Should I Upgrade my Opus?

graypal · 12-26-2009, 05:33 AM

Hi everyone, happy christmas.

I bought an opus just before Christmas and I am very happy with it. No freezes at all, and its nice and easy to use.

I am a bit uncertain to upgrade the firmware to the new one as mine is working well (its the 1.9 version, so its not that old). I can see by reading the threads on here that its been a major improvement to a lot of people with older firmware, but would it make much difference to mine?

Another thing is that I do not know wether to change to the 1.5 or 2.0 versions. I have not bought many books yet because I have only just got my opus, and the ones that I have already got were converted easily with calibre (great program). I am more used to using mobi files because I used to use them on my PDA before.

The only things I miss are the RSS feeds and the dictionary. I would like to know how you would look up a word on the opus? With a PDA you just click on the word and the dictionary automatically looks up the word. On the opus would I have to close the book and open a dictionary?

Also, do epub books look different/better on an opus than mobi books, or are they the same? I think I could just put on the 1.5 and then the 2.0 firmware but I am a bit scared of it going wrong, and at the moment I am thinking "if it ain't broke don't fix it" so I was wondering if anyone has actually done it and if it is worth it.

Thanks for all the help.

Gray.

I

Crusader · 12-26-2009, 05:52 AM

If you haven't had any freezes then you could stay with the 1.9 firmware. I also had the 1.9 firmware and my Opus froze quite a few times which was the reason I immediately grabbed the version 2.0

From my limited testing the major difference between 1.9 and 2.0 is that page turns seem to be much faster. Stability is still unclear since I haven't used my Opus for a long enough period to say that it's more stable than 1.9. There's also a change to how PDF's are handled, with automatic removal of margins.

As for which version to use - that'll depend on your buying habits. ePub seems to be the new format and most retailers have switched over to ePub. So in the long term I think it would be a good idea to go for the ePub version.

As far as I know the only downside to ePub is that there's no dictionary support. It's not something I've ever used, so it's not something I find lacking.

The update itself is quite easy to perform and I doubt there's much chance of it going wrong.

Krystian Galaj · 12-26-2009, 08:23 AM

On Mobi firmware there is dictionary support - you just select a word in the book, and all dictionaries are searched for it, and you get a list of definition pages to read through.

ramboky · 12-27-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graypal

Hi everyone, happy christmas.

I bought an opus just before Christmas and I am very happy with it. No freezes at all, and its nice and easy to use.

I am a bit uncertain to upgrade the firmware to the new one as mine is working well (its the 1.9 version, so its not that old). I can see by reading the threads on here that its been a major improvement to a lot of people with older firmware, but would it make much difference to mine?

Another thing is that I do not know wether to change to the 1.5 or 2.0 versions. I have not bought many books yet because I have only just got my opus, and the ones that I have already got were converted easily with calibre (great program). I am more used to using mobi files because I used to use them on my PDA before.

The only things I miss are the RSS feeds and the dictionary. I would like to know how you would look up a word on the opus? With a PDA you just click on the word and the dictionary automatically looks up the word. On the opus would I have to close the book and open a dictionary?

Also, do epub books look different/better on an opus than mobi books, or are they the same? I think I could just put on the 1.5 and then the 2.0 firmware but I am a bit scared of it going wrong, and at the moment I am thinking "if it ain't broke don't fix it" so I was wondering if anyone has actually done it and if it is worth it.

Thanks for all the help.

Gray.

I

Whatever you do DO NOT upgrade to the new 2.0 firmware. I was exactly in your position - I had version 1.9 and upgraded because of occasional lockups. Big mistake. The new firmware is buggy. The most annoying issue is that after the upgrade the reader will no longer be able to read any of the metadata embedded in an epub which means your library page will end up listing your titles by their filename, which looks terrible if your are using Calibre.

Long story short, stay where you are. I wish I had!

Crusader · 12-28-2009, 02:57 AM

It's definitely not that bad. I'd rather take better stability over metadata. Just rename the filename to the title of the book. Works for me...

ramboky · 12-28-2009, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

It's definitely not that bad. I'd rather take better stability over metadata. Just rename the filename to the title of the book. Works for me...

