Amazon and DRM changes

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Don't accuse the authors when the translators can't do their job well.

The language quality of self-published books can be very different. Some have pretty good quality (I mean the original English-language books, not translations). And I have seen grammatical errors in tradpubs as well.

I just don't have to deal with stuff like that.

[Unseen Entities]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

I found my old PW1, charged it, and tested Kindle Unlimited concerning DeDRM ability. My DeDRM hasn't been updated since 7.2.1, because why fix what isn't broke. Also Calibre is on 5.34.0, because of the same reason. The issues will still be around, I am sure, unless a new version of Calibre has a more sophisticated book import. The outlook is bleak, I would say.

Here is what happens: If downloading an old book (published last year) that is borrowed in KU, but not purchased, with the PW1, then no issues exist (#2). The azw3 file that can be found on the PW1 goes right into calibre, DRM gets removed, and everything is in the book and in color. Newly published books behave quite differently. It does not matter if it is a purchased book (#1) or a borrowed book (#3), but the direct download to the PW1 (either initiated from the device itself or from computer with deliver to device) is incompatible with import to Calibre. First all images are black and white (no real issue here, I suppose), but more irritating is the missing images in the azw3 file except the title and thumbnail of the title. There now is a folder containing a lot of the missing data. On the book that I purchased (for free, one of First Reads) the Download and Transfer via USB file contains all images and in color. The other one that I didn't purchase, I obviously could not download via USB.

I dont believe this is related to DRM, KU, or the new Jan 3rd restrictions.

I think the issue is simply how amazon formats it for an older device (the PW1). Unfortunately I think this issue will apply to (image heavy) purchased older books as well.

This thread is for a plugin designed to merge azw6 (image) files into the ebook file on import. However it seems to compatible only for Kindle4PC downloads and not for ebooks off a device as per post #6. Doesnt seem like the plugin author is currently able to fix it.

BTW this plugin requires Calibre version 5.xx, so if you want to test it and have a later (or earlier) version I'd recommend downloading 5.44 portable over downgrading.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Unseen Entities

I dont believe this is related to DRM, KU, or the new Jan 3rd restrictions.

I think the issue is simply how amazon formats it for an older device (the PW1). Unfortunately I think this issue will apply to (image heavy) purchased older books as well.

This thread is for a plugin designed to merge azw6 (image) files into the ebook file on import. However it seems to compatible only for Kindle4PC downloads and not for ebooks off a device as per post #6. Doesnt seem like the plugin author is currently able to fix it.

BTW this plugin requires Calibre version 5.xx, so if you want to test it and have a later (or earlier) version I'd recommend downloading 5.44 portable over downgrading.

Interesting. Somebody else with experience DeDRMing from K4PC would need to do the testing. Unless it is trivial to gobble something together. I will have a look at the thread you linked.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

"I finished reading it quickly" does not mean what you think it means. Small translation error on your part. You made it sound like the book was so good, that you quickly read it cover to cover. Rather, you gave up on reading after just a few pages, I assume.

Im using Google Translate - but you are right

If you are very finicky about proper German, I suggest you borrow (or buy) Peter Handke, Die Obstdiebin or read a view pages of the sample. I enjoyed reading it, but it is very different from normal books.

I have 22 Handke books and of course I like them.
But a real stylistic treat is by Alexander Lernet-Holenia "Der Graf von Saint-Germain" - KU

[Mari123]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Interesting. Somebody else with experience DeDRMing from K4PC would need to do the testing. Unless it is trivial to gobble something together. I will have a look at the thread you linked.

So the problem with this is that the images are missing inside the text of the awz3?

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Newly published books behave quite differently. It does not matter if it is a purchased book (#1) or a borrowed book (#3), but the direct download to the PW1 (either initiated from the device itself or from computer with deliver to device) is incompatible with import to Calibre. First all images are black and white (no real issue here, I suppose), but more irritating is the missing images in the azw3 file except the title and thumbnail of the title. There now is a folder containing a lot of the missing data. On the book that I purchased (for free, one of First Reads) the Download and Transfer via USB file contains all images and in color. The other one that I didn't purchase, I obviously could not download via USB.

Images being split off into a separate AZW6 file when delivered to Kindle devices is not a new thing. It was first seen almost ten years ago in late 2013. In retrospect it was a precursor to KFX format which uses B/W JPEG-XR images split into a separate container when delivered to Kindle devices.

Because it is only used for a relatively small number of image-heavy books, handling AZW6 has not been a major priority. A method for combining the AZW6 and AZW3 files into a single AZW3 has been requested over the years for KindleUnpack and calibre, but those requests were rejected. A pull request to add that capability to the DeDRM plugin was rejected because it is not a DRM-related issue.

