PRSCustomizer: Customize and personalize your PRS505 Reader

[Shadowman]

Originally Posted by Jur

Hi there,

I've just bought the PRS 505 in Germany and would really like to change the German language to Dutch or English.
Could you explain to me in some clear steps (for dummy's ) how to get this program working on a 1.4 PRS 505 German platorm??

Thanks in advance.
Jur

I didn't know that Germany is selling the PRS-505. Usually Germany is 2 years behind ;-) But anway's my recommendation is: Buy in the US. Its cheaper and you have less bugs...

If you would like to share some books in Geman. Let me know. I am interested. I live since years in the States and I am interested to keep my German still properly.

THX Shadowman

[yekim54]

Originally Posted by JeffElkins

Depreciated means depreciated.

I'm no expert, but don't you mean deprecated?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deprecated

[pepak]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/deprecate?jss=0

Usage note:
An early and still the most current sense of deprecate is “to express disapproval of.” In a sense development still occasionally criticized by a few, deprecate has come to be synonymous with the similar but etymologically unrelated word depreciate in the sense “belittle”: The author modestly deprecated the importance of his work. In compounds with self-, deprecate has almost totally replaced depreciate in modern usage: Her self-deprecating account of her career both amused and charmed the audience.

[pepak]

So yes, it should be deprecated. JUst because deprecate is considered synonymous to depreciate doesn't mean they are synonymous the other way around - they aren't.

[dragonbone]

Originally Posted by Shadowman

I didn't know that Germany is selling the PRS-505. Usually Germany is 2 years behind ;-) But anway's my recommendation is: Buy in the US. Its cheaper and you have less bugs...

If you would like to share some books in Geman. Let me know. I am interested. I live since years in the States and I am interested to keep my German still properly.
THX Shadowman

The Sony PRS-505 is ALREADY sold in Germany.

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/76...n-germany.html

Also he said he ALREADY bought it, so why tell him to buy it in the US?
He was asking advice on how to use it to read Dutch and English books on his (already bought) GERMAN Sony PRS-505.

[JSWolf]

Does ePub support on the German 505 have full justification?

[vally]

Originally Posted by JeffElkins

PRSCustomizer: A useful companion for your Sony PRS-505 Reader

PRSCustomizer enhances your Sony Reader
with these optional features:

* Localization: 12 predefined languages
* Unicode fonts with Cyrillic/Eastern European Support
* User-defined fonts
* Uniform font size for menus
* Multiple Iconsets (currently 4) or add your own
* One-key shutdown (Joypad center key / Volume keys)
* Personalized About Screen (Name,Telephone,Email)
* Joypad page forward
* Volume key page turns
* Volume key history navigation
* Circle pad history navigation
* Turn off right justification for BBeB books
* Disable number keys when reading
* Clock (24/12 hr)

Versions are provided for:
* Windows 2000,XP,Vista
* Mac OS X (X86)
* Linux (X86)


Download Here

Installation:
Simply unzip the archive into a folder of your choice.

Using PRSCustomizer:

Personalization
================
Your Reader is valuable. Wouldn't it be great if some kind
person had the information to return it to you should you
inadvertently misplace it? PRSCustomizer allows you to
personalize your Reader by "branding" the About Screen
with your name, telephone number and email address.
On PRSCustomizer's screen you'll see three text entry
fields:

* Name
* Telephone
* Email

All required to personalize -- Fill out these
text boxes and the information will be displayed
on your Reader's "About Screen."



Dropdown selection menus for
=============================
Firmware customization
Language selection
Iconset selection
Fontset selection

Firmware customization
=======================
Firmware customization applies the changes you choose to a selected firmware image


Language
============
Language or localization allows the PRS-505 Reader to display menus and prompts in your native language. With firmware 1.1 you have the ability to localize your reader using 12 different languages.

Iconsets
===========
Everybody's different. The menu icons supplied by Sony do the job,
but you might prefer a different look. PRSCustomizer allows you
to choose between four different iconsets or to load your own,
created using a graphical editor such as Photoshop or Gimp.
To use your own iconset modify or replace the file
prsfiles/user_icons.png and select "User-supplied" from the
icon dropdown menu.


Fonts
===========
PRSCustomizer comes with two different fontsets: the standard
Sony fontset and a Unicode font set. Additionally, you can load
your own fontsets by dropping them into folder prsfiles/font.3 and
selecting "User-supplied" from the font selection menu. Creating fonts
is beyond the scope of PRSCustomizer, for guidance look to Valloric's
Font Guide available at Mobileread.com - Be aware that font creation
is a rather arcane art, and bad fonts can brick your reader.



Checkboxes, one for each option
================================

* Volume key shutdown allows you to perform a complete system shutdown by pressing either the + or - volume key. Don't choose this option if you use your Reader to play digital music!

* Enter key shutdown allows you to perform a complete system shutdown by pressing and holding the depressed center portion of the Reader's joypad; the round pad on the bottom left.

* Joypad page forward converts the right arrow on the joypad to a handy page forward key when you're reading. The key is otherwiae unaffected.

* Uniform font size changes your Reader's fonts to a uniform size on all menus.Some find this more pleasing that Sony's mixture of sizes.

