overdrive vs Adobe ID

[stumped]

note to mods, if this is better placed in some other sub forum please move it
I am trying to comprehend this with a view to using the new AUra one dircet from library facility so I am posting here.

on to the question:
reading this:
https://help.overdrive.com/customer/...ticles/1481077
it tells me when using overdrive to authorise is arguably better than using the adobe ID I already have, and gives instructions for making that change -
but are there any downsides?
I don't own any purchased DRM locked books to legacy is not doing to be an issue

I understand how to checkout library books suing my current set up ( with Adobe ID on this PC).
I have created an overdrive account, but I have not really explored what my existing tablets can do with that ( if anything ) Fire HDX and Samsung tab s)
I would guess I can read loaned books on those in a sort of online way, within the overdrive app itself ?

So If i de-auth my adobe ID using ADE2 as pre the instuctions and auth instead with overdrive credentials then
1. I trust that is reversible if i run into any problems
2. If i then test by checking out a library book, will I get the same ascm file download which then converts itself unto an unlocked book , just like before

3. how does that work? the library does not know that i have changed things around, so how does it know to give me books that my overdrive account will unlock.

I get that overdrive has my library card number and PIN- it asked for those when I set it up - but the library is not aware of that. As far as the library is concerned I log in with my library card and PIN - or do I - do I have to log into the library in a different way to make this work ?

4. if I get the new Kobo A1, and do it from there, now does the kObo get to know my overdrive credentials ?

as you can see, if you've had the patience to read this far , I am quite baffled. Going over to the "dark side" is so much simpler

[kansaskyle]

I had some initial issues with ADE and Overdrive when I first ventured down the Kobo path earlier this year with the original H20. Soon after, I tried the Koboa Aura One, and life was much easier.

So, I'll skip ahead to Question #4.

From the KA1, you logon to your library with the same credentials you would on the library's Web site.

To check out a book, I do the following:

1. Search for content - I do my searching on the library Web page because I find their filters work well, and I think it is faster.
2. Check out the content - I check out the book from the Web page, without downloading the file.
3. Login to Overdrive on the KA1 to switch library sites (if needed) - I have three library memberships, so if needed, I go to the KA1 Overdrive settings and login to the library that has the book I checked out using the same credentials as the Web page.
4. Sync - From the KA1, I perform a sync, which automatically downloads the checked out content to my device.
5. Read and return - I read the content, and when finished I can return the book immediately from the KA1, or can wait and do it later if I want to refer back to the book for some reason (e.g., write a review, reread a section, etc.).

[stumped]

thanks - I think I see how the simple direct library to Kobo thing works
what is puzzling me is the interaction , or not, between that route and the other routes; and also once I have checked out a book to the kobo A1( which I have not bought yet so I cannot test it) , can I checkout that same book to my PC
to rephrase, if/when I use an overdrive account, it that actually using a "hidden" adobe ID system under the bonnet, or have overdrive built a new security system that is completely independent of Adobe ?

[kansaskyle]

Originally Posted by stumped

thanks - I think I see how the simple direct library to Kobo thing works
what is puzzling me is the interaction , or not, between that route and the other routes; and also once I have checked out a book to the kobo A1( which I have not bought yet so I cannot test it) , can I checkout that same book to my PC

From my experience, you get one checkout from the library whether that is a Kindle file, an ePub sync'd to your KA1, or a file you download.

I'm sure if you were creative, you could find a way to get the book off your ereader onto your PC, but reading on a devices designed for ereading is a much better reading experience in my opinion than reading on a PC.

[stumped]

i am used to having togo library -> PC -> ADE software as a 1st step for any ebook or audio book since my existing tablets do not support any form of direct borrowing
I am attracted to the KA1 because it short circuits much of that, but I don't want to lose the option to browse the library on a big PC screen and make selections that way, for later checkout.
and I like to know how stuff works, before i use it. I just about understand the adobe ID & licence file system, but the new-ish overdrive app is a back box at present

I cant remember if the KA1 does mp3 audio books - if it does, can you check those out directly ?. The main audio books user is my wife though, not me, and listed to in car on long journeys. so I transfer the audio book loans to a USB stick for the car's media centre. We'd probably stick with that system - it goes library -> my PC [ overdrive for Windows] -> USB stick ->her car- listen & delete when done.

