AWZ(3) vs KFX

[trady]

Hello folks
Ive been a Calibre user for years and used EPUB until now. Got myself an Oasis, and thought ill better covert some 5k book to mobi (some are already in movie and epub format). Have read read loads and loads of MOBI vs AWZ vs AWZ3 vs KFX - jee , I am more confused than I was when I started.

I want to have the best possible option, not too bothered about size etc. Also thought of getting rid of all the other formats, as I doubt Ill ever use an iPad again to read, after the Oasis

Thanks

[AnemicOak]

If it was me and I was converting ePub for sideloading to a Kindle I'd go with AZW3/KF8. It's the most similar format to ePub.

[pdurrant]

I'd recommend AZW3 as well. But I'd strongly recommend keeping the ePub originals too.

And there's no need to do a mass conversion now. Calibre will auto-convert when you send them to your device.

There's not much point in converting MOBI to AZW3, it won't improve the formatting (in very rare cases it might make it worse).

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

There's not much point in converting MOBI to AZW3, it won't improve the formatting (in very rare cases it might make it worse).

There is a point. You cannot use the boldness adjustment or custom fonts otherwise. They only work with azw3.

[jhowell]

There is no one best format. Despite being the creator of the KFX Output plugin, I rarely use it myself. I find books in that format to be more easily readable, but since almost everything I read is sourced from Amazon I usually have that format with no extra effort.

The few books that I obtain elsewhere are converted to Master MOBI using the Kindle Previewer and sent to my Amazon account as personal documents. The resulting format isn’t quite as nicely rendered as KFX, but for me the ability to read on my phone when I am out and have the reading location instantly synced is more important.

[Sirtel]

For me one of the most important features is the ability to use custom font sizes, i.e. the FONT_RAMP hack. This only works with AZW3 and so it's the only format I use.

[trady]

Many many thanks for all the answers, really helpful. Will then probably leave things as they are in that case, and only convert books to AWZ3 when I am about to read them. One question remains, what would be the point of keeping the ePUB after I converted it?

[itimpi]

Originally Posted by trady

Many many thanks for all the answers, really helpful. Will then probably leave things as they are in that case, and only convert books to AWZ3 when I am about to read them. One question remains, what would be the point of keeping the ePUB after I converted it?

keeping the original format allows for a re-conversion with different options set if the current conversion is not very good. Also ePub is the format that virtually all non-Amazon eReaders use so you may well want it at some time in the future if you get a new eReader.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by trady

One question remains, what would be the point of keeping the ePUB after I converted it?

Conversions aren't perfect.

If you ever need the book converted to another format in the future, it would be best to convert from the original EPUB, rather than the AZW3 that was the result of a previous conversion.

[theducks]

Back in the ye olde Analog recording days, there was a rule of thumb: Never make copies of copies, because each generation lost bandwidth and gained noise

Every conversion does the same. Specially, down level formats like Mobi or TXT . Calibre does a pretty good job, but sometimes it is a compromise because some human spent hours tricking the render engine into showing it 'just so'.

[trady]

OK, so again thanks, so keeping the EPUBs as well. !