PRS-T1 Beginner Question re: compatibility

[jeolive]

Hi,

I am new to this forum. I have just purchased a Sony PRS-T1 and have downloaded the Calibre software to my laptop. My question is: Will a DRM protected book in ePub format from Barnes and Noble be able to be read by my Sony PRS-T1?

[Bookworm_Girl]

Welcome to the forum, and I hope you enjoy your T1. Unfortunately, you cannot read a DRM protected epub from B&N on your Sony. It will not work with epubs fron Apple iBooks either. It will work with the Sony bookstore or Kobo or Booksonboard to name a few examples.

[graycyn]

You can read a BN epub on a Sony, however the DRM must be removed first. Once that's done, it's like any other epub.

[ApK]

I thought B&N used ADE for it's DRM now, and that the T1 supported ADE. What prevents it from working?

[Berzelius]

Originally Posted by ApK

I thought B&N used ADE for it's DRM now, and that the T1 supported ADE. What prevents it from working?

Despite what many sites say, including my local public library and Mills & Boon (for Mrs B - not me ), the PRS-T1 is not compatible with ADE - you'll find this stated somewhere on the Sony site.

What I do with Mrs B's Mills & Boon ebooks is to download them to ADE, move them into Calibre and then use Calibre to send them across to the PRS-T1. If you put some tags on in Calibre - I use a set of tags, each containing series and month - Calibre will helpfully sort them into suitable collections on the PRS-T1.

[bla]

Actually the problem is with the various different implementations of drm.. I don't use B&N but I have had no problem with library books or google books using the device to buy d/l them check that your t1 is ade authorized for a start the easiest way to do this is to log into the sony store using the device and set up an account

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by Berzelius

Despite what many sites say, including my local public library and Mills & Boon (for Mrs B - not me ), the PRS-T1 is not compatible with ADE - you'll find this stated somewhere on the Sony site.

I think you mean B&N. The PRS-T1 is perfectly compatible with ADE. It even uses the mobile version to display the books...

[JSWolf]

Let me tell it like it is...

B&N decided to use a different flavor of DRM that uses the users name and credit card number to unlock the eBook. B&N did manage to get Adobe on board and Adobe added B&N's flavor of DRM to ADE. Sony being in competition for B&N decided not to allow B&N's flavor of DRM on Sony Readers because that would mean that those who do not remove DRM would not be able to buy any eBooks from B&N that contain DRM.

Sony does use ADE. Sony does not allowed B&N's DRM. You can buy ePub from any other online shop except B&N and Apple. Apple has their own oddities with iBooks so even if there was no DRM, they may not work. B&N's eBooks are standard ePub (when the DRM is removed or if there never was DRM).

Go look for Apprentice ALF using Google. You will be able to learn how to remove the DRM from your eBooks. Sorry I cannot give any more information on removing DRM, but is it a policy here not to.

[Berzelius]

Perhaps I should have been a little clearer. Yes, I realise the PRS-T1 will work with ADE - I set up an ADE account when I received the device. I use the same account on ADE on my PC, which probably makes life easier.

What you cannot do (well, at least 5 months ago when I last looked into it) is to link your PRS-T1 to the ADE account on your PC so that downloaded books can be transferred directly.

Here is what Sony themselves say, in a tip unambiguously headed Adobe Digital Editions does not work with the PRS-T1 Reader.

Adobe Digital Editions could be used as alternative to Sony's eBook library software for previous Reader models.
While Adobe DRM technology and the Adobe ID is still used within Reader for PC, the Adobe Digital Editions software cannot be used to transfer books to your PRS-T1. Please use Reader for PC instead.

Earlier last year there were a fair number of posts (on this forum and elsewhere) complaining about this problem. I did try the Sony Reader for PC but decided that I did not like it.

The reason I bought the PRS-T1 was because both my public library and Mills and Boon claimed that I could download books directly from them to the PRS-T1, the same way as I can directly download Amazon books to my Kindle. You can't. In the case of Mills and Boon I'm talking about purchasing series of books that have to be downloaded to ADE.

I've now got the problem sorted, if rather clumsily, but if I'd realised all this at the beginning I'd have gone for a different reader.

[4691mls]

I don't know where Berzelius is located or what public library system he/she is referring to. If you are in the US and have access to an Overdrive library, you can download books directly on the PRS-T1.

[Bookworm_Girl]

One of the best features of the T1 is its ability to download direct from libraries which are part of the Overdrive system.

You can still use ADE to download your ebook purchases from places like Mills and Boon. Then just drag and drop the EPUB files onto your T1 using Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder. You do have to register your T1 to a Sony account which has the same email address and password as the Adobe ID that you use with the ADE software.

You can register to the Sony store wirelessly with your T1 without the need to use the Sony desktop software. At least you can if you are in the US or Canada. Possibly the UK too now that they have a Sony bookstore.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by ApK

I thought B&N used ADE for it's DRM now, and that the T1 supported ADE. What prevents it from working?

B&N allows Nooks to work with both flavors of Adobe DRM to build upon jswolf's post. You can authorize a Nook in ADE to the same account as your Sony. Then books that you purchased from Sony, Kobo or elsewhere work on your Nook. What B&N has done is limit the amount of main memory where you can store these non-B&N purchases. You have you buy an SD card if you want to sideload a large quantity of books. I'm sure the point is to make it a minor inconvenience to motivate you to purchase from their store.

I have Nook ereaders but rarely buy from B&N since their bookstore DRM won't work on my Sony ereaders. Instead I buy most books from Sony since they work on both brands. I refuse to buy anything from the Apple iBooks store even though I have an iPhone and iPad. I would rather use the Sony, Kobo or Kindle apps.

It is easy to see why consumers get so confused by the different standards of DRM and why many probably don't even recognize these nuances.

[Cdesja5]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I don't know where Berzelius is located or what public library system he/she is referring to. If you are in the US and have access to an Overdrive library, you can download books directly on the PRS-T1.

Mills & Boon reference would mean that Berzelius is likely somewhere in the UK or Europe, not likely in NA...

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Cdesja5

Mills & Boon reference would mean that Berzelius is likely somewhere in the UK or Europe, not likely in NA...

Thanks. I've never heard of Mills & Boon so I figured it wasn't in the US. However, I was thinking that if anyone from the US happened on this thread, they ought to know that it is indeed possible to borrow books from US libraries on the Sony readers.

[Cdesja5]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Thanks. I've never heard of Mills & Boon so I figured it wasn't in the US. However, I was thinking that if anyone from the US happened on this thread, they ought to know that it is indeed possible to borrow books from US libraries on the Sony readers.

And Canada as well of course... Mills & Boon is the UK imprint for "Harlequin" which I pretty sure you've heard of.