An AZW6 Image Merge plugin was created for calibre in 2021. However it only handles combining file downloaded using the Kindle for PC app, not an e-ink Kindle. The author of that plugin is still active on MobileRead. Perhaps they could be convinced to add handling for Kindle devices. (Update: I have posted an updated version of that plugin which is capable of handling files obtained from a Kindle device to the plugin’s thread.)

------------

Amazon creates different format variants of each book for delivery to different Kindle reading platforms. I took a look at the Feral book on some different model Kindles to see how they compare.

Download & Transfer: 2.17MB AZW3 file with color JPEG images

3rd gen Kindle Keyboard: same as Download & Transfer

5th gen Paperwhite 1: 678KB AZW3 + 958KB AZW6 with B/W JPEG-XR images

9th gen Oasis 2: 1.5MB KFX with B/W JPEG-XR images

Kindle for PC 1.39: 33.1MB KFX with high resolution color images

So in the end the quality of the book you receive varies greatly according to the device for which it is downloaded.

[Pjama]

I don't know when Amazon made this little change: have you noticed that it no longer says "My Content and Devices"? Instead, it now says "Content and Devices". Removing that little two letter word says a lot.

[Pjama]

I've spent the last day or so downloading my most recent purchases in case they stop allowing this - I think with the change at the top of the company, this will be happening very soon.

[Patitapetit]

Originally Posted by Pjama

I don't know when Amazon made this little change: have you noticed that it no longer says "My Content and Devices"? Instead, it now says "Content and Devices". Removing that little two letter word says a lot.

At Amazon.de says "Meine Inhalt und Geräte"

[AnimalOfArt]

Someone on reddit claims that he could download KU books by loading the in the lynx browser via read.amazon.com. But he did not explain it further...

https://www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comm...eb2x&context=3

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Not in Amazon.de

Sounds like an ottischwenk problem.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Pjama

I don't know when Amazon made this little change: have you noticed that it no longer says "My Content and Devices"? Instead, it now says "Content and Devices". Removing that little two letter word says a lot.

On UK it has Manage Your Content And Devices

[ZodWallop]

What determines the file format of an ebook? I just downloaded The House of Styx published by Solaris in August 2020 and got a mobi.

Would that mean that even with the K4PC changes I would still get a mobi file? And if so, would that still work with DRM removal tools?

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Images being split off into a separate AZW6 file when delivered to Kindle devices is not a new thing. It was first seen almost ten years ago in late 2013. In retrospect it was a precursor to KFX format which uses B/W JPEG-XR images split into a separate container when delivered to Kindle devices.

Because it is only used for a relatively small number of image-heavy books, handling AZW6 has not been a major priority. A method for combining the AZW6 and AZW3 files into a single AZW3 has been requested over the years for KindleUnpack and calibre, but those requests were rejected. A pull request to add that capability to the DeDRM plugin was rejected because it is not a DRM-related issue.

An AZW6 Image Merge plugin was created for calibre in 2021. However it only handles combining file downloaded using the Kindle for PC app, not an e-ink Kindle. The author of that plugin is still active on MobileRead. Perhaps they could be convinced to add handling for Kindle devices.

------------

Amazon creates different format variants of each book for delivery to different Kindle reading platforms. I took a look at the Feral book on some different model Kindles to see how they compare.

Download & Transfer: 2.17MB AZW3 file with color JPEG images

3rd gen Kindle Keyboard: same as Download & Transfer

5th gen Paperwhite 1: 678KB AZW3 + 958KB AZW6 with B/W JPEG-XR images

9th gen Oasis 2: 1.5MB KFX with B/W JPEG-XR images

Kindle for PC 1.39: 33.1MB KFX with high resolution color images

So in the end the quality of the book you receive varies greatly according to the device for which it is downloaded.

Interesting. I shall try again on my KT, and see if it behaves the same as Kindle Keyboard 3. If true, the KT might be the newest suggested old Kindle for removing DRM, especially as it possibly is the last Kindle incapable of the azw3/azw6 split.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Pjama

I've spent the last day or so downloading my most recent purchases in case they stop allowing this - I think with the change at the top of the company, this will be happening very soon.

The very first thing I do after a purchase is download the book. This is step 2 in my purchasing process, right after step 1 - clicking the "Buy" button.

The moment I discover that I can no longer do step 2, I will stop doing step 1.

It is good that you have now gotten caught up on your downloads. I would recommend that you don't fall behind again. Make it a routine and mandatory part of your purchasing process.