PRS-600 easy-reading of pdf's on a Sony 600?

Richard Hawkins · 06-28-2011, 04:38 PM

I'm an infrequent visitor, so forgive me for not being up to date.
I've been using a Sony PRS-600 for the last year, amassed a whole library of books, print published academic articles, and online essays on the home desktop. I use the e-reader to make notes and refresh my brain while I'm away from home or the desktop. I'm still finding the 600 too poor in representing pdf's. I knew it was half technology, but couldn't get the Daily Edition here in Canda. I was hoping by now that there would be a decent, economic in file size, and economic in price (free?): pdf to Epub or pdf to WordDoc converter available.
What I have tried online has not been of much help. Either the files are huge, or corrupt, or pages short, or simply graphic files in a WordDoc format.
Any sensible suggestions please, short of getting an iPad?
Thank you,
Richard

Ashjuk · 06-29-2011, 02:21 AM

I presume you have tried Calibre to convert your pdfs to epub. I know it's not great, but better than nothing, and it's free!

Personally I use Abbyy FineReader to OCR the text to a doc file. Which I then edit and save as htm before finally using Calibre to create an epub from that.

Unfortunately not a lightweight or free option.

You could also have a look at these:
http://www.somepdf.com/
http://labnol.blogspot.com/2005/12/c...f-to-html.html

For conversion to plain text, e- mail the PDF file to pdf2txt@adobe.com
For conversion to HTML, e-mail the file to pdf2html@adobe.com

Richard Hawkins · 06-29-2011, 11:57 AM

Thanks for your response Ashjuk! I have tried Calibre, and now also somepdf.com, and a few others more - not with good results.
I shall perservere,
Richard

Ashjuk · 06-29-2011, 02:09 PM

Good luck.

I know it's not easy to get a good conversion from pdf to epub whatever you use is always going to be a compromise. Even using the labour intensive method I do does not always guarantee good results.

Sivodsi · 06-30-2011, 12:28 AM

Well, this doesn't answer your question, but it is a good-as-it-gets solution:

Sell the 600 and buy the PRS950: I live in Korea and I could do this through an online store. Sure I had to pay postage and customs duty which drove up the price considerably, but after carefully reading reviews it seemed that this machine stood out by quite some margin when it comes to PDFs, as it proved to be.

Richard Hawkins · 07-01-2011, 11:22 AM

Thanks, I did wait sometime before I bought the 600 (about a year), knowing that the Daily Edition 9 series would be better. But Sony would not, will not(?) sell it in Canada.
If I had bought it in the States, which would not have been too difficult - about 4 hours drive from here - it would not have been guaranteed in Canada.
That could be significant.
About two weeks after I had the 600, with it in my camera backpack, I slipped on an icy path, fell on it with my elbow and really damaged the screen - it was fixed at no charge by Sony.
At that time I had also just severed a tendon in my right hand, so I was very happy to use it as a (left hand) notebook for about three months.
It has my telephone number engraved on the back. So I'll be keeping it for some time to come, however much I just knew the 950 would be better

Richard

Richard Hawkins · 07-01-2011, 11:32 PM

Has anybody reading this thread had experience with the Adobe Exportpdf converter to Word?
Just how was it - is it worth U$20 a year?
If it is good with complex layout, science articles, multiple columns, photos, graphs, footnotes etc.
I would seriously consider it, to convert a library of stuff so that I can better exploit my Sony 600.

I have sent their feedback system an enquiry with two test examples. I'm not waiting with baited breath ...

https://www.acrobat.com/exportpdf/en...=irrpu&lang=en

Richard Hawkins · 07-05-2011, 09:19 AM

Okay, I have seen a couple of conversions using the Adobe Export PDF to Word and it's the best I have yet seen for the text. Graphs and other visuals still get screwed up, but I can live with that for the moment as I pre-read on the desk top and use the Sony e-reader 600 for refresher and notes.

