Easier to strip: MOBI or LIT?

afa · 07-29-2010, 04:24 AM

So there's a couple of ebooks I want from ebooks.com. Unfortunately, these books are not available as ePubs.

My choices are Adobe PDF, Mobipocket or Microsoft Reader.

I know my nook will recognise PDF, but I hear only bad things about PDF ebooks, so I don't think I'm gonna go there. So I want to know whether I should go for Mobi or Lit?

The nook doesn't recognise either, so I'll have to strip the DRM and then convert. So is it easier to strip one over the other? What about the actual formatting? Is one or the other better? Does converting from Mobi to ePub yield different results than Lit to ePub? Or does it make no difference?

Any advice would be appreciated. (I'm using a Mac, if that makes a difference.)

HarryT · 07-29-2010, 04:53 AM

Both Mobi and LIT are based on the OEB standard; there's very little to choose between them. Mobi will probably give you a more direct conversion; when I buy LIT I generally go LIT -> Mobi -> ePub.

Donnageddon · 07-29-2010, 05:05 AM

Just my personal experience, but lit will strip on command. Mobi will not even return my phone calls.

Just speaking of DRM issues.

Others have been more fortunate with Mobi.

afa · 07-29-2010, 05:36 AM

Thanks for the replies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Both Mobi and LIT are based on the OEB standard; there's very little to choose between them. Mobi will probably give you a more direct conversion; when I buy LIT I generally go LIT -> Mobi -> ePub.

Is that because you can't convert from LIT to ePub, or simply because LIT>Mobi>ePub yields better results? If so, in what way? I assume the conversion from either is possible through Calibre?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

Just my personal experience, but lit will strip on command. Mobi will not even return my phone calls.

Interesing. Can you elaborate? What exactly are the issues you're having? Do you know why there is a problem? I assume not, since if you did you probably would have worked your way around it.

Sweetpea · 07-29-2010, 05:43 AM

I prefer mobi, I find it easier to strip. For LIT, you need an activated MS Reader instance.

afa · 07-29-2010, 07:07 AM

Thanks for that.

Would you know if stripping Mobi is easily doable on a Mac?

I ask because I was curious abouting stripping Kindle ebooks, but when I checked about unswindle, and it seems that it's made for Windows. At least, that's what it looks like. It seems to work through Kindle for PC, and doesn't mention Kindle for Mac. The K4PC app obviously is an EXE extension, which isn't readable in OS X.

Terisa de morgan · 07-29-2010, 07:14 AM

If you have a Mac, I would go for Mobi. With lit you need Microsoft Explorer, activated Microsoft Reader and I don't know if the program for strip it works in Mac. And stripping Mobi in Mac I think it's easy, there're available python scripts.

pdurrant · 07-29-2010, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afa

Any advice would be appreciated. (I'm using a Mac, if that makes a difference.)

You can't download .lit files on a Mac (Well, not without installing a Windows emulator!). Go for Mobipocket.

Sweetpea · 07-29-2010, 08:15 AM

Can you run python scripts on a mac? Because, that's all it takes (and your PID, naturally) to strip DRM from mobipocket books. Kindle books are different.

afa · 07-29-2010, 09:47 AM

Thanks for the replies everyone. Mobipocket it is, then.

Yeah, I can run Python. I did it for ePubs.

Er, PID? Where do I get that?

Sweetpea · 07-29-2010, 09:58 AM

When you download a mobipocket book, you'll need a PID. It doesn't really matter where you get it from, as long as it's valid (as you'll be stripping the DRM anyway). You can get it from any installation of mobipocket reader. Once you've that PID, you can do away with the installation (just remember the PID...) The PID I'm using right now, is from my old PDA, which I don't use anymore, for instance...

(http://www.ebooks.com/help/troublesh...mobipocket.asp)

afa · 07-30-2010, 07:36 AM

Thanks, Sweetpea.