That doesn't work if you're using Calibre as it adds additional text to the title for indexing and insists on its own file structure. If you are using the standard library view you will have to add the author to the filename as well as it will not appear below the title any more. This usually gets clipped, depending on the view you have chosen.

I think it is that bad. It's no different to having a MP3 player which supported ID3 tags and then suddenly relied on filenames instead after a firmware upgrade. You would be hard pressed to find any other reader on the market which supported epub but not the metadata - an integral part of the epub spec.

If you currently have 1.9 I would not recommend upgrading unless the freezing problem is really bothering you - there is little other benefit.

HarryT · 12-28-2009, 03:30 AM

And, if you do as I do, and use folders for author names, then you really don't need metadata. Yes, it's an irritating bug, but it's not a "disaster".

Crusader · 12-28-2009, 05:42 AM

With Calibre you can just use the 'Save to Disk' option and then rename/organize as you like, the copy to your Opus. That's what I do.

HarryT · 12-28-2009, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

With Calibre you can just use the 'Save to Disk' option and then rename/organize as you like, the copy to your Opus. That's what I do.

Same here. Calibre is also highly-configurable as to what filename it creates when you do a "Save to Disk" - you can choose whether to include title, author, series, etc. etc.

graypal · 12-28-2009, 05:47 AM

Hi all.

Just to let you know where I am. I have upgraded to the 1.5 version of the firmware, mainly because I wanted to use a dictionary.

I have found that the pages do seem to turn faster (you were right crusader, thanks) and I can now look up words and use the modi feeds again, just like on my PDA.

I think the epub formats did look slghtly better than the mobi formats, but its no deal breaker.

I now use mobipocket to copy books onto my opus. I do not have loads on there yet. When it copies them it just puts them in the main directory, and I move them into folders with the authors name straight away. This means that the metedata is not a big problem, and I can't say that I have noticed any changes.

No freezes before, and no freezes since the change (only 2 days ago) so overall I would certainly recommend the new firmware, and could also recommend the opus, based on how its been for me personally.

Only had it 4 days and a firmware upgrade released

Gray.

HarryT · 12-28-2009, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graypal

I now use mobipocket to copy books onto my opus. I do not have loads on there yet. When it copies them it just puts them in the main directory, and I move them into folders with the authors name straight away. This means that the metedata is not a big problem, and I can't say that I have noticed any changes.

The metadata bug only affects ePub files with v2.0 of the firmware. It doesn't occur with 1.5.

Jellby · 12-28-2009, 07:40 AM

With 2.0 you can choose your own font, and justification (if not hardcoded in the ebook).

EowynCarter · 12-28-2009, 07:43 AM

Speaking of justification, has anymone manage to get someting out of it ?

HarryT · 12-28-2009, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Speaking of justification, has anymone manage to get someting out of it ?

It works fine with all the ePub books that I've created, because they do not "hard code" justification in the book. If justification is specified in the book, then the menu item won't do anything.

In other words, it works exactly the same way as the justification option for Mobipocket books used to on the Gen3.

EowynCarter · 12-28-2009, 07:47 AM

Then maybe i need to have a closer look to that twilight css. It's won't justifiy. I wish it would, would spare me the anoyance of editing.

12-26-2009, 05:33 AM	#1
graypal Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: st helens UK Device: cybook opus, kindle paperwhite	Should I Upgrade my Opus? Hi everyone, happy christmas. I bought an opus just before Christmas and I am very happy with it. No freezes at all, and its nice and easy to use. I am a bit uncertain to upgrade the firmware to the new one as mine is working well (its the 1.9 version, so its not that old). I can see by reading the threads on here that its been a major improvement to a lot of people with older firmware, but would it make much difference to mine? Another thing is that I do not know wether to change to the 1.5 or 2.0 versions. I have not bought many books yet because I have only just got my opus, and the ones that I have already got were converted easily with calibre (great program). I am more used to using mobi files because I used to use them on my PDA before. The only things I miss are the RSS feeds and the dictionary. I would like to know how you would look up a word on the opus? With a PDA you just click on the word and the dictionary automatically looks up the word. On the opus would I have to close the book and open a dictionary? Also, do epub books look different/better on an opus than mobi books, or are they the same? I think I could just put on the 1.5 and then the 2.0 firmware but I am a bit scared of it going wrong, and at the moment I am thinking "if it ain't broke don't fix it" so I was wondering if anyone has actually done it and if it is worth it. Thanks for all the help. Gray. I Last edited by graypal; 12-26-2009 at 05:35 AM.

