PRS-500 Firmware update - Page 2

JSWolf · 05-04-2013, 11:20 AM

Without the ePub firmware on the 500, the only DRM it understands LRX. Sony has dropped LRX support from their bookstore. So where is no longer any way or even need to authorize the 500. All you can do with the 500 is use Calibre to convert to LRF to use with your 500.

I would suggest calling Sony to find out if you can still get the ePub firmware. Otherwise, the 500 really doesn't have much of a life. But given that the screen is a bit dark and it's slow, I'd not even keep it as a museum peace if Sony was to offer you a discount on a T1 or T2.

rem736 · 05-04-2013, 03:28 PM

i think i can get a bit more life out of the prs-500. i got the blackmask online dvd with thousands of lrfs on it before it got shut down.

still though, i don't understand why the updater program is not recognizing that the reader is connected when the sony library clearly recognizes it.

rem736 · 05-21-2013, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rem736

i think i can get a bit more life out of the prs-500. i got the blackmask online dvd with thousands of lrfs on it before it got shut down.

still though, i don't understand why the updater program is not recognizing that the reader is connected when the sony library clearly recognizes it.

another thing is that while using sony's own reader program i am unable to drag and drop files from the memory card to internal memory. a "circle with slash" symbol appears when i drag a file from the memory stick to hover the internal memory icon. has anyone seen this happen?

BookCat · 06-19-2013, 09:02 AM

When you say memory stick, do you mean SD card or a usb memory stick? If the latter, you need to put the "file" onto your pc first, then import it to Calibre, then put it onto your reader's memory. You can't just do a drag and drop to your reader. Not on a prs 500.

rem736 · 06-19-2013, 06:05 PM

i mean sony's version of a memory card. they call it a "memory stick". but that's beside the point. the reader is connected to my computer. i launch sony's library software and am looking at the contents of the reader (both internal storage as well as the contents on the memory stick). from within the sony library software, i cannot move files between the memory stick and the internal storage area.

elcreative · 06-19-2013, 09:37 PM

Don't bother with the Sony software (as long as it's installed drivers on older Win OS systems,) just plug into your computer and the reader internal memory and card will mount as drives and you can just use drag'n'drop to move things around - do be careful to only move media files though...

JSWolf · 06-19-2013, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

Don't bother with the Sony software (as long as it's installed drivers on older Win OS systems,) just plug into your computer and the reader internal memory and card will mount as drives and you can just use drag'n'drop to move things around - do be careful to only move media files though...

The 500 is not seen as a new device. It will not mount as a new drive. You have to have the USB device driver installed. It has to be installed on 32-bit Windows. It did work on WinXP. I have no idea if the device driver would work on 32-bit Windows8 if there even is such. The device driver will not work with 64-bit Windows. So if you have a 500 and a 64-bit Windows and no access to to 32-bit Windows, then the only way to load content is via a memory card and you won't be able to put eBooks in collections.

rem736 · 06-20-2013, 03:56 PM

the sony library software and drivers for the prs-500 are installed on a winxp 32-bit netbook. everything is recognized correctly when i hook up the reader to the netbook. running sony's library software, i can browse what's on the internal storage area as well as what's on the memory stick. but i can't move files to/from the internal storage area/memory stick. i have a memory stick reader that i can use to load books so adding books to the memory stick is not such a huge deal. i'm just curious as to what the problem is that's preventing me from doing this from within sony's own library software. i also cannot update the firmware. as shown in the picture above in post #17, the update button is greyed out. the library software recognizes it when connected, but the updater software seems not able to recognize it.

JSWolf · 06-20-2013, 09:23 PM

I suggest you call Sony and try to get them to update your 500 to the ePub firmware. If Sony will still do this, you'll get it back with updated firmware.

BookCat · 06-23-2013, 01:50 PM

If I understand your problem correctly, then you need to move a desired ebook from your memory stick to your pc, then import the book into the Sony software. From the Sony software you can move the book onto your reader's internal memory.

Just because the software can see both the memory stick and the reader doesn't mean that you can move files between them directly.

DrSiddons · 07-01-2013, 09:41 AM

I'm a little late to this dance, but here I go.

I have a prs-500 that still works and I would like to rehab it if I can.

I have a Mac (OS x) and calibre (the version that should work with the prs-500). I don't have any memory cards in it. The unit does not show up in calibre.

The unit does not have the firmware upgrade.

Have I missed a step or something?

Thanks in advance,

Kevin

rem736 · 07-02-2013, 03:41 PM

not sure. but maybe you should install the mac version of sony's library software found here? it may contain a mac version of the "driver" that's needed. connections to windows needs a certain driver provided on the software as well.

DrSiddons · 07-02-2013, 04:02 PM

Thanks REM.

I tried that and there was no change. The reader is still not seen by Reader or Calibre.

JSWolf · 07-02-2013, 05:33 PM

The USB driver for the 500 is 32-bit. It won't work on a 64-bit OS.

