My "New" REB 1200 won't open books

[sherryk_us]

Dear Legacy Device Owners and Experts,

I just got my REB reader back with the new firmware (It says v4.2) from ebook technologies. I think I formatted my card per the REB for dummies website instructions. Everything looked great when I loaded the books on the CF (they show up in the library in a very pretty list).

But when I select any of the books I get this message:

"This book cannot be read on this eBook. Please remove it and check out another copy from your library."

These are all personal content books that I've created using lit2imp, togware, pdf read and ebookwise librarian (Pretty sure I had the settings right for REB imp format.) Do you have any idea what I'm doing wrong?

I have also emailed the ebooktech people so if they solve my problem I'll post the answer here so others can maybe benefit too!

Thanks everyone.

Sherry

[Nate the great]

I don't have one (yet), but I do have a suggestion. Were the ebooks formatted for the 1150 or the 1200? Is there a setting you can change?

[sherryk_us]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I don't have one (yet), but I do have a suggestion. Were the ebooks formatted for the 1150 or the 1200? Is there a setting you can change?

Thanks for the suggestion.

Yes, I'm pretty sure they were REB formatted. The ebook technologies person got back with me really fast, saying I need to register the device for it to work right. Not sure how to do that, so I replied with another email asking him how to register. Hope it's not to technically challenging tehe.

Sherry

[ashkulz]

Hmm, that's funny: I don't recall that not registering the ebook would not allow it to view any books. I could understand that if they were DRM books but these are obviously user created.

Anyway, enjoy your ebook and welcome!

[sherryk_us]

Originally Posted by ashkulz

Hmm, that's funny: I don't recall that not registering the ebook would not allow it to view any books. I could understand that if they were DRM books but these are obviously user created.

Anyway, enjoy your ebook and welcome!

Thanks. I got it working with the help of the ebooktech support. My files look great!

Here is the message they sent me. I did as they suggested and it worked. I guess I was missing a file or something:

"Below please find a ZIP archive.

Save this to your PC then "unzip" it -- this should leave you with a "OVERRIDE.PRF" file. Copy this file to the root (top level, "next to, but not inside" the EBOOKS folder) of a CF card.

Put the CF card in the device and turn it on -- it should show a message to the effect that "Preference overrides were installed."

Then, try to open your titles.

If this works, you should remove the card, and delete the "OVERRIDE.PRF" file -- it's one-time operation.

<OVERRIDE.PRF.zip>"

I'm so happy it's working. Really love it.

Still, I'm wondering two things. Some of the files were made with togoware album software and they were imported with only the tail end of their filenames intact so it's hard for me to see which album is which. What is the convention on file naming for the REB? Is the truncated file name a common thing?

Also, how do I register the device? I have the old RCA manual, but as I understand, those sites no longer exist, and I didn't find anything on the ebooktech main page about registering.

If you know...

Anyway, thanks for the help you guys. I'm saving that pesky prf file in case anyone else needs it.

Sherry

[DaleDe]

You might be able to register it as the eBookwise site but there isn't much sense in doing so unless you want to use their bookshelf for uploading and converting books. They really only support the 1150 so anything from there would cause the pages to appear in one corner of you new device instead of the full page.

Dale

[nrapallo]

Originally Posted by sherryk_us

Also, how do I register the device? I have the old RCA manual, but as I understand, those sites no longer exist, and I didn't find anything on the ebooktech main page about registering.

If you know...

Anyway, thanks for the help you guys. I'm saving that pesky prf file in case anyone else needs it.

Sherry

To check if your unit is not registered already, tap the eBookshelf, then the Info button and notice what it says for Name and User ID. If it says 'Not yet registered' or similar, then do the following to register your REB 1200:

Connect to your Online Bookshelf, then tap the Menu button, and then tap the Bookstore icon.

You should be presented with a screen with three buttons: register, bookshelf and learn more.

Tap the register button and fill in your personal profile such as your name, address, or phone number.

Tap continue and enter your User ID and Password (that you would use when registering at www.ebookwise.com using its Login link)

Tap continue again and then you're done!

This registration procedure is the same for the REB 1200 or EBW 1150.

Enjoy this (yours and mine) wonderful device!

[nrapallo]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

You might be able to register it as the eBookwise site but there isn't much sense in doing so unless you want to use their bookshelf for uploading and converting books. They really only support the 1150 so anything from there would cause the pages to appear in one corner of you new device instead of the full page.

Dale

That's right.

What you can do instead is use your login User ID and Password and go to ebookwise.com's parent company's website, www.fictionwise.com and order REB 1200 formatted ebooks from there (search for multiformat ebooks)! And some are even secured OEBFF IMP meaning they are encrypted and only readable on your device and no-one elses. I don't see this option in the 'search available formats', but know it works. If you want to be safe just contact them about the REB 1200 downloading procedures. It's been a while since I bought an ebook there, so this may have changed.

For multiformat ebooks, just choose the OEBFF Full VGA (IMP) download format for the REB 1200 (OEBFF Half VGA is for the EBW1150).

You basically now have the same choices available as do EBW1150 owners. Isn't this device great!

p.s. I don't know if this also works for ebookwise.com purchases, since my EBW1150 purchases (multiformat ebooks) show up in my fictionwise.com 'my bookshelf' and can be downloaded to my REB 1200.

[DaleDe]

Actually I am able to import my fictionwise purchases (and even free ones) to my online bookshelf so it is possible that the 1200 eBooks can be imported as well. Fictionwise, eBookwise, and Filament books all share the online bookshelf.

Dale

[sherryk_us]

I still haven't bothered to register my REB1200, but I found that all the multiformat fictionwise books I bought for my EBW 1500 can indeed be downloaded in REB format! In fact, I figured out how to use the bulk download option and had them on my computer in no time.

I really enjoy the color display. Art books, comics that I converted from JPEG with togoware, photos ditto--they all look wonderful.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Sherry