PRS-T1 PRS-T1 and book covers

elemenoP · 03-09-2012, 02:22 PM

Another thread reminded me of this. One of the new features of the T1 is the ability to use the book cover as a standby image. But I never really hear anyone talking about this. So, T1 owners, how is it working for you and how do you like it?

Most importantly, does it show book covers for "side-loaded" books (eg, books that came from Calibre?) Or only books you buy from Sony?

I actually use the book cover as the standby image on my 650 but it is a manual process (which I can go into if anyone is interested). I love it so much! I think it makes my reader much more "book-like." I would LOVE to have this automated (but not enough to upgrade my reader right now...)

eP

Asawi · 03-09-2012, 03:00 PM

It works with sideloaded books on the T1.

If you install PRS+ on your 650 there is a setting for that to be automaed there too, as well as other great additions. I would actually rather have a 650 than a T1, so I wouldn't consider getting a T1 as an upgrade from a 650..

elemenoP · 03-09-2012, 05:17 PM

Oooh, the last time I looked at PRS+, book covers were "coming soon." So that's cool that it's a feature now. Too bad I am a big chicken about installing it. I'm on a mac... if only they would make an installer for mac!

eP

Bookworm_Girl · 03-09-2012, 11:41 PM

eP, you would love the automation of covers on the T1! I too was doing a manual process for my x50 readers and was very jealous of this feature on the Kobo. I think the image used is the first page of the EPUB file. So if you sideload non-DRM'ed books through calibre then it will be your nice pretty metadata covers. But, for DRM'ed books it will be however the publisher has set up the book so sometimes it is a pretty cover and other times just a title page, etc. Did I mention how much I love this feature?!

Teknikal · 03-10-2012, 03:46 AM

Works great for me, But I found to have all the covers correct in the right dimensions and matching Calibre I had to manually go into the Calibre device plugins and tick "refresh separate covers when doing automatic management".

It adds a good amount of time to syncing but it does make sure every cover is absolutely spot on. It's not necessary to do it every time but it does help to do it now and again.

Bookworm_Girl · 03-10-2012, 04:07 PM

Refresh separate covers when doing automatic management is for the book cover thumbnail images that you see for example when you are look at a list of books on your T1.

I did a testcase today. The Sony standby feature is indeed generated from the first page of the book regardless of whether it is DRM'ed or non-DRM'ed.

Note: if you sideload through calibre, the first page of your book may have a different image than the pretty cover you've chosen in edit metadata. Therefore what you see as the standby screen cover image and what you see as the thumbnails in book/collections lists will be different. You will need to take some additional steps like an EPUB to EPUB conversion or modify the EPUB file if you want a nicer first page image in your book.

JSWolf · 03-10-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Refresh separate covers when doing automatic management is for the book cover thumbnail images that you see for example when you are look at a list of books on your T1.

I did a testcase today. The Sony standby feature is indeed generated from the first page of the book regardless of whether it is DRM'ed or non-DRM'ed.

Note: if you sideload through calibre, the first page of your book may have a different image than the pretty cover you've chosen in edit metadata. Therefore what you see as the standby screen cover image and what you see as the thumbnails in book/collections lists will be different. You will need to take some additional steps like an EPUB to EPUB conversion or modify the EPUB file if you want a nicer first page image in your book.

Please don't suggest ePub > ePub. That can make a real mess of the ePub. The way I do it is get the best quality cover image I can find and use that. I replace the generic image and then go into the cover XML and edit that as needed and then I have a proper cover without risking messing up the ePub.

cfrizz · 03-10-2012, 05:58 PM

It works great. Whatever book I'm reading the cover appears when I put it into standby. All of my books were/are sideloaded.

elemenoP · 03-12-2012, 10:25 AM

Thanks for the info, all!

eP

schorsch-lukas · 05-25-2012, 02:59 PM

I like the book cover feature, however, if the epub doesn:t contain the cover .jpg on the first page, the text on that page becomes the cover. This seemingly being a problem of older gutenberg.org epub-books.

With calibre you can manually adjust the image and it just works like a charm. Haven't looked into it how to batch do it on a bigger amount of books though.

One thing to note with calibre is, if you dont have your book cover in 3:4 size, it gets awkwardly stretched on the screen. Didn't figure out how to fix that yet, other covers of downloaded books seeming not to be in 3:4 get displayed normally.

