PocketBook-KOReader: a document reader for PDF, DJVU, EPUB, FB2, CBZ, ... (AGPLv3) - Page 25

pazos · 01-08-2021, 11:56 AM

@Anghirrim:

The Kobo Aura One has a nasty, nasty touchscreen. The worst in all ereaders I've tried. It also has an uneven frontlight, compared to other kobo models.

The Inkpad 7.8 should have a much better touchscreen and better lights too.

But, from the POV of KOReader, any Kobo is far superior that any Pocketbook by *a lot*, except:

1. battery could last longer on Pocketbooks, because they're suspending while reading, instead of being idle.
2. Pocketbook home screen has integration with 3rd party apps, so you can repurpose that "Library view" that most people prefer over a file manager, and still use KOReader as a reader.

Now the bad things on Pocketbooks:

1. screen updates are much, much slower in the same quality and utterly crap on the same speed

2. wifi is half to entirely broken (on a few models at least)

3. some stuff is forwarded to the system instead of self managed (suspension, wifi, power events...) so some things that are available on kobos are not yet supported in Pocketbooks (I'm thinking about the screensaver options but there're probably more things I can't recall right now)

4. no maintainers, no fun. As it happens with the ReMarkable, except that the ReMarkable has a healthy hacker community that PB seem to miss.

Vivlio should work but who knows?
No idea if firmware can be replaced, better to ask in the Pocketbook subforum for that kind of FW quirks.

NiLuJe · 01-08-2021, 12:54 PM

Yep, what @pazos said

.

And also that from KOReader's PoV, anything on plain Linux is generally far superior to anything running on Android. Even very recent Android devices with gigantically overpowered CPUs on more modern Android versions are still playing catchup, and are still a PITA to handle in any decent manner, and that directly affects how the eInk screen is driven (especially in terms of latency, and also in terms of accuracy in some cases).

I'd also add that, for a new buy, I'd refrain from anything older than a Clara on the Kobo front (which essentially leaves the Clara, the Libra, and the Forma. I'd steer clear from the Nia unless you really can't spare the 10 bucks or so difference between it and the Clara, because it's at a really weird price point and generally not worth it).

Anghirrim · 01-08-2021, 03:51 PM

Thanks both for the good advices. I'll definitely leave aside the Kobo Forma. Too weird for me...

I am perfectly happy with my current Glo HD, wouldn't be the screen size.

I'll stop the off topic here (don't wanna kill your thread @NiLuJe .

The pocketbook inkpad 3 is definitely a nice device at first glance.

Will depend on what I find on after market.

Thanks again!!

Frenzie · 01-08-2021, 04:28 PM

We have the Libra on our house and as far as I'm concerned it's a great device, possibly the best there's been in a decade… if it weren't for the lack of an SD card slot. It's like they had this perfect device in their hands and they said to themselves it was just too good, something's gotta give. This problem is not unique to the Libra, but it's Kobo's way forward. The Inkpad 3 has an external SD slot, but it's S. L. O. W. I'm not sure how it performs with KOReader though.

cellaris · 01-09-2021, 08:38 AM

I prefer to use KOReader on the PB Touch HD 2 rather than the Kobo Clara HD because I like the PocketBook device better. I also use it on the PB InkPad 3 and PB InkPad X and I am very satisfied. The differences in the "usual" use of KOReader on Kobo or PocketBook devices seem minimal to me. The average user will hardly notice the difference. KOReader's development on the PocketBook is good enough that no one should be concerned about its performance on these devices. Of course it is better optimized on Kobo devices, but I prefer to look at the e-reader in its feature set. PocketBook devices are better suited to my preferences.

cellaris · 01-09-2021, 11:15 AM

I leave a home video I just recorded of KOReader's operation on InkPad 3. I have activated the screen refresh on each page.

(Sorry about the quality).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ytf...w?usp=drivesdk

Frenzie · 01-09-2021, 11:51 AM

Looks fine.

What's with all the full screen flashes though; your personal preference?

Anghirrim · 01-09-2021, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cellaris

I leave a home video I just recorded of KOReader's operation on InkPad 3. I have activated the screen refresh on each page.

(Sorry about the quality).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ytf...w?usp=drivesdk

Thanks a lot!

cellaris · 01-09-2021, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frenzie

Looks fine.

