Question about the Kindle

[Dclone]

I am thinking of purchasing a Kindle, but I have a rather large collection of epub format ebooks on my computer already. Is it possible to use Calibre to convert them to .mobi and read them on the Kindle, or do I have to re-download them/buy them again ?

[Valentino]

Yes calibre can convert them if they aren't drm restricted.

[fjtorres]

...and if they are DRM'ed you can still convert them but it requires a bit of homework...

[ProfCrash]

Goggle Apprentice Alf for the answer to your question.

[doreenjoy]

Personally, if I had a large collection of EPUBs I'd look for a reader that can handle EPUBs. Conversion doesn't always lead to good results in my experience.

[AndrewH]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

Personally, if I had a large collection of EPUBs I'd look for a reader that can handle EPUBs.

Which would be anything and everything on the market, except Kindle.

[Dclone]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

Personally, if I had a large collection of EPUBs I'd look for a reader that can handle EPUBs. Conversion doesn't always lead to good results in my experience.

Hmm, I was also looking at the Sony ereaders, but they tend to be slightly out of my price range. The Kindle is pretty much the cheapest I can find that isn't by some obscure Chinese company. What is likely to happen with converting beyond formatting issues ? Will some stuff corrupt ?

[dwig]

Originally Posted by Dclone

...What is likely to happen with converting beyond formatting issues ? Will some stuff corrupt ?

Corrupt? No.

The problems are formatting. Epub supports several formatting options that the Kindle's MOBI/AZW format doesn't support. When books use these the converted MOBI/AZW file has to omit the formatting option. Usually the results are fine, but occasionally not.

MOBI/AZW don't support wrapping text around images so when an image is embedded into the text this way in an ePub the converted MOBI file shows the image on its own line. When images are used for ornamental caps at the beginning of a chapter the converted file does look odd.

MOBI/AZW don't support embeded fonts. When an ePub makes special use of an embedded font it may or may not render well in the conveted file.

Also, converters occasionally have difficulty dealing with poorly formatted ePubs that have multiple combined styles setting margins (e.g. one margin setting defined for the page and another defined for a paragraph). The usual error is to create an overly wide margin in the converted file. Calibre has recently added an "ignore margins" option in its MOBI output to deal with such problem files.

I've converted several hundred ePubs to MOBI using Calibre and have rarely had any problems. My habit with most free sites is to download the ePub, import into Calibre, edit to massage the formatting in Sigil (usually to break the component file(s) into chapters so that the converted MOBI has chapter marks for navigation with the Kindle's 5-way controller), then convert to MOBI for my K3 in Calibre.

[swati89]

I am wondering of buying kindle but i have no any idea about kindle,please help me.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by swati89

I am wondering of buying kindle but i have no any idea about kindle,please help me.

Great. How can we help you? What questions do you have?

How are you planning on usings your device?

What country do you live in? This is important in terms of book availablity.

What size device do you want?

[Clash]

Originally Posted by Dclone

I am thinking of purchasing a Kindle, but I have a rather large collection of epub format ebooks on my computer already. Is it possible to use Calibre to convert them to .mobi and read them on the Kindle, or do I have to re-download them/buy them again ?

I have had really good results with converting ePubs to MOBI for Kindle 3. I recommend you buy one.