Using PRS without the Connect Software

Alisa · 06-24-2009, 06:12 PM

Kindle user with a stupid question here.

I was just reading a thread about someone debating between the Kindle and the 505 and the topic came up about the software only working on Windows. While that is well known, what I don't have a clear picture of is what precisely do you lose with that? I understand you can still load content and such since it will work just like a removable drive. Is there a link someone can point me to giving a run down of what doesn't work and what there are workarounds for? I see some people saying it's not a big deal and others that say it's rather a gaping hole. It would be nice if we had something we could give to the "Which one should I buy" folks that would clearly tell them where they stand if they're a Mac or Linux user.

Thanks.

Elfwreck · 06-24-2009, 06:20 PM

Without the Sony software, you can't buy books from the Sony store. Other than that, you lose a tiny bit of function... when Sony loads ebooks onto the device, it pre-paginates LRF and ePub books, so they open faster.

I believe everything else the Sony Library does can be done with Calibre.

Alisa · 06-24-2009, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Without the Sony software, you can't buy books from the Sony store. Other than that, you lose a tiny bit of function... when Sony loads ebooks onto the device, it pre-paginates LRF and ePub books, so they open faster.

I believe everything else the Sony Library does can be done with Calibre.

So Calibre can load firmware and such? That was one of the things I heard someone say the other day. I think it was in context of that Consumer Reports review *cough* hack job that panned the PRS for "only working with Windows".

Elfwreck · 06-24-2009, 06:31 PM

I don't think Calibre can run the firmware. Hmm. I haven't updated firmware since I got my PRS-505, and I don't remember if/how I did so then. It's possible that the firmware gets done separately from the Sony library software.

gwynevans · 06-24-2009, 06:41 PM

Sony's got a standalone firmware updater, but it only runs on Windows (as does their eBook Library software) but to put that into context, so far there's only been the one firmware update, so it's not really an issue...

Alisa · 06-24-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwynevans

Sony's got a standalone firmware updater, but it only runs on Windows (as does their eBook Library software) but to put that into context, so far there's only been the one firmware update, so it's not really an issue...

I would think that most people can lay their hands on a Windows machine once in a great while if they needed to. I take it this stuff doesn't work under emulation?

pepak · 06-25-2009, 12:28 AM

You don't need Windows to uypdate firmware - you can always extract the new image, copy it to SD card and apply it using Universal Flasher.

gwynevans · 06-25-2009, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

I would think that most people can lay their hands on a Windows machine once in a great while if they needed to. I take it this stuff doesn't work under emulation?

My understanding is that the belief is that, in general, there's more chance of timing issues mattering with 'flashing' I/O[*], and running it from emulation adds a few extra steps into the chain which might have enough of an effect to matter. Combined with the fact that a bad flash might make the device unrecoverable[**], the advice is find/boot a Windows OS.

[*] The receiver code will be as small/simple as possible as it'll normally be in ROM, where space is critical, rather than in Flash-ROM, and as a result will have less buffering, etc to cope with delays or errors.

[**] Although to be fair, the Sonys have proved to be very resilient to bricking, even when flashing with the custom tweaks to the firmware. (It's possible to make some minor tweaks, such as adding a clock to the status-bar, different icons & font-sizes in the UI.)

Alisa · 06-25-2009, 01:54 PM

Awesome. So far we have content loading (as long as it's not from Sony) and firmware both doable without the software. Someone said the initial registration needs the software. I would imagine that could be done in emulation or you could borrow a machine. Do you even need to do that if you're not shopping in the Sony store? How about the Collections organization?

=X= · 06-25-2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

How about the Collections organization?

There is a one time hit when loading a book, for each font. With the Software this is offloaded by the PC and it performs the sync for all font sizes.

One very nice feature you lose is sync between the eBook and the PC content. So effectively you can take notes on the reader or the PC. On the PC you can search and set bookmarks on the 505. With the Desktop software this keeps the software synchronized. This is rather huge since I've had my 505 get corrupted several times and I've lost all of my bookmarks because of it. With the PC backup you don't lose this data.

Also you have the ability to organize you collections. Re arrange them so they show up in the order you want them to. I typically put the books I'm reading on the first 1-10 slots of the collection so I don't have to hunt them down.

Calibre 0.6 is claiming to support sync'n bookmarks with the 505 but I have not gotten it to work.

=X=

pepak · 06-25-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

Someone said the initial registration needs the software. [...] Do you even need to do that if you're not shopping in the Sony store?

No. I never registered, for example.

Quote:

How about the Collections organization?

Can be done separately, too. Either through Calibre, my command-line utility or even by hand.

Ankh · 06-25-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Other than that, you lose a tiny bit of function... when Sony loads ebooks onto the device, it pre-paginates LRF and ePub books, so they open faster.

For ePub, too?

Elfwreck · 06-25-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ankh

For ePub, too?

I could be wrong about that. LRF and PDF? Maybe RTFs?

I don't use the Sony software, and I use a lot of homemade PDFs, so everything seems to load slowly the first time I open it. I don't have a lot of ePubs because non-DRM'd ones are rare, and when they're offered, there's usually an LRF option as well.

Xenophon · 06-26-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ankh

For ePub, too?

Nope. Not for ePub.

Xenophon

Lemurion · 06-30-2009, 05:06 PM

I only use the Sony Software to get free books from the Sony Connect store. Otherwise I use Calibre on my Linux machine. It works great.

06-24-2009, 06:12 PM	#1
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	Using PRS without the Connect Software Kindle user with a stupid question here. I was just reading a thread about someone debating between the Kindle and the 505 and the topic came up about the software only working on Windows. While that is well known, what I don't have a clear picture of is what precisely do you lose with that? I understand you can still load content and such since it will work just like a removable drive. Is there a link someone can point me to giving a run down of what doesn't work and what there are workarounds for? I see some people saying it's not a big deal and others that say it's rather a gaping hole. It would be nice if we had something we could give to the "Which one should I buy" folks that would clearly tell them where they stand if they're a Mac or Linux user. Thanks.

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06-24-2009, 06:20 PM	#2
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,185 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	Without the Sony software, you can't buy books from the Sony store. Other than that, you lose a tiny bit of function... when Sony loads ebooks onto the device, it pre-paginates LRF and ePub books, so they open faster. I believe everything else the Sony Library does can be done with Calibre.

06-24-2009, 06:31 PM	#4
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,185 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I don't think Calibre can run the firmware. Hmm. I haven't updated firmware since I got my PRS-505, and I don't remember if/how I did so then. It's possible that the firmware gets done separately from the Sony library software.

06-24-2009, 06:41 PM	#5
gwynevans Wizzard Posts: 1,402 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: iPad 2, iPhone 6s, Kindle Voyage & Kindle PaperWhite	Sony's got a standalone firmware updater, but it only runs on Windows (as does their eBook Library software) but to put that into context, so far there's only been the one firmware update, so it's not really an issue...

06-25-2009, 12:28 AM	#7
pepak Guru Posts: 610 Karma: 4150 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T3, Kobo Libra H2O	You don't need Windows to uypdate firmware - you can always extract the new image, copy it to SD card and apply it using Universal Flasher.

06-25-2009, 01:54 PM	#9
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	Awesome. So far we have content loading (as long as it's not from Sony) and firmware both doable without the software. Someone said the initial registration needs the software. I would imagine that could be done in emulation or you could borrow a machine. Do you even need to do that if you're not shopping in the Sony store? How about the Collections organization?

06-30-2009, 05:06 PM	#15
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I only use the Sony Software to get free books from the Sony Connect store. Otherwise I use Calibre on my Linux machine. It works great.

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