With firmware 6 using the same renderer for both, will kepub go away? - Page 2

MGlitch · 09-30-2026, 05:44 PM

I’d think it would require them either declaring all devices that they aren’t going to send 6.0 to (or whatever it gets to when it’s beyond beta) EoL or finally bring all the devices to it.

I haven’t updated in ages because I just don’t see the point. I haven’t seen any features in the sub 5.0 firmware that I need to have. And with kobo deciding to have different versions out at the same time it became more hassle to update and patch than the update was worth.

rantanplan · 09-30-2026, 05:53 PM

They can still release updates to the 4.38.x version though. Which is what they are already doing anyway.

Dal Bhat · 09-30-2026, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

There is a patch requiring your consent before updating. It works perfectly. I've turned wifi on for one of my Kobos several times in the past year and it's still on an older firmware.

I've searched and cannot find a single patch for firmware 4.45.23655.

DNSB · 09-30-2026, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rantanplan

Why would they have to pay Adobe? Kobo uses their own DRM scheme on the devices.

On kepub.epub, Kobo uses their own DRM. On .epub, Kobo uses Adobe's ADEPT DRM and Adobe's Content Server backend. This keeps allows users without Kobo devices/apps to use their services.

On the v6 firmware, kepub.epub, LCP DRMmed .epub and DRM free .epub files use Kobo's webkit based renderer called TENG. Adobe DRMmed epubs are opened with RMSDK (library books, downloads from other sites, etc.) for compatibility. You can also download a .acsm file and it will open on the Kobo.

In my limited testing, TENG seems to treat all epubs the same as far as statistics go though only ebooks synced from Kobo seem to have their statistics stored on Kobo's servers.

DNSB · 09-30-2026, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dal Bhat

Are older device capable of running the newer renderer?

In theory yes. It will take some work to make it as speedy as the old code and there may also be memory size issues.

Sirtel · 09-30-2026, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dal Bhat

I've searched and cannot find a single patch for firmware 4.45.23655.

No. You'd have to slightly downgrade or upgrade the firmware (can be done manually). If you have the Clara BW version P365, then unfortunately I don't know where to find patch-compatible older firmware versions for that.

Kobo has really made a hot mess with all the different firmwares for different devices and device versions.

Dal Bhat · 09-30-2026, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

No. You'd have to slightly downgrade or upgrade the firmware (can be done manually). If you have the Clara BW version P365, then unfortunately I don't know where to find patch-compatible older firmware versions for that.

Kobo has really made a hot mess with all the different firmwares for different devices and device versions.

It is the 'N' version.

What caught my attention was mention of a patch that requires my assent to upgrade firmware. And I'm interested in that because I'd like to be able to connect to my home network for the sole purpose of getting the clock to pick up the correct time, without the Clara calling home and updating itself.

So let me ask the question clearly: (I do not have a Kobo account.) If I log in to my network, will the device try and succeed to update itself?

DNSB · 10-01-2026, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dal Bhat

So let me ask the question clearly: (I do not have a Kobo account.) If I log in to my network, will the device try and succeed to update itself?

Quite probably. OTOH, you could manually upgrade to 4.46.23836 and install the patches for that version without needing to go online.

Dal Bhat · 10-01-2026, 02:50 PM

The discussion in that patch thread looks kind of scary.

DNSB · 10-01-2026, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dal Bhat

The discussion in that patch thread looks kind of scary.

What discussion? That several patches that originally did not work with 4.46.23836 have been updated to work with that version so the patch .zip file has been updated to v2?

You do not need to apply every patch. For myself on my Kobos where Kobo Patcher is usable, I use the My 10 line spacing values patch, the Unify font sizes patch and because it doesn't hurt anything for me, the Disable widows/orphans avoidance patch. Since I regard the home page as something I pass through quickly, I don't bother with any of the patches for it. The same for most of the other patches.

Dal Bhat · 10-01-2026, 03:34 PM

I gather from the previous discussion that there is a patch that lets me decline a firmware update. That's all that I require. But I don't know where that one is.

DNSB · 10-01-2026, 03:51 PM

Have you downloaded the kobopatch_4.46.23836_V2.zip file and looked at the files inside it?