What's with all the full screen flashes though; your personal preference?

I have activated the screen refresh to each page on all my devices, including Kobo. I like totally clean screens. I am very manic. I don't mind screen flickering. But it is a personal preference. Of course, it can be adjusted to a different frequency.

NiLuJe · 01-09-2021, 01:10 PM

That's not terrible, but definitely slower than a Kobo

.

EDIT: Here's a random example on a Forma.

Frenzie · 01-09-2021, 01:48 PM

I'd say my 2014 H2O also feels faster (with full screen flash), but maybe that's just the difference between controlling the device and watching someone do it. In any case it doesn't look even half as slow as when I tried the Inkpad 3 in a store with the native PB software a couple of years ago.

cellaris · 01-09-2021, 02:22 PM

Sure, but it's not all about speed. Each device has different characteristics and one values them as a whole. I hardly use Kobo Clara HD because I like the lighting of other devices much better. I prefer to take 5' more to read a book than to be continually looking at a screen that I don't like. It is a personal assessment.

NiLuJe · 01-09-2021, 02:51 PM

Definitely, we each have our own preferences in what we're looking for in a device

.

Not falling alseep in the time between when I tap on the screen and something actually happens just happens to be near the top of *my* list

.

The example was mainly to put my previous message in context, about the difference in how well we can manage to drive the screen on different platforms (especially as compared to Android).

Anghirrim · 01-11-2021, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

That's not terrible, but definitely slower than a Kobo

.

EDIT: Here's a random example on a Forma.

OK you got me.... I'll go for a Forma. Hope I'll get used to the design.

But I know this is the safest choice for long term...

cellaris · 01-11-2021, 12:32 PM

I think this is a good choice, because Kobo has some great devices and KOReader is very well optimized for these devices.

The only thing I wanted to emphasize is that a user can also use KOReader on other brands' devices without fear of it malfunctioning. That is one of the great advantages of KOReader, which is a multi-device reading program. I use it on Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx, and Boyue devices interchangeably, and the differences in daily use are, in my personal experience, minimal. Kobo is always a great option, but there are also other interesting options beyond Kobo. And that is mainly due to the magnificent work done by the developers, which today allows KOReader to be used successfully on virtually any device on the market.

01-08-2021, 12:54 PM	#362
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Yep, what @pazos said . And also that from KOReader's PoV, anything on plain Linux is generally far superior to anything running on Android. Even very recent Android devices with gigantically overpowered CPUs on more modern Android versions are still playing catchup, and are still a PITA to handle in any decent manner, and that directly affects how the eInk screen is driven (especially in terms of latency, and also in terms of accuracy in some cases). I'd also add that, for a new buy, I'd refrain from anything older than a Clara on the Kobo front (which essentially leaves the Clara, the Libra, and the Forma. I'd steer clear from the Nia unless you really can't spare the 10 bucks or so difference between it and the Clara, because it's at a really weird price point and generally not worth it). Last edited by NiLuJe; 01-08-2021 at 05:08 PM.

01-09-2021, 01:10 PM	#370
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	That's not terrible, but definitely slower than a Kobo . EDIT: Here's a random example on a Forma. Last edited by NiLuJe; 01-09-2021 at 01:42 PM.

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01-08-2021, 11:56 AM	#361
pazos cosiñeiro Posts: 1,406 Karma: 2451781 Join Date: Apr 2014 Device: BQ Cervantes 4	@Anghirrim: The Kobo Aura One has a nasty, nasty touchscreen. The worst in all ereaders I've tried. It also has an uneven frontlight, compared to other kobo models. The Inkpad 7.8 should have a much better touchscreen and better lights too. But, from the POV of KOReader, any Kobo is far superior that any Pocketbook by a lot, except: 1. battery could last longer on Pocketbooks, because they're suspending while reading, instead of being idle. 2. Pocketbook home screen has integration with 3rd party apps, so you can repurpose that "Library view" that most people prefer over a file manager, and still use KOReader as a reader. Now the bad things on Pocketbooks: 1. screen updates are much, much slower in the same quality and utterly crap on the same speed 2. wifi is half to entirely broken (on a few models at least) 3. some stuff is forwarded to the system instead of self managed (suspension, wifi, power events...) so some things that are available on kobos are not yet supported in Pocketbooks (I'm thinking about the screensaver options but there're probably more things I can't recall right now) 4. no maintainers, no fun. As it happens with the ReMarkable, except that the ReMarkable has a healthy hacker community that PB seem to miss. Vivlio should work but who knows? No idea if firmware can be replaced, better to ask in the Pocketbook subforum for that kind of FW quirks.

