PRS-650 Flashing the firmware

[willyu34]

Originally Posted by porkupan

The Rootfs partition is 32 MB, out of which about 14 MB is used. The flasher script actually checks that there is enough room the the partition to write your image, so that's probably not what killed your reader.

thanks porkupan. i think the replacement ttf I used totalled 14 mb + 14 that is used, shouldn't have gone over. Maybe I should post my image up and see if anyone could figure out where I went wrong.

I think the biggest possible reason, besides the possible size issue, is because i used cygwin to unpack/repack the cramfs under windows. On porkupan's original post someone was able to do it in win7 I think, that's why I did it.

I can't believe I was that stupid...

Well, once I saved enough to buy a new sony reader... i am going to try again... (i also can't believe I am that crazy to consider doing it again...)

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by willyu34

thanks porkupan. i think the replacement ttf I used totalled 14 mb + 14 that is used, shouldn't have gone over. Maybe I should post my image up and see if anyone could figure out where I went wrong.

I think the biggest possible reason, besides the possible size issue, is because i used cygwin to unpack/repack the cramfs under windows. On porkupan's original post someone was able to do it in win7 I think, that's why I did it.

I can't believe I was that stupid...

Well, once I saved enough to buy a new sony reader... i am going to try again... (i also can't believe I am that crazy to consider doing it again...)

Have you tried hard resetting? The instructions in the second post are for the 505, but it seems to work for the 600 with different key presses; I don't know if they will work on the 650 but it is worth a try (as keys as 600?). I believe there is a backup image of the original firmware on the device (the factory default) which the hard reset will restore.

To create a new image you probably should use cramfsck and mkcramfs as root on Linux.

[ShellShock]

I can recommend the Russified firmware for the 350/650, unless you are Dutch (it replaces the Dutch language with Russian).

Although it is called "Russified" it is really suitable for anyone--it supports the same languages (except Dutch) as the original firmware, on which it is based. It has lots of cool features (and more being added); the ones I like the most are:

Clock always visible
Can use Zoom and Options buttons as previous page/next page.
Global css support for epubs (e.g., so you can override the fonts used in an epub, without having to edit the epub).

Disclaimer: as always, flashing your device with new firmware is at your own risk!

[gregcd]

Hi what's involved in creating a custom keyboard layout? A Dvorak one would be wonderful

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by gregcd

Hi what's involved in creating a custom keyboard layout? A Dvorak one would be wonderful

Or Colmak. The Russified firmware has a custom keyboard; it would be possible to look at that to find out what changes are required.

[mitchelln]

Hi.

Is it possible to turn of the "Test Mode Available" text that shows in all screens in the 1.04g version of the "Russified" firmware, or is it there all the time?

By the way, seeing no impact on the battery of having the clock showing all the time.

Thanks
Neill.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by mitchelln

Hi.

Is it possible to turn of the "Test Mode Available" text that shows in all screens in the 1.04g version of the "Russified" firmware, or is it there all the time?

By the way, seeing no impact on the battery of having the clock showing all the time.

Thanks
Neill.

It seems to have inadvertently entered test mode. I don't see what you are describing...sorry, but I don't know how to enter or exit test mode.

[porkupan]

Originally Posted by mitchelln

Is it possible to turn of the "Test Mode Available" text that shows in all screens in the 1.04g version of the "Russified" firmware, or is it there all the time?

You installed the "Russified" firmware, and now "Test Mode Available" text shows in all screens? I guess, you must have figured out how to enable the test mode, then. Now figure out how to disable it.

[mitchelln]

Originally Posted by porkupan

You installed the "Russified" firmware, and now "Test Mode Available" text shows in all screens? I guess, you must have figured out how to enable the test mode, then. Now figure out how to disable it.

LOL. I did a reset and then everything was fine

So loving this firmware

[goaspy]

What is a "diagnostic card" for the PRS 650? Should I make one now (and how) while my reader works, in case I brick it messing with the firmware?
The russified firmware works nice, many thanks btw, but I want to learn how it works, maybe create a romanian keyboard.

