Amazon and DRM changes

[ownedbycats]

I don't think there was a K4PC update; the changes to block the books on would likely be serverside. I'll edit in number though.

[trishau]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can KU eBooks be downloaded as KF8 or Mobi using KindleforPC 1.17.1? I am unable to currently test this.

Yes - only the ones pre Jan 3rd. Mine download as xxxx.azw

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by trishau

Yes - only the ones pre Jan 3rd. Mine download as xxxx.azw

Added. Will also add KU borrow information for 1.39 if provided.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Added. Will also add KU borrow information for 1.39 if provided.

I'd guess it's the same as with purchased books - you can download them with 1.39, but DRM cannot be removed.

[Unseen Entities]

As far as converting from books downloaded to your e-reader, I saw mentions you need a pre-PW3 for DeDRM to work.

However when I checked the MobileRead wiki Kindle paperwhite 2 says KFX support was added via software update. Does this mean the PW2 needs a certain firmware version or lower for DeDRM to work or that it has the earlier KFX that can still be converted? I did see the post regarding firmware versions for the PW3 but I dont know if that also applies to the PW2 or if they share the same firmware.

For reference the Kindle paperwhite 1 wiki page doesnt list KFX support at all. I would assume in the event Amazon disables "Download and Transfer" for purchases that books downloaded directly to a PW1 could still be DeDRM'ed regardless of firmware?

[langshipley]

Originally Posted by Unseen Entities

As far as converting from books downloaded to your e-reader, I saw mentions you need a pre-PW3 for DeDRM to work.

However when I checked the MobileRead wiki Kindle paperwhite 2 says KFX support was added via software update. Does this mean the PW2 needs a certain firmware version or lower for DeDRM to work or that it has the earlier KFX that can still be converted? I did see the post regarding firmware versions for the PW3 but I dont know if that also applies to the PW2 or if they share the same firmware.

For reference the Kindle paperwhite 1 wiki page doesnt list KFX support at all. I would assume in the event Amazon disables "Download and Transfer" for purchases that books downloaded directly to a PW1 could still be DeDRM'ed regardless of firmware?

If you have a PW2, your PW2 needs to have firmware that's 5.12.1 or older. My PW2 has firmware that's 5.12.2.2 and it doesn't work. I'm considering reversing the firmware back to 5.12.1 or older for my PW2.

[Kindleing]

Originally Posted by langshipley

I'm considering reversing the firmware back to 5.12.1 or older for my PW2.

Any suggestions where I could find instructions on how to do that? My PW2 is on firmware 5.12.2.

Thanks,
Wally

[lkmiller]

I believe the Kindle Touch is the "newest" model which doesn't support KFX but does support KF8/AZW3.

[FicDragon]

Originally Posted by annekaelber

I would reach out to authors you can only find on Amazon and tell them you'd rather support them on another site. Some indie authors are selling direct to readers on their own websites -- I'm much more likely to go this route.

I've cancelled my pre-orders AND returned the books I still could because they are DRMd (and I still can't figure out the NoDRM install...)

Many authors are entrenched in Amazon for whatever reason (I'm assuming financially) and refuse to sell anywhere else. I'm in a lot of author's reader groups (generally the only way to get news of upcoming releases), any time someone asks if they can get their books anywhere but Amazon or if they have plans to sell out of the 'zon system, the answer is usually a resounding "No!". There are a few who do, and I guess that's where I'll buy now.

Originally Posted by Ma'am-I-Am

Since you "funneled everything through Calibre", you do know there are other apps out there to read ebooks on your tablet? Moon Reader, ReadERA, etc. Just saying if you are reading "unrestricted" books, you don't have to use a Kindle app.

I use Moon+Pro to read my books, but they don't support anything that's DRmd. I'd HAVE to use a Kindle app to read the new system since we don't own an eink Kindle.

[Unseen Entities]

Bear with me here, the timeline is confusing. Based on jhowell's quoted post below and current firmware versions from Amazon it seems like If you want KF8 compatibility on a kindle that currently doesnt support KFX your choices are a Kindle Touch (2011) and PW1 (2012) ...or perhaps any device gen 3 through 5 according to the KF8 wiki page.

I'm really not sure how comparable the firmware versions across devices are. I saw like decade old threads talking about a KF8 update on Kindle Keyboard but more recent ones asking when the Kindle Keyboard is going to get KF8...

Older than 3rd Gen and you lose WiFi. Without KF8 support youre working with MOBI. Kindles after the PW1 need a lower-than-current firmware versions, or jail-breaking to make them to downgrade I guess. Dont know if anything past the PW3 launched with firmware under 5.12.2. No telling if or when Amazon decides to push an update that switches older devices to KFX.

Originally Posted by jhowell

If is has firmware prior to version 5.6.5 it does not support KFX. If the firmware is prior to 5.12.2 it supports KFX but DRM removal is possible.