* No right justification turns off full or right justification for Sony's BBeB (LRF) books, forcing them to display a "ragged right." This is the default for EPUB.

* Volume key page turns allows you to page forward and back through text by pressing either the + or - volume key. Don't choose this option if you use your Reader to play digital music!

* Volume key page turns allows you to page forward and back through Reader History by pressing either the + or - volume key. Don't choose this option if you use your Reader to play digital music!

* Circle pad history allows you to page forward and back through Reader History by pressing either the > or < key on the left bottom circle pad. Don't choose this 0 ption if you use your circle pad for regular page turns!


* Personal logo.
=================
Did you know you could change your Reader's logo? (The black bar at the top of the screen that says "Reader.") You'll need access to a graphics editor, such as Photoshop or Gimp. In the directory prsfiles, you'll see two files: logo.png and kBookAssets.png. The logo.png file is a 210x70 file. Add your personalization details to this file, and paste it into the upper left corner of the kBookAssets.png file, covering the large text "Reader." Once you're done, you can select the "Replace logo" checkbox. After you flash and reboot, you should have a customized logo.


When you've chosen all your options, press the Customize
button.

At that point, the folder "sdcard" will be populated with the necessary
files to customize your 505. Now copy the contents of the folder sdcard to the root of a blank SD card. Be sure not to copy the folder, just its contents. Insert the card into your Reader and Igorsk's Universal Flasher will start.

To flash your Reader, choose option #5, then option #6. After a
reboot,you should have a customized PRS505.

You may choose to back up your firmware, using option #3 before flashing your Reader. If you do, two images cramfs.Fsk.img and cramfs.Rootfs.img will be created in a /tmp directory in your Reader's main memory. Connect your Reader to a PC and drag this folder from the Reader to the PC for safekeeping.

Recovering from Errors

In the PRS 505, Sony has produced a very robust device. It's actually
very hard to cause the device to become unresponsive, otherwise
known as a "brick." However, when making complex changes to your
Reader inadvertent errors on your part may cause it to become
stuck on the "Reader starting up..." screen. Recovery is usually
simple.

Recovering a brick

1. You're stuck at "Reader starting up..."

2. Use a a paperclip to press the reset button on the back of the Reader

3. Quickly slide the power toggle.

4. When the Reader reboots, immmediately connect it to your PC via usb cable.


After a minute or so, the usb connection message should appear; now
you can use the US/Canadian Sony Updater to reflash your Reader.

Credits
PRSCustomizer wouldn't be possible without the help from backend programs and code. Specifically Igorsk's Universal Flasher and Porkupan's localization javascript and Universal Flasher PRS-505 support. Additionally, Corwin provided shell scripts for the Flasher and Shade wrote the original version of the javascript clock display. Valloric created the font creation guide and hosts a topic devoted to the subject at Mobileread.com. Iconset2 was created by maggotb0y, iconset3 by diabloNL and iconset4 by surquizu.

Thanks to all these folks for their efforts.

This is free software, (c) 2008 by Jeff Elkins, licensed under GPL V2. Use it at your own risk. Be aware that Sony has not sanctioned this software and modifying your Reader may void its warranty.

Download Here

Get support via prscustomizer@gmail.com or at Mobileread.com

I have just gone through the process of using PRS Customizer - I got as far as Option 5 and Option 6 and my 505 is now stuck on 'updating firmware now....'

I have tried rebooting and then connecting to PC and cannot get out of this loop

Any ideas please!!!

[gwynevans]

Download the 'official' 1.1 firmware utility (http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...d=3622&os_id=7) and that should reset things.

[JSWolf]

Ack! Did we really need all that quoted?

[vally]

Thank you very much for you help. I now have it working again. Much appreciated

[radius]

Originally Posted by ShacharWeis

How about file size (and file type, while we are at it) ?
That gives good indication on book size.

What I do is add a tag (ie have a collection for) short books

[netseeker]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Does ePub support on the German 505 have full justification?

One of our new german users did test it for us some days ago: The german firmware 1.4 also doesn't include the latest verision of ADE with support for full justification.

[thibaulthalpern]

Will this be made for the PRS-700 too?

[Shadowman]

Originally Posted by yekim54

I'm no expert, but don't you mean deprecated?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deprecated

Yes, its the same... we call it bugs ****** ;-)

[Shadowman]

Originally Posted by dragonbone

The Sony PRS-505 is ALREADY sold in Germany.

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/76...n-germany.html

Also he said he ALREADY bought it, so why tell him to buy it in the US?
He was asking advice on how to use it to read Dutch and English books on his (already bought) GERMAN Sony PRS-505.

Who is be able to read is in a better position ;-) I advised: "Buy in the US." Not buy another one in the US... You see the difference... My advise was actually for his next ebook reader or reading device. But anyways, you can disagree no problem.

I forgot: I bought my first PRS 500 in 12/2006 in BUF / NY. No, I have no experience with the German 1.4 version.
That's what I meant too, the mostly earlier launches in the US are bringing a bigger variety of software on the market. The German version was launched in February 2009, right?

Downloaded already a ton of German books from the forum, mostly oldies but goodies.


THX and have fun

Shadowman