vitalsource titles

Stampercam · 06-10-2011, 09:15 PM

I get all my textbooks now via ebook but each publisher seems to want their own app or proprietary reader. I'd like to have all my titles in calibre and I've been able to with most of my titles, however I have a couple in .vbk format that calibre doesn't see as a book. I've put the title in, and when I try to view the book it just opens the VitalSource program. This is great if I want to read on the computer. The downside to this is that I can't put the book on my device to read. I can read it using the vitalsource app on the ipad but I'm kinda frustrated with having so many books in different apps on the ipad, and would rather use them in the reader of my choice.

So, my question now is - does anyone know how I can convert .vbk to a more useful format?

user_none · 06-11-2011, 03:56 PM

There have been multiple request for support for the VBK format. If it's the one I'm thinking about I've asked several requestors for more information about the format and have not received any information. If it's a proprietary format it's not going to be supported anytime soon. If it's a multimedia format (can have audio and video embedded in it then it's not going to be support anytime soon. If it's an open format with a documented and complete specification someplace then there is no guarantee it will be supported but the chances of it being supported are much higher than the other cases.

Stampercam · 06-11-2011, 07:39 PM

I do believe that is a proprietary format so I guess that means it won't be supported soon... I don't know if it it's multimedia as neither of my titles have any imbedded audio or video, but that doesn't mean that others don't. However, I haven't seen any documentation mentioning multimedia so I don't think there is tat capability.

The books are the same number of pages as a printed version so it seems a bit pdf like. I can't print to pdf as the limits on printing are 10 pages at a time so it would take forever to create a pdf out of the books. I think that is set by the publisher though because one of my books is 10 pages and the other is set to 5 pages at a time.

Thanks for answering user_none, at least I know that I can't convert it at this point. I'll move on to things I can work with. My biggest problem with all the different apps and programs that the publishers or sellers want you to have is that I need a list telling me what app to look in when I need a specific book. That is just frustrating, and part of the reason I love calibre so much. For most of my texts it has worked a treat.

user_none · 06-11-2011, 08:38 PM

If the reader will only let you export 10 page to PDF then it sounds like there is some type of DRM in place. DRM protected files have 0 chance of being support by calibre for conversion.

06-10-2011, 09:15 PM	#1
Stampercam Connoisseur Posts: 86 Karma: 19674 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: ipad, MiGear	vitalsource titles I get all my textbooks now via ebook but each publisher seems to want their own app or proprietary reader. I'd like to have all my titles in calibre and I've been able to with most of my titles, however I have a couple in .vbk format that calibre doesn't see as a book. I've put the title in, and when I try to view the book it just opens the VitalSource program. This is great if I want to read on the computer. The downside to this is that I can't put the book on my device to read. I can read it using the vitalsource app on the ipad but I'm kinda frustrated with having so many books in different apps on the ipad, and would rather use them in the reader of my choice. So, my question now is - does anyone know how I can convert .vbk to a more useful format? Last edited by Stampercam; 06-10-2011 at 09:22 PM. Reason: rewording my thoughts

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06-11-2011, 03:56 PM	#2
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,488 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	There have been multiple request for support for the VBK format. If it's the one I'm thinking about I've asked several requestors for more information about the format and have not received any information. If it's a proprietary format it's not going to be supported anytime soon. If it's a multimedia format (can have audio and video embedded in it then it's not going to be support anytime soon. If it's an open format with a documented and complete specification someplace then there is no guarantee it will be supported but the chances of it being supported are much higher than the other cases.

06-11-2011, 07:39 PM	#3
Stampercam Connoisseur Posts: 86 Karma: 19674 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: ipad, MiGear	I do believe that is a proprietary format so I guess that means it won't be supported soon... I don't know if it it's multimedia as neither of my titles have any imbedded audio or video, but that doesn't mean that others don't. However, I haven't seen any documentation mentioning multimedia so I don't think there is tat capability. The books are the same number of pages as a printed version so it seems a bit pdf like. I can't print to pdf as the limits on printing are 10 pages at a time so it would take forever to create a pdf out of the books. I think that is set by the publisher though because one of my books is 10 pages and the other is set to 5 pages at a time. Thanks for answering user_none, at least I know that I can't convert it at this point. I'll move on to things I can work with. My biggest problem with all the different apps and programs that the publishers or sellers want you to have is that I need a list telling me what app to look in when I need a specific book. That is just frustrating, and part of the reason I love calibre so much. For most of my texts it has worked a treat.

06-11-2011, 08:38 PM	#4
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,488 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	If the reader will only let you export 10 page to PDF then it sounds like there is some type of DRM in place. DRM protected files have 0 chance of being support by calibre for conversion.

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