Are you thinking of the "Block WiFi firmware upgrade" patch? For more on that, look at the libnickel.so.1.0.0.yaml in the src directory in the unzipped patch files and then change no to yes in the kobopatch.yaml file (much easier to keep all your selections in that one file rather than editing all the .yaml files in the src directory).

For me, there is also a popup that I get after downloading a new firmware update and it is prepared for install that asks if I want to update now or later. If I did not want the update, I would say later, connect to my computer and delete the update files from the .kobo directory on the Kobo.

Sirtel · 10-01-2026, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Are you thinking of the "Block WiFi firmware upgrade" patch?

No, there is a patch that doesn't block updates, but will ask your consent. If you choose "skip", no update will be installed.

JSWolf · 10-01-2026, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dal Bhat

I've searched and cannot find a single patch for firmware 4.45.23655.

That's because I've not released any. There's no need to be on 4.45.23655. Not many are on that firmware. You can manually update to4.46.23836 that has patches.

JSWolf · 10-01-2026, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dal Bhat

I gather from the previous discussion that there is a patch that lets me decline a firmware update. That's all that I require. But I don't know where that one is.

You should look at the patches (the .yaml) in the src directory and read the titles and the descriptions. Then edit the file kobopatch.yaml and enable (replacing no with yes as long as the patch does not have a ## Does not work in front of it.

There are some rather useful patches. For example, making the font sizes for ePub and KePub match. Changing the line height values is also very useful as the lowest value (IMHO) is too large.

And if you have any questions, you can ask in the patch thread and someone will answer.

10-01-2026, 03:51 PM	#27
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 54,855 Karma: 182340541 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Have you downloaded the kobopatch_4.46.23836_V2.zip file and looked at the files inside it? Are you thinking of the "Block WiFi firmware upgrade" patch? For more on that, look at the libnickel.so.1.0.0.yaml in the src directory in the unzipped patch files and then change no to yes in the kobopatch.yaml file (much easier to keep all your selections in that one file rather than editing all the .yaml files in the src directory). For me, there is also a popup that I get after downloading a new firmware update and it is prepared for install that asks if I want to update now or later. If I did not want the update, I would say later, connect to my computer and delete the update files from the .kobo directory on the Kobo. Last edited by DNSB; 10-01-2026 at 03:54 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What built in epub renderer?	karljs	PocketBook	6	05-09-2021 05:45 PM
Kepub/epub font size problem and best GloHD firmware today?	A random blob	Kobo Reader	11	09-08-2020 10:30 AM
About MuPDF ePub renderer	roger64	KOReader	2	12-07-2018 08:26 PM
How to make Kobo's Kepub renderer do its job?	doubleshuffle	ePub	15	04-10-2016 02:08 AM
Renderer resolution with RMSDK	Mark.Vasconcelos	Android Developer's Corner	1	10-05-2011 04:38 AM

09-30-2026, 05:44 PM	#16
MGlitch Wizard Posts: 2,899 Karma: 23142258 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kobo Forma, Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2	I’d think it would require them either declaring all devices that they aren’t going to send 6.0 to (or whatever it gets to when it’s beyond beta) EoL or finally bring all the devices to it. I haven’t updated in ages because I just don’t see the point. I haven’t seen any features in the sub 5.0 firmware that I need to have. And with kobo deciding to have different versions out at the same time it became more hassle to update and patch than the update was worth.

09-30-2026, 05:53 PM	#17
rantanplan Weirdo Posts: 1,342 Karma: 13516840 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Wuppertal, Germany Device: Kobo Libra 2, Tolino Vision Color, reMarkable PaperPro	They can still release updates to the 4.38.x version though. Which is what they are already doing anyway.

10-01-2026, 02:50 PM	#24
Dal Bhat Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 1656764 Join Date: Apr 2024 Device: Kindle 11th Gen; Clara BW	The discussion in that patch thread looks kind of scary.

10-01-2026, 03:34 PM	#26
Dal Bhat Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 1656764 Join Date: Apr 2024 Device: Kindle 11th Gen; Clara BW	I gather from the previous discussion that there is a patch that lets me decline a firmware update. That's all that I require. But I don't know where that one is.