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12-26-2009, 05:52 AM	#2
Crusader Space Cadet Posts: 1,180 Karma: 4030536 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Africa Device: Sony PRS-T1, Cybook Opus, Kobo Glo	If you haven't had any freezes then you could stay with the 1.9 firmware. I also had the 1.9 firmware and my Opus froze quite a few times which was the reason I immediately grabbed the version 2.0 From my limited testing the major difference between 1.9 and 2.0 is that page turns seem to be much faster. Stability is still unclear since I haven't used my Opus for a long enough period to say that it's more stable than 1.9. There's also a change to how PDF's are handled, with automatic removal of margins. As for which version to use - that'll depend on your buying habits. ePub seems to be the new format and most retailers have switched over to ePub. So in the long term I think it would be a good idea to go for the ePub version. As far as I know the only downside to ePub is that there's no dictionary support. It's not something I've ever used, so it's not something I find lacking. The update itself is quite easy to perform and I doubt there's much chance of it going wrong.

12-26-2009, 08:23 AM	#3
Krystian Galaj Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 11012 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Warsaw, Poland Device: Bookeen Cybook	On Mobi firmware there is dictionary support - you just select a word in the book, and all dictionaries are searched for it, and you get a list of definition pages to read through.

12-28-2009, 02:57 AM	#5
Crusader Space Cadet Posts: 1,180 Karma: 4030536 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Africa Device: Sony PRS-T1, Cybook Opus, Kobo Glo	It's definitely not that bad. I'd rather take better stability over metadata. Just rename the filename to the title of the book. Works for me...

12-28-2009, 03:30 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	And, if you do as I do, and use folders for author names, then you really don't need metadata. Yes, it's an irritating bug, but it's not a "disaster".

12-28-2009, 05:42 AM	#8
Crusader Space Cadet Posts: 1,180 Karma: 4030536 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Africa Device: Sony PRS-T1, Cybook Opus, Kobo Glo	With Calibre you can just use the 'Save to Disk' option and then rename/organize as you like, the copy to your Opus. That's what I do.

12-28-2009, 05:47 AM	#10
graypal Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: st helens UK Device: cybook opus, kindle paperwhite	Hi all. Just to let you know where I am. I have upgraded to the 1.5 version of the firmware, mainly because I wanted to use a dictionary. I have found that the pages do seem to turn faster (you were right crusader, thanks) and I can now look up words and use the modi feeds again, just like on my PDA. I think the epub formats did look slghtly better than the mobi formats, but its no deal breaker. I now use mobipocket to copy books onto my opus. I do not have loads on there yet. When it copies them it just puts them in the main directory, and I move them into folders with the authors name straight away. This means that the metedata is not a big problem, and I can't say that I have noticed any changes. No freezes before, and no freezes since the change (only 2 days ago) so overall I would certainly recommend the new firmware, and could also recommend the opus, based on how its been for me personally. Only had it 4 days and a firmware upgrade released Gray.

12-28-2009, 07:40 AM	#12
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,546 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	With 2.0 you can choose your own font, and justification (if not hardcoded in the ebook).

12-28-2009, 07:43 AM	#13
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,337 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	Speaking of justification, has anymone manage to get someting out of it ?

12-28-2009, 07:47 AM	#15
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,337 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	Then maybe i need to have a closer look to that twilight css. It's won't justifiy. I wish it would, would spare me the anoyance of editing.