Amazon - Kindle E-Reader Software Updates (current version numbers)

3.4.3    - Kindle Keyboard 3rd Gen
4.1.4    - Kindle 4th and 5th Gen
5.3.7.3  - Kindle Touch 4th Gen
5.6.1.1  - Paperwhite 5th Gen aka PW1
5.12.2.2 - Paperwhite 6th Gen aka PW2 
5.12.2.2 - Kindle 7th Gen aka Kindle Basic
5.13.6   - Kindle Voyage 7th Gen
5.15.1   - Paperwhite 7th Gen aka PW3

Amazon Kindle - Wikipedia

3rd Gen -    August 2010 - Kindle WiFi aka Kindle Keyboard
4th Gen - September 2011 - Kindle 4
4th Gen - September 2011 - Kindle Touch
5th Gen - September 2012 - Kindle 5
5th Gen -   October 2012 - Kindle paperwhite 1
6th Gen - September 2013 - Kindle paperwhite 2
7th Gen -   October 2014 - Kindle 7 aka Kindle Basic
7th Gen -  November 2014 - Kindle Voyage
7th Gen -      June 2015 - Kindle paperwhite 3

The MobileRead wiki is great btw, but it seems like its missing a little info. For example it doesnt mention KF8 compatibility on the individual pages for the Kindle Keyboard, 4, 5, and Touch but then says they all have KF8 compatibility on the KF8 page minus 1st/2nd and DX.

[Rhooo]

Ufffff, I knew that my skepticism re: what model to get was warranted. Today I found out about the "download and transfer via USB" option no longer being available for KU books (for whoever wants to bellyache at me about this, I use an AutoHotKey script that clicks "page forward" at a slow, natural pace in the book on K4PC, from beginning to end, as if I were reading it there, while I'm actually reading the book in KOReader either on my Kobo or my phone, as I'm used to).

Now I'm stuck with a very narrow band of viable products to get. Too old a Kindle and it can't access the store and is de facto blacklisted from KU. Too new a Kindle and books can't be copied off it. So I'm now camping Ebay listings for PW2's, cursing the bidding system to high-heaven. I did manage to find a second-hand Voyage at a very attractive price in my country (less than 80 USD) but the seller confirmed for me that it was blacklisted, so back to the bloody drawing-board it is.

EDIT: Forgot to add that now I also have to cancel the Kindle Kids Edition 2019 I bought. Which was bought on an installment plan. So that's going to be fun.

[slm]

I can confirm that a fully updated Kindle Keyboard (i.e., "K3") can receive KU files and they are in KF8 format.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by langshipley

If you have a PW2, your PW2 needs to have firmware that's 5.12.1 or older. My PW2 has firmware that's 5.12.2.2 and it doesn't work. I'm considering reversing the firmware back to 5.12.1 or older for my PW2.

Originally Posted by Kindleing

Any suggestions where I could find instructions on how to do that? My PW2 is on firmware 5.12.2.

Wally

Start with this thread to jailbreak:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=345655

Install KUAL:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=203326

Then
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=347165
to downgrade the firmware.

[jhowell]

I commented previously on some of the possible issues that might arise in purchasing a Kindle for the purpose of obtaining files suitable for DRM removal. Here are my thoughts on which models would be the most desirable in case someone still wants to go ahead with that.

Given the recent restrictions on Download & Transfer I recommend obtaining a model that allows books to be downloaded to the device directly from Amazon over WiFi in KF8 format which can be accessed via USB.

I would avoid the 1st and 2nd generation Kindles and the DX. They only support the old MOBI format and may no longer be able to connect to Amazon.

The Kindle Keyboard (3rd gen), Kindle Touch (4th gen), and Kindle (4th & 5th gen) are workable. However they may require manually installed firmware updates to be usable. And as older models they are more likely to be cut off from service in the future.

The Paperwhite 1 (5th gen) is the most desirable option in my opinion. It is the newest model that does not support KFX format.

I would avoid newer models than that. Most of them support KFX out of the box that cannot be disabled. Some models that didn't can be reverted to older firmware that does not support KFX, but that requires jail breaking which is more difficult to set up and risks bricking the device.

—————-

Added: Since I wrote the post above a problem with using a Paperwhite 1 has become apparent. That device will sometimes download books to internal storage as a combination AZW3 and AZW6 files with no current way to combine them into a usable book. Even combining them will yield only black and white images. For that reason a 3rd or 4th generation Kindle might be a better choice if the Download & Transfer option is further curtailed or goes away entirely.

—————-

Update: It is now possible to merge AZW3 and AZW6 files from a Paperwhite 1 to make a usable books with images using an updated version of the AZW6 Image Merge plugin.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Rhooo

Now I'm stuck with a very narrow band of viable products to get. Too old a Kindle and it can't access the store and is de facto blacklisted from KU. Too new a Kindle and books can't be copied off it. So I'm now camping Ebay listings for PW2's, cursing the bidding system to high-heaven.

It's almost like Amazon is becoming too big a pain in the ass to deal with.

Honestly, don't buy a Kindle just to keep supporting them. Just buy books elsewhere and move on.

I'm still using K4PC until they decide they don't want me any longer. I'm not going to go through gymnastics to stay a customer.

I'll buy newly published books elsewhere.

If I want an Amazon exclusive book bad enough, I'll reach out to the author. Maybe if this became a more common thing, it would show authors that Amazon isn't the only place to seel your books.