DrSiddons · 07-05-2013, 09:13 AM

My prs500 is all set to get the firmware update. Thanks!

06-19-2013, 06:05 PM	#20
rem736 purpose priority passion Posts: 645 Karma: 9002000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: socal, usa Device: sony prs-350, b&n ngp, rM2, kindle scribe, boox poke5	i mean sony's version of a memory card. they call it a "memory stick". but that's beside the point. the reader is connected to my computer. i launch sony's library software and am looking at the contents of the reader (both internal storage as well as the contents on the memory stick). from within the sony library software, i cannot move files between the memory stick and the internal storage area. Last edited by rem736; 06-19-2013 at 06:08 PM.

07-05-2013, 09:13 AM	#30
DrSiddons A Seasoned User Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Device: Sony Reader 500	Off to Sony it goes My prs500 is all set to get the firmware update. Thanks!

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05-04-2013, 11:20 AM	#16
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Without the ePub firmware on the 500, the only DRM it understands LRX. Sony has dropped LRX support from their bookstore. So where is no longer any way or even need to authorize the 500. All you can do with the 500 is use Calibre to convert to LRF to use with your 500. I would suggest calling Sony to find out if you can still get the ePub firmware. Otherwise, the 500 really doesn't have much of a life. But given that the screen is a bit dark and it's slow, I'd not even keep it as a museum peace if Sony was to offer you a discount on a T1 or T2.

05-04-2013, 03:28 PM	#17
rem736 purpose priority passion Posts: 645 Karma: 9002000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: socal, usa Device: sony prs-350, b&n ngp, rM2, kindle scribe, boox poke5	i think i can get a bit more life out of the prs-500. i got the blackmask online dvd with thousands of lrfs on it before it got shut down. still though, i don't understand why the updater program is not recognizing that the reader is connected when the sony library clearly recognizes it.

06-19-2013, 09:02 AM	#19
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	When you say memory stick, do you mean SD card or a usb memory stick? If the latter, you need to put the "file" onto your pc first, then import it to Calibre, then put it onto your reader's memory. You can't just do a drag and drop to your reader. Not on a prs 500.

06-19-2013, 09:37 PM	#21
elcreative Wizard Posts: 2,888 Karma: 5875940 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS505, 600, 350, 650, Nexus 7, Note III, iPad 4 etc	Don't bother with the Sony software (as long as it's installed drivers on older Win OS systems,) just plug into your computer and the reader internal memory and card will mount as drives and you can just use drag'n'drop to move things around - do be careful to only move media files though...

06-20-2013, 03:56 PM	#23
rem736 purpose priority passion Posts: 645 Karma: 9002000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: socal, usa Device: sony prs-350, b&n ngp, rM2, kindle scribe, boox poke5	the sony library software and drivers for the prs-500 are installed on a winxp 32-bit netbook. everything is recognized correctly when i hook up the reader to the netbook. running sony's library software, i can browse what's on the internal storage area as well as what's on the memory stick. but i can't move files to/from the internal storage area/memory stick. i have a memory stick reader that i can use to load books so adding books to the memory stick is not such a huge deal. i'm just curious as to what the problem is that's preventing me from doing this from within sony's own library software. i also cannot update the firmware. as shown in the picture above in post #17, the update button is greyed out. the library software recognizes it when connected, but the updater software seems not able to recognize it.

06-20-2013, 09:23 PM	#24
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I suggest you call Sony and try to get them to update your 500 to the ePub firmware. If Sony will still do this, you'll get it back with updated firmware.

06-23-2013, 01:50 PM	#25
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	If I understand your problem correctly, then you need to move a desired ebook from your memory stick to your pc, then import the book into the Sony software. From the Sony software you can move the book onto your reader's internal memory. Just because the software can see both the memory stick and the reader doesn't mean that you can move files between them directly.

07-01-2013, 09:41 AM	#26
DrSiddons A Seasoned User Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Device: Sony Reader 500	I'm a little late to this dance, but here I go. I have a prs-500 that still works and I would like to rehab it if I can. I have a Mac (OS x) and calibre (the version that should work with the prs-500). I don't have any memory cards in it. The unit does not show up in calibre. The unit does not have the firmware upgrade. Have I missed a step or something? Thanks in advance, Kevin

07-02-2013, 03:41 PM	#27
rem736 purpose priority passion Posts: 645 Karma: 9002000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: socal, usa Device: sony prs-350, b&n ngp, rM2, kindle scribe, boox poke5	not sure. but maybe you should install the mac version of sony's library software found here? it may contain a mac version of the "driver" that's needed. connections to windows needs a certain driver provided on the software as well.

07-02-2013, 04:02 PM	#28
DrSiddons A Seasoned User Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Device: Sony Reader 500	Thanks REM. I tried that and there was no change. The reader is still not seen by Reader or Calibre.

07-02-2013, 05:33 PM	#29
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The USB driver for the 500 is 32-bit. It won't work on a 64-bit OS.