06-28-2011, 04:38 PM	#1
Richard Hawkins Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: none	easy-reading of pdf's on a Sony 600? I'm an infrequent visitor, so forgive me for not being up to date. I've been using a Sony PRS-600 for the last year, amassed a whole library of books, print published academic articles, and online essays on the home desktop. I use the e-reader to make notes and refresh my brain while I'm away from home or the desktop. I'm still finding the 600 too poor in representing pdf's. I knew it was half technology, but couldn't get the Daily Edition here in Canda. I was hoping by now that there would be a decent, economic in file size, and economic in price (free?): pdf to Epub or pdf to WordDoc converter available. What I have tried online has not been of much help. Either the files are huge, or corrupt, or pages short, or simply graphic files in a WordDoc format. Any sensible suggestions please, short of getting an iPad? Thank you, Richard

07-01-2011, 11:22 AM	#6
Richard Hawkins Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: none	easy-reading of pdf's on a Sony 600? = PRS 950 Thanks, I did wait sometime before I bought the 600 (about a year), knowing that the Daily Edition 9 series would be better. But Sony would not, will not(?) sell it in Canada. If I had bought it in the States, which would not have been too difficult - about 4 hours drive from here - it would not have been guaranteed in Canada. That could be significant. About two weeks after I had the 600, with it in my camera backpack, I slipped on an icy path, fell on it with my elbow and really damaged the screen - it was fixed at no charge by Sony. At that time I had also just severed a tendon in my right hand, so I was very happy to use it as a (left hand) notebook for about three months. It has my telephone number engraved on the back. So I'll be keeping it for some time to come, however much I just knew the 950 would be better Richard

07-01-2011, 11:32 PM	#7
Richard Hawkins Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: none	easy-reading of pdf's on a Sony 600 - Adobe Exportpdf? Has anybody reading this thread had experience with the Adobe Exportpdf converter to Word? Just how was it - is it worth U$20 a year? If it is good with complex layout, science articles, multiple columns, photos, graphs, footnotes etc. I would seriously consider it, to convert a library of stuff so that I can better exploit my Sony 600. I have sent their feedback system an enquiry with two test examples. I'm not waiting with baited breath ... https://www.acrobat.com/exportpdf/en...=irrpu&lang=en

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Reading PDF's on the K3	desertgrandma	Amazon Kindle	28	09-18-2010 09:33 PM
rotating page into sony prs 600 + reading scientific papers	manustone	Which one should I buy?	1	07-25-2010 08:03 PM
Reading a magazine on my Sony PRS-600	patmulholland	General Discussions	2	06-01-2010 12:12 PM
PRS-600 PDF's on the PRS 600	silvervine	Sony Reader	6	12-30-2009 04:25 PM
PRS-600 pdf's in landscape	mark2410	Sony Reader	4	11-10-2009 10:15 AM

06-29-2011, 02:21 AM	#2
Ashjuk Fanatic Posts: 500 Karma: 3498633 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Surrey, UK Device: Kobo Aura One, Sony PRS 600/650	I presume you have tried Calibre to convert your pdfs to epub. I know it's not great, but better than nothing, and it's free! Personally I use Abbyy FineReader to OCR the text to a doc file. Which I then edit and save as htm before finally using Calibre to create an epub from that. Unfortunately not a lightweight or free option. You could also have a look at these: http://www.somepdf.com/ http://labnol.blogspot.com/2005/12/c...f-to-html.html For conversion to plain text, e- mail the PDF file to pdf2txt@adobe.com For conversion to HTML, e-mail the file to pdf2html@adobe.com

06-29-2011, 11:57 AM	#3
Richard Hawkins Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: none	Thanks for your response Ashjuk! I have tried Calibre, and now also somepdf.com, and a few others more - not with good results. I shall perservere, Richard

06-29-2011, 02:09 PM	#4
Ashjuk Fanatic Posts: 500 Karma: 3498633 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Surrey, UK Device: Kobo Aura One, Sony PRS 600/650	Good luck. I know it's not easy to get a good conversion from pdf to epub whatever you use is always going to be a compromise. Even using the labour intensive method I do does not always guarantee good results.

06-30-2011, 12:28 AM	#5
Sivodsi Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 36 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Sony PRS950	Well, this doesn't answer your question, but it is a good-as-it-gets solution: Sell the 600 and buy the PRS950: I live in Korea and I could do this through an online store. Sure I had to pay postage and customs duty which drove up the price considerably, but after carefully reading reviews it seemed that this machine stood out by quite some margin when it comes to PDFs, as it proved to be.

07-05-2011, 09:19 AM	#8
Richard Hawkins Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: none	Okay, I have seen a couple of conversions using the Adobe Export PDF to Word and it's the best I have yet seen for the text. Graphs and other visuals still get screwed up, but I can live with that for the moment as I pre-read on the desk top and use the Sony e-reader 600 for refresher and notes.

Advert

Advert