03-09-2012, 02:22 PM	#1
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	PRS-T1 and book covers Another thread reminded me of this. One of the new features of the T1 is the ability to use the book cover as a standby image. But I never really hear anyone talking about this. So, T1 owners, how is it working for you and how do you like it? Most importantly, does it show book covers for "side-loaded" books (eg, books that came from Calibre?) Or only books you buy from Sony? I actually use the book cover as the standby image on my 650 but it is a manual process (which I can go into if anyone is interested). I love it so much! I think it makes my reader much more "book-like." I would LOVE to have this automated (but not enough to upgrade my reader right now...) eP

03-09-2012, 03:00 PM	#2
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,462 Karma: 2731820 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	It works with sideloaded books on the T1. If you install PRS+ on your 650 there is a setting for that to be automaed there too, as well as other great additions. I would actually rather have a 650 than a T1, so I wouldn't consider getting a T1 as an upgrade from a 650.. Last edited by Asawi; 03-09-2012 at 03:08 PM.

03-09-2012, 11:41 PM	#4
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	eP, you would love the automation of covers on the T1! I too was doing a manual process for my x50 readers and was very jealous of this feature on the Kobo. I think the image used is the first page of the EPUB file. So if you sideload non-DRM'ed books through calibre then it will be your nice pretty metadata covers. But, for DRM'ed books it will be however the publisher has set up the book so sometimes it is a pretty cover and other times just a title page, etc. Did I mention how much I love this feature?! Last edited by Bookworm_Girl; 03-09-2012 at 11:45 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
PRS-350 PRS 350 - I've lost all my book covers	JoHunt	Sony Reader	5	03-15-2012 01:47 PM
Oberon Designs leather book covers for Sony PRS	khalleron	Sony Reader	145	01-02-2011 12:32 PM
M-Edge Executive Covers, Lights for PRS-600/PRS-505 on Clearance Sale at BestBuy.com	MasterGame	Sony Reader	4	10-16-2010 05:51 PM
Book covers not shown on PRS-505	bernard@pepper70	Sony Reader	2	12-30-2009 04:14 PM
PRS-505 covers incompatible with PRS-700?	fizzwinkus	Sony Reader	6	11-26-2008 03:47 PM

03-09-2012, 05:17 PM	#3
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Oooh, the last time I looked at PRS+, book covers were "coming soon." So that's cool that it's a feature now. Too bad I am a big chicken about installing it. I'm on a mac... if only they would make an installer for mac! eP

03-10-2012, 03:46 AM	#5
Teknikal Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 5264318 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belfast Device: Sony T1, Note Pro 12.2, Honor 10	Works great for me, But I found to have all the covers correct in the right dimensions and matching Calibre I had to manually go into the Calibre device plugins and tick "refresh separate covers when doing automatic management". It adds a good amount of time to syncing but it does make sure every cover is absolutely spot on. It's not necessary to do it every time but it does help to do it now and again.

03-10-2012, 04:07 PM	#6
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	Refresh separate covers when doing automatic management is for the book cover thumbnail images that you see for example when you are look at a list of books on your T1. I did a testcase today. The Sony standby feature is indeed generated from the first page of the book regardless of whether it is DRM'ed or non-DRM'ed. Note: if you sideload through calibre, the first page of your book may have a different image than the pretty cover you've chosen in edit metadata. Therefore what you see as the standby screen cover image and what you see as the thumbnails in book/collections lists will be different. You will need to take some additional steps like an EPUB to EPUB conversion or modify the EPUB file if you want a nicer first page image in your book.

03-10-2012, 05:58 PM	#8
cfrizz Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 34583358 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Quincy, MA Device: Samsung 54A, Kobo Libra H2O, Samsung S6 Lite	It works great. Whatever book I'm reading the cover appears when I put it into standby. All of my books were/are sideloaded.

03-12-2012, 10:25 AM	#9
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Thanks for the info, all! eP

05-25-2012, 02:59 PM	#10
schorsch-lukas Member Posts: 22 Karma: 5010 Join Date: May 2012 Device: Sony PRS-T1 with Rupor's (minimal/AMR) Root Package	I like the book cover feature, however, if the epub doesn:t contain the cover .jpg on the first page, the text on that page becomes the cover. This seemingly being a problem of older gutenberg.org epub-books. With calibre you can manually adjust the image and it just works like a charm. Haven't looked into it how to batch do it on a bigger amount of books though. One thing to note with calibre is, if you dont have your book cover in 3:4 size, it gets awkwardly stretched on the screen. Didn't figure out how to fix that yet, other covers of downloaded books seeming not to be in 3:4 get displayed normally.