[kansaskyle]

Originally Posted by stumped

i am used to having togo library -> PC -> ADE software as a 1st step for any ebook or audio book since my existing tablets do not support any form of direct borrowing
I am attracted to the KA1 because it short circuits much of that, but I don't want to lose the option to browse the library on a big PC screen and make selections that way, for later checkout.
and I like to know how stuff works, before i use it. I just about understand the adobe ID & licence file system, but the new-ish overdrive app is a back box at present

The process I described above does not change the PC browsing experience for content. You can still wish list and checkout content from your library's Web page.

The process does eliminate the need for ADE as you simply sync your KA1 and the book arrives. This was a big selling point for me as I liked the bigger reading screen of the KA1 compared to Kindle offerings and the ease of checking out books via Overdrive.

Originally Posted by stumped

I cant remember if the KA1 does mp3 audio books - if it does, can you check those out directly ?. The main audio books user is my wife though, not me, and listed to in car on long journeys. so I transfer the audio book loans to a USB stick for the car's media centre. We'd probably stick with that system - it goes library -> my PC [ overdrive for Windows] -> USB stick ->her car- listen & delete when done.

The KA1 doesn't have Overdrive support for playing audio content.

I just use the overdrive app on my smartphone to play the audio book that I checked out via the library's Web page. I can use headphones for personal listening or an auxiliary cable to playback for everyone through the vehicle's sound system.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by kansaskyle

...

The process does eliminate the need for ADE as you simply sync your KA1 and the book arrives...



The KA1 doesn't have Overdrive support for playing audio content.

...
.

so how does it work ( from a security perspective - if ADE is not involved. does overdrive see the KA1 as some sort of trusted device and just hands it the files to display & then to auto delete at end of loan ? i assume it does something to render the books unreadable if someone copies them off of the device.

audio: I thought that might be the case. but sideloading is simple enough. I am not an audio book fan anyway.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by stumped

i am used to having togo library -> PC -> ADE software as a 1st step for any ebook or audio book since my existing tablets do not support any form of direct borrowing
I am attracted to the KA1 because it short circuits much of that, but I don't want to lose the option to browse the library on a big PC screen and make selections that way, for later checkout.
and I like to know how stuff works, before i use it. I just about understand the adobe ID & licence file system, but the new-ish overdrive app is a back box at present

With my local library, I can checkout a book and sync it to my KA1. After doing this, if I go to the library, the book shows up as still being downloadable. At one point, I could see my KA1/Kobo as being linked to my account but the recent updates to Overdrive has removed that information (or at least moved it to an area I haven't yet discovered).

Originally Posted by stumped

I cant remember if the KA1 does mp3 audio books - if it does, can you check those out directly ?. The main audio books user is my wife though, not me, and listed to in car on long journeys. so I transfer the audio book loans to a USB stick for the car's media centre. We'd probably stick with that system - it goes library -> my PC [ overdrive for Windows] -> USB stick ->her car- listen & delete when done.

No audio books for the KA1 as yet though with Kobo now offering audio books, I would not be surprised to see an add-on similar to the one used by Amazon to allow audio books.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by stumped

so how does it work ( from a security perspective - if ADE is not involved. does overdrive see the KA1 as some sort of trusted device and just hands it the files to display & then to auto delete at end of loan ? i assume it does something to render the books unreadable if someone copies them off of the device.

The books are protected using the Kobo DRM rather than the Adobe DRM. When you borrow a book using OD, the Kobo store is told about it. If the book matches a book in the Kobo store it is added to your Kobo library. The book is downloaded from the store and will have Kobo DRM.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The books are protected using the Kobo DRM rather than the Adobe DRM. When you borrow a book using OD, the Kobo store is told about it. If the book matches a book in the Kobo store it is added to your Kobo library. The book is downloaded from the store and will have Kobo DRM.

so simple - thanks

and very easy for kobo to enable on other models if they ever choose to ?

& I assume that when you boorro with OD, as above, the library puts book into your checked out list so that it becomes loanable by other routes also

and this works because the overdrive account stores my library credentials
( perhaps with some only one library at a time limitations / )

the "if the book matches a book in the Kobo store" is a limitation though. Could be that my library has some books that Kobo does not have

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by stumped

so simple - thanks

and very easy for kobo to enable on other models if they ever choose to ?

