HTML without OCRing. You're probably better off converting your PDF to PNG images.

05-27-2009, 12:09 PM	#3
Labib Rahman Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 576 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangladesh Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PSP and an age old Dell Inspiron 1150	I tried converting pdf files to png images, but the resulting files were so large I wouldn't be able to store more that four ebooks in my psp at a time. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but in summer I have to go to places that make carrying my laptop around impossible. I guess I could save as text and transfer, but I have no idea how to get the psp to read text files. Thanks anywho.

05-27-2009, 12:18 PM	#5
Labib Rahman Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 576 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangladesh Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PSP and an age old Dell Inspiron 1150	I tried converting pdf files to png images, but the resulting files were so large I wouldn't be able to store more that four ebooks in my psp at a time. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but in summer I have to go to places that make carrying my laptop around impossible. I guess I could save as text and transfer, but I have no idea how to get the psp to read text files. Thanks anywho.

05-27-2009, 12:20 PM	#6
Labib Rahman Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 576 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangladesh Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PSP and an age old Dell Inspiron 1150	Ooops double post. Yeah I just tried it works fine, with the only problem being irritating line breaks in the middle of sentences, but as a stopgap measure until I get my refurbished Sony PRS-505, it should work fine. Thanks a lot. BTW, do you read much on your PSP?

05-27-2009, 12:23 PM	#7
Labib Rahman Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 576 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangladesh Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PSP and an age old Dell Inspiron 1150	Oh, I found a link that says how to save and read text files on the psp: http://www.psp411.com/forum/12114/1/162083

05-27-2009, 01:22 PM	#8
Catire Lord of the Universe Posts: 670 Karma: 737849 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Maturin , Venezuela Device: Sony Reader PRS-505 / PSP	Why dont you hack your psp and install bookr? is it one of the unhackable ones?

05-28-2009, 01:24 AM	#10
Labib Rahman Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 576 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangladesh Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PSP and an age old Dell Inspiron 1150	I didn't want to talk about 'hacking' the psp because heretofore I had assumed that mobileread was a strictly legit forum since no one's been handing out links to illegally download copyrighted ebooks. A guy once claimed he had 12000+ ebooks and nearly got booted out of here. But I guess PSP things get relaxed. My PSP is probably the most hackable version ever - the fat 1001 version, the reason I haven't hacked it is because it is very difficult to find people to get it done in Bangladesh. A lot of my friends got theirs 'bricked' - as in the system software crashed and they couldn't use it anymore. And I can't just tell my dad to get it hacked in the US, right? My dad is a very legallish kind of person, so that's out of the question

05-28-2009, 01:34 AM	#11
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	Talking about hacking your device is one thing, handing out free copies of things is another. I'm not sure about telling you how to do it here.. but it isn't necessary, there are other places that will. It used to be pretty easy, but it depends on your firmware. A hacked PSP is a wonderful, wonderful device that can do marvelous things. A non-hacked PSP... meh.

06-05-2009, 12:20 AM	#13
Faenad Ad astra per aspera Posts: 347 Karma: 724 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mexico Device: PRS-505, PRS-300 & HTC HD2	To convert PDF to HTML you can use Mobipocket Creator. It's free. Result will not be perfect for complex PDF, but still far better than a conversion from text. if you are picky you can after that resize all image extracted from the PDF in a size adapted to the PSP screen resolution, using a bach converter like Photoscape (free too).

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