How can I read Barns & Noble books on my Sony 700?

mos · 01-16-2010, 05:22 AM

I loaded two books at Barns & Noble yesterday and thought they would be in epub. But after downloading them on my PC via B&N reader software I saw that they are pdb files.

I tried to transfer them via Calibre on my Sony PRS 700 reader, but it did not work. I could not change them into epub.

Is it possible to read this book somehow on my Sony? I can read them on my iPhone with the B&N software, but it would be more comfortable to read them on my regular reader.

Thanks for any help

HarryT · 01-16-2010, 05:29 AM

What you have are eReader books. They cannot be read on the Sony without removing the DRM. I'm afraid that even if you had bought ePub books from B&N, you still wouldn't be able to read them on your Sony; B&N are using their own DRM mechanism for ePub which nobody else currently supports.

I suggest you treat it as a "learning experience", and avoid B&N in the future, at least as far as buying books for your Sony is concerned.

rkelac · 01-16-2010, 11:07 AM

However, after removing the DRM they look very nice on the Reader and you can reformat them.

grooks · 01-16-2010, 10:52 PM

Do a search for ereader2html

Bremen Cole · 01-16-2010, 10:58 PM

What grooks says is correct, and it does work..... but....... a word of warning.... I have found the pdb "ereader2html" to be the most difficult DRM to remove. Yes, you can do it, but you end up doing it from a command line which takes you back to the days of DOS. (heck, some of you might not be old enough to even know that before there was "Windows" operating system, there was Dos..... a MAJOR PITA")

I just stay away form B&N, too much headache, and Kobo is so much better (IMHO)

colinsky · 01-17-2010, 12:05 AM

Barnes and Noble WAS offering epubs but appear to have (temporarily?) switched back completely to pdb due to the problem that certain of their mobile phone readers didn't actually support epub files. People who purchased books and got epub and redownloaded them are now getting pdb files.

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/...pdb/m-p/440125

Nobody knows if you'll be eventually able to redownload the same content in epub or not in the future, or if the format will only apply for new purchases once they switch back over.

Personally, even though I have a Sony I was finding it EXTREMELY useful to download book samples (in Epub format) from Barnes and Noble, which were not DRM'd, in order to preview how the epub would work on my device. Now all the samples are pdb as well, so I'm just waiting it out until they switch back. Keep an eye out for an update to their mobile reader software; I'd expect that to precede any switch back to epub.

mos · 01-17-2010, 05:32 AM

Thanks for your answers. Hm, to bad, that they changed the files. Guess I have to wait than, cuz I cannot remove the DRM

rkelac · 01-17-2010, 07:50 PM

I don't think waiting is going to help you. I think Barnes and Noble uses a different epub DRM that is not compatible with Sony.

JSWolf · 01-17-2010, 07:55 PM

The problem is that B&N decided to use a different DRM for ePub then the rest of the world. And it seem that the programs that B&N wrote to read ePub are not all that wonderful. So the switch is to go back to eReader instead of doing the smart thing and switching the DRM on their ePub to the same one everyone else uses. So basically, some of the reasons for getting a nook have just been negated because B&N have their heads firmly planted up their ass as far as ePub goes.

cfrizz · 01-18-2010, 09:55 PM

I just loaded Ereader on to my desktop & read those stories on my PC. I'm not going to give up good reading just because I can't put them on my reader. I will have plenty of both formats to read.

dmapr · 01-19-2010, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colinsky

Barnes and Noble WAS offering epubs but appear to have (temporarily?) switched back completely to pdb due to the problem that certain of their mobile phone readers didn't actually support epub files. People who purchased books and got epub and redownloaded them are now getting pdb files.

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/...pdb/m-p/440125

Nobody knows if you'll be eventually able to redownload the same content in epub or not in the future, or if the format will only apply for new purchases once they switch back over.

Personally, even though I have a Sony I was finding it EXTREMELY useful to download book samples (in Epub format) from Barnes and Noble, which were not DRM'd, in order to preview how the epub would work on my device. Now all the samples are pdb as well, so I'm just waiting it out until they switch back. Keep an eye out for an update to their mobile reader software; I'd expect that to precede any switch back to epub.

