PDF reader

mdmorrissey · 11-19-2010, 11:45 AM

I know this topic has come up often, but I haven't seen any good answers to the question -- or there just isn't one.

In my non-expert opinion, what is needed is a good e-ink reader for PDFs. Period. That simply means one that will do what the Adobe Reader (or the equivalent) does on my computer. I just downloaded a book of poetry from a library that looks fine on my computer, but is unreadable on my ereader. (Pocketbook 360, but I think they all have the problem.)

I find it really hard to believe that it is not possible to produce a simple, inexpensive PDF reader. I think the ereader manufacturers have been trying too hard to do EVERYTHING (wireless, touchscreen, color, etc.) instead of doing the ONE thing WELL that would satisfy customers who just want to be able to read the stuff they have on their desktops on a device they can carry around with them and read in e-ink so they don't get eyestrain after an hour or so. I do NOT need or want wireless, touchscreen, color etc. on my ereader. When will the producers get this message?

rogue_librarian · 11-19-2010, 12:10 PM

The problem with PDF is that they are meant for a given size and resolution, much like paper. The layout is fixed at the time of publishing. This works well for devices that can display at least that size, like a modern computer monitor, but not for 6 inch devices.

Reflow, various zooming options etc. are really only crutches for that problem. You want a text-based files, like .mobi or .epub. Or, get a full size reader like the Kindle DX, or one from the Pocketbook 9x series. I love my 360, but I don't ready PDFs on it (unless specifically formatted).

rkomar · 11-20-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogue_librarian

The problem with PDF is that they are meant for a given size and resolution, much like paper. The layout is fixed at the time of publishing. This works well for devices that can display at least that size, like a modern computer monitor, but not for 6 inch devices.

Reflow, various zooming options etc. are really only crutches for that problem. You want a text-based files, like .mobi or .epub. Or, get a full size reader like the Kindle DX, or one from the Pocketbook 9x series. I love my 360, but I don't ready PDFs on it (unless specifically formatted).

Yes. PDF (and Postscript, from whence PDF came) are different from most other file types. Rather than just being descriptions of some content, they are executable programs for rendering each page in some precise way. They are executed using a State Machine, which compounds the difficulty of trying to snip bits of the content out of a page and show them differently. So, the 'crutches' you mention are difficult to construct and prone to failure. I think it's amazing they work as well as they do.

J. Strnad · 11-20-2010, 04:48 PM

Yeah, reformating PDF is real dog-on-its-hind-legs stuff. It worked for ebooks on a computer monitor and became a standard for such, unfortunately, but it's just not the right tool for the job with small-screen devices.

LDBoblo · 11-21-2010, 02:07 AM

I wish there were more good books available as high-quality PDF for ebook reader sizes. It would save me a lot of time in converting them to PDF.

leebase · 11-22-2010, 08:54 PM

Get a large eInk device like a Kindle DX. Or go with an iPad which is excellent with pdf's.

Lee

pendragginp · 11-23-2010, 08:41 AM

I've also been surprised at how good my Pocket Edge is for PDFs - at least those without a lot of charts or such. I haven't tried it with those. But for PDFs that are straight books with pictures the reflow plus ability to change the font size is perfect. And being able to send the pictures over to the LCD screen on the other side to be seen in color is really good. And this is in spite of the e-ink being a 6" screen. It's the only reason I've been willing to get PDFsagain.

tomsem · 11-24-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pendragginp

I've also been surprised at how good my Pocket Edge is for PDFs - at least those without a lot of charts or such. I haven't tried it with those. But for PDFs that are straight books with pictures the reflow plus ability to change the font size is perfect. And being able to send the pictures over to the LCD screen on the other side to be seen in color is really good. And this is in spite of the e-ink being a 6" screen. It's the only reason I've been willing to get PDFsagain.

And of course there's its larger sibling, with same size e-ink screen as DX. I believe it also does real PDF annotation as well, yes?

11-19-2010, 11:45 AM	#1
mdmorrissey Addict Posts: 232 Karma: 262 Join Date: May 2010 Device: PocketBook 360	PDF reader I know this topic has come up often, but I haven't seen any good answers to the question -- or there just isn't one. In my non-expert opinion, what is needed is a good e-ink reader for PDFs. Period. That simply means one that will do what the Adobe Reader (or the equivalent) does on my computer. I just downloaded a book of poetry from a library that looks fine on my computer, but is unreadable on my ereader. (Pocketbook 360, but I think they all have the problem.) I find it really hard to believe that it is not possible to produce a simple, inexpensive PDF reader. I think the ereader manufacturers have been trying too hard to do EVERYTHING (wireless, touchscreen, color, etc.) instead of doing the ONE thing WELL that would satisfy customers who just want to be able to read the stuff they have on their desktops on a device they can carry around with them and read in e-ink so they don't get eyestrain after an hour or so. I do NOT need or want wireless, touchscreen, color etc. on my ereader. When will the producers get this message?

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11-19-2010, 12:10 PM	#2
rogue_librarian Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 4269175 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Europe Device: Pocketbook Basic 613	The problem with PDF is that they are meant for a given size and resolution, much like paper. The layout is fixed at the time of publishing. This works well for devices that can display at least that size, like a modern computer monitor, but not for 6 inch devices. Reflow, various zooming options etc. are really only crutches for that problem. You want a text-based files, like .mobi or .epub. Or, get a full size reader like the Kindle DX, or one from the Pocketbook 9x series. I love my 360, but I don't ready PDFs on it (unless specifically formatted).

11-20-2010, 04:48 PM	#4
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	Yeah, reformating PDF is real dog-on-its-hind-legs stuff. It worked for ebooks on a computer monitor and became a standard for such, unfortunately, but it's just not the right tool for the job with small-screen devices.

11-21-2010, 02:07 AM	#5
LDBoblo Wizard Posts: 1,385 Karma: 16056 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Asia Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Sony PRS-505	I wish there were more good books available as high-quality PDF for ebook reader sizes. It would save me a lot of time in converting them to PDF.

11-22-2010, 08:54 PM	#6
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,976 Karma: 26738313 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	Get a large eInk device like a Kindle DX. Or go with an iPad which is excellent with pdf's. Lee

11-23-2010, 08:41 AM	#7
pendragginp Guru Posts: 985 Karma: 4567263 Join Date: May 2009 Location: The End Of The Earth Device: Several	I've also been surprised at how good my Pocket Edge is for PDFs - at least those without a lot of charts or such. I haven't tried it with those. But for PDFs that are straight books with pictures the reflow plus ability to change the font size is perfect. And being able to send the pictures over to the LCD screen on the other side to be seen in color is really good. And this is in spite of the e-ink being a 6" screen. It's the only reason I've been willing to get PDFsagain.