JSWolf · 07-30-2010, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Both Mobi and LIT are based on the OEB standard; there's very little to choose between them. Mobi will probably give you a more direct conversion; when I buy LIT I generally go LIT -> Mobi -> ePub.

You'd be better off going LIT to ePub and once you get the ePub the way you like, then go Mobi from there.

AnemicOak · 07-30-2010, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You'd be better off going LIT to ePub and once you get the ePub the way you like, then go Mobi from there.

Why?

I've often found Mobi coverts to ePub better than Lit.

Sweetpea · 07-31-2010, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You'd be better off going LIT to ePub and once you get the ePub the way you like, then go Mobi from there.

The problem is stripping the DRM from LIT. Because that was the question. If you have a mac, it's difficult to do just that, as you'll need an activated copy of MS Reader.

And, as is AnemicOak asking, why? I never got good results from LIT...

07-29-2010, 04:24 AM	#1
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	Easier to strip: MOBI or LIT? So there's a couple of ebooks I want from ebooks.com. Unfortunately, these books are not available as ePubs. My choices are Adobe PDF, Mobipocket or Microsoft Reader. I know my nook will recognise PDF, but I hear only bad things about PDF ebooks, so I don't think I'm gonna go there. So I want to know whether I should go for Mobi or Lit? The nook doesn't recognise either, so I'll have to strip the DRM and then convert. So is it easier to strip one over the other? What about the actual formatting? Is one or the other better? Does converting from Mobi to ePub yield different results than Lit to ePub? Or does it make no difference? Any advice would be appreciated. (I'm using a Mac, if that makes a difference.)

07-29-2010, 09:58 AM	#11
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	When you download a mobipocket book, you'll need a PID. It doesn't really matter where you get it from, as long as it's valid (as you'll be stripping the DRM anyway). You can get it from any installation of mobipocket reader. Once you've that PID, you can do away with the installation (just remember the PID...) The PID I'm using right now, is from my old PDA, which I don't use anymore, for instance... (http://www.ebooks.com/help/troublesh...mobipocket.asp) Last edited by Sweetpea; 07-29-2010 at 10:00 AM.

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07-29-2010, 04:53 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Both Mobi and LIT are based on the OEB standard; there's very little to choose between them. Mobi will probably give you a more direct conversion; when I buy LIT I generally go LIT -> Mobi -> ePub.

07-29-2010, 05:05 AM	#3
Donnageddon Now you lishen here... Posts: 2,494 Karma: 479498 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle-ish Device: Sony PRS-650. Kobo Touch, Kindle Fire	Just my personal experience, but lit will strip on command. Mobi will not even return my phone calls. Just speaking of DRM issues. Others have been more fortunate with Mobi.

07-29-2010, 05:43 AM	#5
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I prefer mobi, I find it easier to strip. For LIT, you need an activated MS Reader instance.

07-29-2010, 07:07 AM	#6
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	Thanks for that. Would you know if stripping Mobi is easily doable on a Mac? I ask because I was curious abouting stripping Kindle ebooks, but when I checked about unswindle, and it seems that it's made for Windows. At least, that's what it looks like. It seems to work through Kindle for PC, and doesn't mention Kindle for Mac. The K4PC app obviously is an EXE extension, which isn't readable in OS X.

07-29-2010, 07:14 AM	#7
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,686 Karma: 12595249 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	If you have a Mac, I would go for Mobi. With lit you need Microsoft Explorer, activated Microsoft Reader and I don't know if the program for strip it works in Mac. And stripping Mobi in Mac I think it's easy, there're available python scripts.

07-29-2010, 08:15 AM	#9
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Can you run python scripts on a mac? Because, that's all it takes (and your PID, naturally) to strip DRM from mobipocket books. Kindle books are different.

07-29-2010, 09:47 AM	#10
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	Thanks for the replies everyone. Mobipocket it is, then. Yeah, I can run Python. I did it for ePubs. Er, PID? Where do I get that?

07-30-2010, 07:36 AM	#12
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	Thanks, Sweetpea.