I have noticed that if I use a browser to download the books, I get the PDB files almost exclusively, but if I use their desktop reader software, then more often than not I get the EPUB (I tried last week with a bunch of samples of older books). Also I have just bought a book that was released today and the browser download brought in the PDB file, while the B&N reader brought in the EPUB file. So it appears that EPUB has not been dumped completely.

01-16-2010, 05:22 AM	#1
mos Addict Posts: 392 Karma: 2200 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Germany Device: iphone 4, iPad, Nook softrooted	How can I read Barns & Noble books on my Sony 700? I loaded two books at Barns & Noble yesterday and thought they would be in epub. But after downloading them on my PC via B&N reader software I saw that they are pdb files. I tried to transfer them via Calibre on my Sony PRS 700 reader, but it did not work. I could not change them into epub. Is it possible to read this book somehow on my Sony? I can read them on my iPhone with the B&N software, but it would be more comfortable to read them on my regular reader. Thanks for any help

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01-16-2010, 05:29 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	What you have are eReader books. They cannot be read on the Sony without removing the DRM. I'm afraid that even if you had bought ePub books from B&N, you still wouldn't be able to read them on your Sony; B&N are using their own DRM mechanism for ePub which nobody else currently supports. I suggest you treat it as a "learning experience", and avoid B&N in the future, at least as far as buying books for your Sony is concerned.

01-16-2010, 11:07 AM	#3
rkelac Member Posts: 16 Karma: 14 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony 600	However, after removing the DRM they look very nice on the Reader and you can reformat them.

01-16-2010, 10:52 PM	#4
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	Do a search for ereader2html

01-16-2010, 10:58 PM	#5
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	What grooks says is correct, and it does work..... but....... a word of warning.... I have found the pdb "ereader2html" to be the most difficult DRM to remove. Yes, you can do it, but you end up doing it from a command line which takes you back to the days of DOS. (heck, some of you might not be old enough to even know that before there was "Windows" operating system, there was Dos..... a MAJOR PITA") I just stay away form B&N, too much headache, and Kobo is so much better (IMHO)

01-17-2010, 12:05 AM	#6
colinsky Addict Posts: 233 Karma: 3232318 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Sony PRS-300, PRS-T1, PRS-T3	Barnes and Noble WAS offering epubs but appear to have (temporarily?) switched back completely to pdb due to the problem that certain of their mobile phone readers didn't actually support epub files. People who purchased books and got epub and redownloaded them are now getting pdb files. http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/...pdb/m-p/440125 Nobody knows if you'll be eventually able to redownload the same content in epub or not in the future, or if the format will only apply for new purchases once they switch back over. Personally, even though I have a Sony I was finding it EXTREMELY useful to download book samples (in Epub format) from Barnes and Noble, which were not DRM'd, in order to preview how the epub would work on my device. Now all the samples are pdb as well, so I'm just waiting it out until they switch back. Keep an eye out for an update to their mobile reader software; I'd expect that to precede any switch back to epub.

01-17-2010, 05:32 AM	#7
mos Addict Posts: 392 Karma: 2200 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Germany Device: iphone 4, iPad, Nook softrooted	Thanks for your answers. Hm, to bad, that they changed the files. Guess I have to wait than, cuz I cannot remove the DRM

01-17-2010, 07:50 PM	#8
rkelac Member Posts: 16 Karma: 14 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony 600	I don't think waiting is going to help you. I think Barnes and Noble uses a different epub DRM that is not compatible with Sony.

01-17-2010, 07:55 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,896 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The problem is that B&N decided to use a different DRM for ePub then the rest of the world. And it seem that the programs that B&N wrote to read ePub are not all that wonderful. So the switch is to go back to eReader instead of doing the smart thing and switching the DRM on their ePub to the same one everyone else uses. So basically, some of the reasons for getting a nook have just been negated because B&N have their heads firmly planted up their ass as far as ePub goes.

01-18-2010, 09:55 PM	#10
cfrizz Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 34583358 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Quincy, MA Device: Samsung 54A, Kobo Libra H2O, Samsung S6 Lite	I just loaded Ereader on to my desktop & read those stories on my PC. I'm not going to give up good reading just because I can't put them on my reader. I will have plenty of both formats to read.

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