[chris_tribble]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

...
Clock always visible
Can use Zoom and Options buttons as previous page/next page.
Global css support for epubs (e.g., so you can override the fonts used in an epub, without having to edit the epub).]

Hi - I've successfully applied the Russified Porkupan (boroda) V 1.05e firmeware hack, but (call me stupid) can't see any alternative fonts. The clock's there on the bar + the "About" menu shows that I'm using the Hack version and there are apparently options for:
CLOCK
TZONE
PGING
ALPHA

+
HOME-HLD
SIZE-HLD
OP-HLD

... but tap as I may, I don't seem to be able to get these to do anything to happen (apart from the screen flashing a moment). Holding down Size or Options does the rotation thing OK + holding down Home produces Go-Back when reading. However, I can't for the life of my see how you get at font options or see how you control things like time-zone / time settings.

If I'm being really dumb I'd be grateful if someone could enlighten me on what I should do next - great that the 650 wasn't bricked by the process, but it would be nice to go to the next level. Do I need to edit options in any ot the .bat programs? At the moment I feel a bit like a kid sticking wet fingers in the electric socket to see what will happen next

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by chris_tribble

Hi - I've successfully applied the Russified Porkupan (boroda) V 1.05e firmeware hack, but (call me stupid) can't see any alternative fonts.

induna kindly listed the steps to change fonts using firmware 1.05e in this link (post 14). Perhaps, you missed a step?

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=105194

[chris_tribble]

Originally Posted by Fbone

induna kindly listed the steps to change fonts using firmware 1.05e in this link (post 14). Perhaps, you missed a step?

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=105194

Really grateful for the quick response. I've edited userStyle.css to read (as there's no Bold Italic in my Garamond set, I've left this as Droid):

@font-face {
font-family: -ua-default;
font-weight: normal;
font-style: normal;
src: url(res:///Data/epub/FONT/garamond/GARA.ttf);
}

@font-face {
font-family: -ua-default;
font-weight: bold;
font-style: normal;
src: url(res:///Data/epub/FONT/garamond/GARABD.ttf);
}

@font-face {
font-family: -ua-default;
font-weight: normal;
font-style: italic;
src: url(res:///Data/epub/FONT/garamond/GARAIT.ttf);
}

@font-face {
font-family: -ua-default;
font-weight: bold;
font-style: italic;
src: url(res:///Data/epub/FONT/droid/DroidSerif-BoldItalic.ttf);
}

@font-face {
font-family: "sans-serif1";
src:url(res:///opt/sony/ebook/FONT/tt0003m_.ttf);
}

h1 {
font-family: sans-serif1, sans-serif;
}

My flashed Reader has the file structure as in the screen shot I attach. But I'm still getting the old Sony default font! I've tried this across a range of ePub books (mostly from Feedbooks) and have checked in Calibri that there's no local font over-ride... I have to say I feel a bit confused. If anyone can clarify where I've gone wrong I'd be really grateful. Very odd.

[sherman]

I had the same problem with my 650. For some reason the userstyle.css just wouldn't work for me.

What I ended up doing was changing

font-family: -ua-default;

to

font-family: DroidSerif

and below the @font-face rules, added

body {font-family: DroidSerif; line-height: 1.2em}

You could (maybe even should...) use font-family: serif; instead, to catch cases where the epub file specifies a serif font.


However, if someone tells me how I can get -ua-default working, I'd love to know.

[chris_tribble]

Sherman - really appreciate your time on this.

I've tried following this in order to get Garamond working - and I'm still only getting the Sony default font (I've tried a hard-restart).

Would it be possible to post the full userstyle.css you're using? I could then see if I can at least get Droid working, and then see if I can tweak things from there. At the moment I'm not getting past step one.

The next question is going to be how to re-set time zone etc when travelling. At the moment the Reader gives me the correct UK local time (picking this up from the computer?). But I'd have no idea of how to change if this was needed. However - this is episode 2 of the adventure. At the moment I'm still stuck at the home base.

Thanks again.

Best

Chris