kepub vs epub render engines

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The simple answer is that when Kobo moved into the Japanese market, they needed an epub3 renderer to handle Japanese typography. Their answer was to use the "ACCESS NetFront™ BookReader v1.0 EPUB Edition" to open epub3 ebooks with the file extension .kepub.epub. OTOH, they needed to keep using RMSDK to be compatible with Adobe ADEPT DRMed epubs and pdfs.

So two renderers became part of Kobo's firmware. RMSDK is still not close enough to a full featured epub3 renderer to allow sole use.

What about the current version of RMSDK? Is that good enough to handle ePub 3? If yes, then all Kobo needs to do is remove Access and update to the current RMSDK.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What about the current version of RMSDK? Is that good enough to handle ePub 3? If yes, then all Kobo needs to do is remove Access and update to the current RMSDK.

The last time I looked at it, no it is not good enough. Especially not for fixed layout.

[rashkae]

It's not mentioned often, (actually, I think I'm the only one who ever brings it up..) but one thing I really want to be updated in Epub is the font fall back. With Epub (on Kobo,) if a book is using any characters or glyphs not included in your reading font, those characters are ignored. (you don't even see the classic blank square to even know there is something missing there.)

[ps67]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

You can disable changing pages by tapping and only go to to the next page by swiping or by buttons (if you have the Forma or the Libra). No more problems with notes.

Kobo Aura One, no buttons.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The last time I looked at it, no it is not good enough. Especially not for fixed layout.

Fixed layout is rubbish and on eInk even more rubbish.

So other then fixed layout or multimedia, how is the latest RMSDK (ADE)?

[ottdmk]

The other reason for sticking with ACCESS, as I understand it, is licensing costs. Doesn't matter how much functionality RMSDK adds... the licensing isn't going to go away.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

The other reason for sticking with ACCESS, as I understand it, is licensing costs. Doesn't matter how much functionality RMSDK adds... the licensing isn't going to go away.

Kobo already have a version of RMSDK. They just need to update it to the latest version.

[stumped]

When I first used kobo, some years ago, (aura hd)I found that sideloads of epub compared with sideloads of kepub (via the calibre plugin ) would show as different text sizes. I.e. if I put on 2 versions of the same book, one would default to much larger or smaller text.
Thus it made sense to pick only one format, find a preferred default font size setting on the device, and read all like that.

I have not re checked this with my new kobos though. Is it still like that or could I have a mix of epub and kepub without having to change text settings. I did note that the forma with Dropbox integration works better for epub, because Dropbox does not understand that kepub is a valid book format

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by stumped

When I first used kobo, some years ago, (aura hd)I found that sideloads of epub compared with sideloads of kepub (via the calibre plugin ) would show as different text sizes. I.e. if I put on 2 versions of the same book, one would default to much larger or smaller text.
Thus it made sense to pick only one format, find a preferred default font size setting on the device, and read all like that.

I have not re checked this with my new kobos though. Is it still like that or could I have a mix of epub and kepub without having to change text settings. I did note that the forma with Dropbox integration works better for epub, because Dropbox does not understand that kepub is a valid book format

There are 2 patches that make the ePub and KePub font sizes the same size. KePub will be the same size as ePub. So you can read either without having to deal with different font sizes. 1 patch makes the font sizes the same size (no ide what size) and the other makes them use the ePub font size. That's a better font size as KePub starts off way too small.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by stumped

I have not re checked this with my new kobos though. Is it still like that or could I have a mix of epub and kepub without having to change text settings.

Even unpatched the Forma and the KA1 (all known firmware versions) don't have the epub/kepub font-size mismatch. AuraHD, H2O, GloHD, ClaraHD do have it. Not sure about the LibraH2O because I don't have one, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did have the mismatch.

Originally Posted by stumped

I did note that the forma with Dropbox integration works better for epub, because Dropbox does not understand that kepub is a valid book format

If you want to store kepubs in Dropbox I think you'd need to save them with a .kepub.epub file extension.

[sherman]

As far as I'm aware, the latest version of RMSDK uses Readium for it's epub3 compatibility, and therefore probably webkit to render, which is what ACCESS uses so...

So basically, the version of RMSDK that Kobo uses is basically the latest version of the 'legacy' renderer (with all the nice typography features), so there really isn't any point to upgrading.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by sherman

As far as I'm aware, the latest version of RMSDK uses Readium for it's epub3 compatibility, and therefore probably webkit to render, which is what ACCESS uses so...

So basically, the version of RMSDK that Kobo uses is basically the latest version of the 'legacy' renderer (with all the nice typography features), so there really isn't any point to upgrading.

Um...no. The version of RMSDK that Kobo is using does not have all the nice typography features. You cannot use the OT features of an opentype font to get say true small caps.

RMSDK has better typography then Access and makes for a better reading experience. If the new RMSDK was put in place, then if what you say is true about the latest RMSDK basically being similar enough to Accessfor ePub 3 features, then Access can be dumped.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by rashkae

It's not mentioned often, (actually, I think I'm the only one who ever brings it up..) but one thing I really want to be updated in Epub is the font fall back. With Epub (on Kobo,) if a book is using any characters or glyphs not included in your reading font, those characters are ignored. (you don't even see the classic blank square to even know there is something missing there.)

Kobo did try that a while ago. Unfortunately, the way that the RMSDK loads the fonts to be able to do the fallback was absurdly inefficient and caused huge performance issues. They backed it out very quickly.

[sherman]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Um...no. The version of RMSDK that Kobo is using does not have all the nice typography features. You cannot use the OT features of an opentype font to get say true small caps.

RMSDK has better typography then Access and makes for a better reading experience. If the new RMSDK was put in place, then if what you say is true about the latest RMSDK basically being similar enough to Accessfor ePub 3 features, then Access can be dumped.

Ah yeah, OT features What I meant is the line-breaking, kerning and ligatures that legacy RMSDK does. I'm honestly not quite sure how well the readium in the latest RMSDK works for these features.

Unfortunately, no one else seems to do line breaking like legacy RMSDK does, which is the main reason I still prefer it.

[NiLuJe]

No one does typography like Adobe, when they get their mind to it.

(Adobe Reader's font rendering is still ridiculously better than anything else out there).