Kobo Start Menu 09

[boriar]

KSM is my only menu for Kobo. May be it isn't the most beautiful but functional and smooth, and over all let me control exactly what I do with my device.
Thanks for a great software tshering!

[h87booky]

Originally Posted by Alan_S

I have to comment this.

I think that in general there's relatively few people who go to some other software beyond what's shipped with their device. Also, from those who do want something more, I guess that most of them, maybe 95%, or even more go with KSM (if they use Kobo, of course).

And, as you have great instructions in first post, there's not that much need to explain for anyone what to do and how.

Before few days I installed KSM 9 on my KA1, it went smoothly, works great and all in all, many people go today with KA1 for many reasons. And KSM 9 works just fine.

Only new devices need some work to be done.

So, I think KSM is very much in demand, but from more experienced users. And, KSM is certainly great software, I'm sure if rest of people who uses exclusively nickel just see koreader, would want to start using KSM/koreader combo.

You're right. It's even worse.

Some experienced selfish users never come to say tashi delek to the author who has inspired them. They do their stuff, they hack their devices without telling anyone, without sharing...

Sorry tshering, you're the boss, you're the one above, you share eveything with us.

Thank you very much for all your work.

Without you my beloved H2O won't be that great.

[UncleInf]

Can you please explain what niceties does KSM bring to the table? Compared for example with KFMon with koreader setup

[NiLuJe]

This is an actual GUI. They're two very different beasts, with two very different set of capabilities, aimed at two very different set of use-cases. The fact that you happen to be able to launch KOReader with both is basically a happy coincidence .

In the very narrow (for KSM) context of KOReader *only*, I tried to summarize this in the KO Wiki.
But that's very much in the specific context of KOReader.

TL;DR: The choice is yours, and choice is good .

[h87booky]

As I understand it and practice it,

1st aspect:

If you don't use Nickel (original Kobo software) anymore and you prefer KOReader or Coolreader from vlasovsoft or Plato and you like the new and wonderful UltimateMangaReader -> KSM.

If you still prefer Nickel and you sometimes need KOReader to read a pdf -> KFMon.

2nd aspect:

If you read new books -> Nickel.

If you read old books from Gutemberg Project, pdf, rss feeds or mangas -> KOReader.

I don't buy books. I don't steal them too. Everything I'm interested in is old free books from public domain. Now I'm reading Alexandre Dum' ass (Shawshank redemption) Dumas, why would I want to pay for this? Sometimes I want to read news articles or mangas, so my choice is KSM, KOReader, etc. The only reason I still use Nickel with my good old 3.19.5761 patched firmware is for Wikipedia offline with Kiwix.

3rd aspect:

If you want to hack your eReader completely, add ssh/sftp, create your own apps -> KSM (and all the rest as already said).

If you don't want to hack everything, you're afraid to hack too much your Kobo -> KFMon.

4th aspect:

If your Kobo is a very recent one, H2O2 v2, Clara HD, you don't have choice, for now -> KFMon.

There's something for everyone.


And thank you NiLuJe, especially for your Python package, with tshering you are my two hacker masters.

[Alan_S]

Originally Posted by UncleInf

Can you please explain what niceties does KSM bring to the table? Compared for example with KFMon with koreader setup

I don't use KFMon, so I can't tell much about it, as I don't know it, but KSM is "complete" "device manager" (or I could loose quote marks?).

It doesn't read ebooks, but manages software that does. It can set your time (through wifi and ntp server), it has terminal program (if you need direct access to your devices shell), it can connect to your computer through USB, etc, etc...

From what I know (and I may be really wrong there) KFMon just enables you to start koreader. With KSM you don't need anything else, it is complete package, you don't need nickel, you don't need to update firmware, etc.

It is completely working combo KSM and koreader, that is all you need for your reading needs.

And yes, I don't know everything what KSM provides, as I don't need everything it provides, but my base use is:

-managing USB (for books upload, etc).
-managing time
-starting koreader (though koreader can set date and time now, but it wasn't able before) or other readers (but I'm with koreader).

[UncleInf]

Thank you for information. Just as I thought about ksm - manages device, just like os.

Right now I am still thinking about buying h20 v2 with discount (nice!) or aura one - no discount. I'd take aura one because ksm and koreader works wonderfully on it and I will mainly read scientific pdfs, but the screen problems with natural light scares me... Green dot over the bottom of the screen doesn't look good especially when paying premium...

[jaimelespatates]

Hi,

I have installed KSM on my Kobo Touch N905C, but when I plug it in the USB port of my PC (I have tried another computer too and the same thing happens), it freezes and the device is not recognised by the PC. I have performed a factory reset twice and each time the eareader works fine and is recognized by my PC but, when I reinstall KSM, the same problem comes back. The device unfreezes when I reboot it, but I can't install koreader on it or add any books, as that necessitates a USB connection.