It is already partly enabled. If you have another device using the same Kobo account, any books borrowed using the Aura ONE or OD will be sent to those devices. And I believe it works to use an Aura ONE to set it up, then sign out of the Kobo account on the Aura ONE.

And yes, Kobo should be able to put this on the other devices fully. I don't know why they don't. I can see a reason to put it on the new device for a while, and I can see a reason not to backfit to the old devices such as the Touch (still surprised they are updating the firmware for these) but it I think it should have been on the Aura H2O Edition 2.

& I assume that when you boorro with OD, as above, the library puts book into your checked out list so that it becomes loanable by other routes also

Yes, I tested this by borrowing from the library, and downloading via ADE. Then on the next sync it appeared on the device.

and this works because the overdrive account stores my library credentials
( perhaps with some only one library at a time limitations / )

the "if the book matches a book in the Kobo store" is a limitation though. Could be that my library has some books that Kobo does not have

Yes, that is a limitation and a few people have found some books that Kobo don't have. Or that didn't connect properly. If the latter happens, Kobo can fix it.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by stumped

the "if the book matches a book in the Kobo store" is a limitation though. Could be that my library has some books that Kobo does not have

I've had books that could not be borrowed on my KA1 when the edition offered in the Kobo store did not match the edition in the library collection (most easily seen by comparing the ISBN from both webpages). Admittedly, I also received the incorrect book on one occasion when a self-published ebook had used the ISBN assigned to the book I wanted. Kobo corrected that issue rather quickly.

[stumped]

So I decided to see what I could do with overdrive on my Samsung tablet.

And I am stuck...
I logged in to Overdrive app, on the tablet gave it my library card stuff, and checked out an epub... it downloaded and I can read it in the overdrive app, but i am not impressed with the reader app...
I try to open the downloaded epub in Moon reader but it is protected so that fails as expected.
Then I recall that bookari has some drm handling ability. I launch bookari, give it my overdrive account info, then try to open the downloaded book in bookari. No joy some sort of adept core error message. I dig out my adobe ID credentials and give them to bookari also. Still no joy.
What am I missing.
Overdrive app says it has activated or authorised by device.
And bookari say it has my overdrive credentials so why can it not read the borrowed book. Is overdrive the only app that can read it on this device. I don't recall seeing that restriction written down anywhere. And why does bookari bother to accept my overdrive credentials if it does not acually know how to use them

[stumped]

so a little more frustrating testing . the claimed benefir of the overdrive login is sync across devices. so on this PC I login to my libary 0 useing overdrive credentials
I see the test loan on the my loans page i click download epub
ADE opens and sasys licence fulfilled by another user ( aka you can' have it)
so much for sync across devices
OK so how about open in browser- well that works - another poor reader interface though - , but it opens at page 1. another fail for sync across devices. the browser oversrive screens has no font fize, margens etc options at all.

i emailed overdrive but I doubt they will give a good ecxplanation
anyone here know if this is expected behaviour ?

PS I also see that Overdrive promote an new android app called libby - so I got that, But I fail to see what use it has- the reader screen options are worse than those in overdrive app. I cannot see any benefits from using libby instead, unless it has superior multi library talents ( which are of no interest to me )

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by stumped

so a little more frustrating testing . the claimed benefir of the overdrive login is sync across devices. so on this PC I login to my libary 0 useing overdrive credentials
I see the test loan on the my loans page i click download epub
ADE opens and sasys licence fulfilled by another user ( aka you can' have it)
so much for sync across devices
OK so how about open in browser- well that works - another poor reader interface though - , but it opens at page 1. another fail for sync across devices. the browser oversrive screens has no font fize, margens etc options at all.

i emailed overdrive but I doubt they will give a good ecxplanation
anyone here know if this is expected behaviour ?

Sorry, but there are no claims of syncing anything outside the Kobo ecosystem. The reading status is synced to other Kobo devices and apps, not to OD or Libby or anything else.

I don't know about the ADE problem. The few times I have borrowed a book through my Aura ONE, the book was downloadable via ADE. But, I don't use the library and mainly did this to see how it works.