01-08-2021, 03:51 PM	#363
Anghirrim Seeking for Graal Posts: 203 Karma: 16198 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: France Device: Kobo Forma / Onyx Boox Page	Thanks both for the good advices. I'll definitely leave aside the Kobo Forma. Too weird for me... I am perfectly happy with my current Glo HD, wouldn't be the screen size. I'll stop the off topic here (don't wanna kill your thread @NiLuJe . The pocketbook inkpad 3 is definitely a nice device at first glance. Will depend on what I find on after market. Thanks again!!

01-08-2021, 04:28 PM	#364
Frenzie Wizard Posts: 1,758 Karma: 731681 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Antwerp Device: Kobo Aura H2O	We have the Libra on our house and as far as I'm concerned it's a great device, possibly the best there's been in a decade… if it weren't for the lack of an SD card slot. It's like they had this perfect device in their hands and they said to themselves it was just too good, something's gotta give. This problem is not unique to the Libra, but it's Kobo's way forward. The Inkpad 3 has an external SD slot, but it's S. L. O. W. I'm not sure how it performs with KOReader though.

01-09-2021, 08:38 AM	#365
cellaris Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 5298601 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Spain Device: Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx Boox, Bigme.	I prefer to use KOReader on the PB Touch HD 2 rather than the Kobo Clara HD because I like the PocketBook device better. I also use it on the PB InkPad 3 and PB InkPad X and I am very satisfied. The differences in the "usual" use of KOReader on Kobo or PocketBook devices seem minimal to me. The average user will hardly notice the difference. KOReader's development on the PocketBook is good enough that no one should be concerned about its performance on these devices. Of course it is better optimized on Kobo devices, but I prefer to look at the e-reader in its feature set. PocketBook devices are better suited to my preferences.

01-09-2021, 11:15 AM	#366
cellaris Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 5298601 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Spain Device: Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx Boox, Bigme.	I leave a home video I just recorded of KOReader's operation on InkPad 3. I have activated the screen refresh on each page. (Sorry about the quality). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ytf...w?usp=drivesdk

01-09-2021, 11:51 AM	#367
Frenzie Wizard Posts: 1,758 Karma: 731681 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Antwerp Device: Kobo Aura H2O	Looks fine. What's with all the full screen flashes though; your personal preference?

01-09-2021, 01:48 PM	#371
Frenzie Wizard Posts: 1,758 Karma: 731681 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Antwerp Device: Kobo Aura H2O	I'd say my 2014 H2O also feels faster (with full screen flash), but maybe that's just the difference between controlling the device and watching someone do it. In any case it doesn't look even half as slow as when I tried the Inkpad 3 in a store with the native PB software a couple of years ago.

01-09-2021, 02:22 PM	#372
cellaris Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 5298601 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Spain Device: Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx Boox, Bigme.	Sure, but it's not all about speed. Each device has different characteristics and one values them as a whole. I hardly use Kobo Clara HD because I like the lighting of other devices much better. I prefer to take 5' more to read a book than to be continually looking at a screen that I don't like. It is a personal assessment.

01-09-2021, 02:51 PM	#373
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Definitely, we each have our own preferences in what we're looking for in a device . Not falling alseep in the time between when I tap on the screen and something actually happens just happens to be near the top of my list . The example was mainly to put my previous message in context, about the difference in how well we can manage to drive the screen on different platforms (especially as compared to Android).

01-11-2021, 12:32 PM	#375
cellaris Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 5298601 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Spain Device: Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx Boox, Bigme.	I think this is a good choice, because Kobo has some great devices and KOReader is very well optimized for these devices. The only thing I wanted to emphasize is that a user can also use KOReader on other brands' devices without fear of it malfunctioning. That is one of the great advantages of KOReader, which is a multi-device reading program. I use it on Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx, and Boyue devices interchangeably, and the differences in daily use are, in my personal experience, minimal. Kobo is always a great option, but there are also other interesting options beyond Kobo. And that is mainly due to the magnificent work done by the developers, which today allows KOReader to be used successfully on virtually any device on the market.