I searched around on the internet and in this forum for a bit, but I haven't found anyone with a problem similar to mine, so hopefully someone here has a fix!

Thanks in advance!

[boriar]

Originally Posted by jaimelespatates

Hi,

I have installed KSM on my Kobo Touch N905C, but when I plug it in the USB port of my PC (I have tried another computer too and the same thing happens), it freezes and the device is not recognised by the PC. I have performed a factory reset twice and each time the eareader works fine and is recognized by my PC but, when I reinstall KSM, the same problem comes back. The device unfreezes when I reboot it, but I can't install koreader on it or add any books, as that necessitates a USB connection.

I searched around on the internet and in this forum for a bit, but I haven't found anyone with a problem similar to mine, so hopefully someone here has a fix!

Thanks in advance!

Try to activate: "usb -> usb enable id like nickel" in the main KSM main menu. Then connect your device and your pc will recognize the device and you will copy files to it (I hope).

[Alan_S]

Originally Posted by jaimelespatates

The device unfreezes when I reboot it,

How you reboot it?

Also, do you have working WiFi?

[jaimelespatates]

Try to activate: "usb -> usb enable id like nickel" in the main KSM main menu. Then connect your device and your pc will recognize the device and you will copy files to it (I hope).

I have tried, but it doesn't change anything, the device still freezes when plugged in. Also, when I do that, I lose the option to start nickel in KSM and I have to reboot it for it to appear again.

How you reboot it?

Either a soft reboot using the button on the lower back of the ereader, or I just slide the power button back and forth a few times, sometimes it doesn't work and I have to wait a few hours before the ereader actually reboots.

Also, do you have working WiFi?

The ereader is connected to wifi in nickel, but not with KSM.

[CH23]

I hadn't used my Clara in a week or two.
I set KSM to 'never' start, as I wanted to try and get KOReader functioning using fmon from nickel.

Now when I set it to always start, it still won't do it.

I'd like to figure out what happened, but am not sure how I would go about this.

Also a question about the KSM09.3 update (when it comes):
Since with the default package it's not possible to use the touch screen, will a 'full' package (ksm09+updates 1 through 3) be released? I believe for UX sake, that would be better.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by jaimelespatates

I have tried, but it doesn't change anything, the device still freezes when plugged in. Also, when I do that, I lose the option to start nickel in KSM and I have to reboot it for it to appear again.



Either a soft reboot using the button on the lower back of the ereader, or I just slide the power button back and forth a few times, sometimes it doesn't work and I have to wait a few hours before the ereader actually reboots.



The ereader is connected to wifi in nickel, but not with KSM.

Sorry, I have not idea why usb and wifi do not work on your device under KSM. I have myself a Kobo Touch C, so the model should not be a problem. Regarding the firmware, I have presently running KSM 9 under 2.6.x, and 4.6.9995 on my two Touchs.

As for rebooting the device when it is unresponsive, hold the power button for 20 secs or so in the power off position (you will not see any change on the screen). Then release the button and power the device on.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by CH23

I hadn't used my Clara in a week or two.
I set KSM to 'never' start, as I wanted to try and get KOReader functioning using fmon from nickel.

Now when I set it to always start, it still won't do it.

I'd like to figure out what happened, but am not sure how I would go about this.

I can only guess, nickel installed a firmware update since you disabled KSM, and it has overwritten several files that were modified by KSM. Have a look at KBStartMenu_09_restore.zip of the first post. It contains the files that an uncontrolled firmware update overwrites. I cannot remember whether you/we changed one of these files especially for Clara. So please check them and modify them if necessary.

Originally Posted by CH23

Also a question about the KSM09.3 update (when it comes):
Since with the default package it's not possible to use the touch screen, will a 'full' package (ksm09+updates 1 through 3) be released? I believe for UX sake, that would be better.

It was my plan to provide a full package for Clara. In the beginning I was hoping to get answers to some questions (cf. this post), before I prepare a test package. Since then I am having some issues that prevent me from working on this stuff.

[Alan_S]

Originally Posted by jaimelespatates

The ereader is connected to wifi in nickel, but not with KSM.

I know it may sound strange, but did you try to get WiFi in KSM? It will use settings from nickel to connect.

But yes, it sounds strange.

As for some other things (even if you have USB working with nickel), try different USB cable, different USB port (it is possible to somehow "brick" some USB port for Kobo device, it happened to me with my H2O, not sure how and why, but it is worth trying different port).