Problems: Copy\Read

Monty01 · 06-25-2011, 04:58 PM

I connected my KOBO to my PC with the USB cable and copied the KOBO files onto an external hardrive.

I then tried to read my "free" books on the computer. I assume the books are in the kepub file and the file name is numerical and not the title of the book.

When I used ADE (Adobe Digital Edition), it would show the book title, author and chapters, but nothing else.

When I tried to use Calibre, the title was unknown and when opened showed a metadata opf file and an unknown file.

I then read that to make the file readable as an epub, I needed to add .zip to the numerical file name. I did that and unzipped the file. This then gave me another file named OEBPS, which I assume is a book. I tried again to open with both ADE and Calibre and got nowhere.

Since these "free" books are in the public domain and I could download them from Gutenberg, I don't think DRM (Digital Rights Management) should be an issue here.

If someone could help me figure out how to read these files on my PC I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

robko · 06-25-2011, 06:30 PM

If it's the free books that come included on the Kobo, your easiest solution is just going to be download them from Gutenburg or the Mobileread e-book library. The free ones on the Kobo are in the k-epub format which you're not going to easily make display without using Kobo software.

PeterT · 06-25-2011, 06:34 PM

Robko; it's worse than that... you can ONLY read them on the Kobo reader; not the Kobo Desktop.

Monty01 · 06-25-2011, 06:54 PM

Thanks for your interest. I am new to this site and ereaders in general. I'm beginning to think I purchased the wrong ereader.

I am talking about the 100 "free" ebooks, preloaded on the kobo. Unless someone posts to the contrary I am now given to understand that kobo is restricting access to material that is FREE anywhere else! This is because they formatted these files in kepub and even their own software will not allow me to transfer and access this from my PC.

I haven't purchased any books yet from them, but if the above is in fact the case....why would I want to?

PeterT · 06-25-2011, 07:06 PM

Monty; those 100 books are readily available for FREE from many sources; and in fact, other versions are better formatted! They are just included as a nice-to-have on the Kobo and Kobo-WiFi, and not even included on the Kobo-Touch.

Take a look even at the library here at MobileRead --> https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ebo...f=130&genreid= to see all the books members have carefully formatted and made available in ePub format.

If you go to the Kobo Books website you can search for the books on the Kobo and add them to your library; then when you do an Update Library on the Kobo Desktop you will get the book that way.

46jimbo · 06-25-2011, 07:19 PM

Am I missing something here? He buys a Kobo and then wants to read the books on his computer - books that were available for free from several online sources. If this is the case, then he doesn't need a Kobo reader at all.

robko · 06-25-2011, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

Robko; it's worse than that... you can ONLY read them on the Kobo reader; not the Kobo Desktop.

You're right. I never thought about that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monty01

I am talking about the 100 "free" ebooks, preloaded on the kobo. Unless someone posts to the contrary I am now given to understand that kobo is restricting access to material that is FREE anywhere else!
I haven't purchased any books yet from them, but if the above is in fact the case....why would I want to?

The "free" books that are pre-loaded are done simply for your convenience. It's not a conspiracy to restrict them. If you want to read them elsewhere (ie. not on your Kobo itself) it's pretty simple to download them for free as an e-pub or several other formats. They are no longer protected by copyright. Kobo is arguably less restrictive with purchased books that many retailers (read Amazon (Kindle proprietary format) and Barnes and Noble (Nook proprietary format)). Almost all Kobo DRM protected books can be downloaded as ADE version e-pubs that can be used on many different readers, desktop software etc.

taming · 06-25-2011, 09:19 PM

The free books can be downloaded to the desktop. Find them on the Kobobooks site and see. Most can also be downloaded as Adobe PDF or ePUB. The preloads just don't appear on the desktop and are not part of the sync stuff that goes on between reader-apps-desktop until they actually become part of the I'm Reading section of your library on the koboboooks.com site.

06-25-2011, 04:58 PM	#1
Monty01 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: KOBO	Problems: Copy\Read I connected my KOBO to my PC with the USB cable and copied the KOBO files onto an external hardrive. I then tried to read my "free" books on the computer. I assume the books are in the kepub file and the file name is numerical and not the title of the book. When I used ADE (Adobe Digital Edition), it would show the book title, author and chapters, but nothing else. When I tried to use Calibre, the title was unknown and when opened showed a metadata opf file and an unknown file. I then read that to make the file readable as an epub, I needed to add .zip to the numerical file name. I did that and unzipped the file. This then gave me another file named OEBPS, which I assume is a book. I tried again to open with both ADE and Calibre and got nowhere. Since these "free" books are in the public domain and I could download them from Gutenberg, I don't think DRM (Digital Rights Management) should be an issue here. If someone could help me figure out how to read these files on my PC I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

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06-25-2011, 06:30 PM	#2
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	If it's the free books that come included on the Kobo, your easiest solution is just going to be download them from Gutenburg or the Mobileread e-book library. The free ones on the Kobo are in the k-epub format which you're not going to easily make display without using Kobo software.

06-25-2011, 06:34 PM	#3
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,168 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	Robko; it's worse than that... you can ONLY read them on the Kobo reader; not the Kobo Desktop.

06-25-2011, 06:54 PM	#4
Monty01 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: KOBO	Thanks for your interest. I am new to this site and ereaders in general. I'm beginning to think I purchased the wrong ereader. I am talking about the 100 "free" ebooks, preloaded on the kobo. Unless someone posts to the contrary I am now given to understand that kobo is restricting access to material that is FREE anywhere else! This is because they formatted these files in kepub and even their own software will not allow me to transfer and access this from my PC. I haven't purchased any books yet from them, but if the above is in fact the case....why would I want to?

06-25-2011, 07:06 PM	#5
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,168 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	Monty; those 100 books are readily available for FREE from many sources; and in fact, other versions are better formatted! They are just included as a nice-to-have on the Kobo and Kobo-WiFi, and not even included on the Kobo-Touch. Take a look even at the library here at MobileRead --> https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ebo...f=130&genreid= to see all the books members have carefully formatted and made available in ePub format. If you go to the Kobo Books website you can search for the books on the Kobo and add them to your library; then when you do an Update Library on the Kobo Desktop you will get the book that way.

06-25-2011, 07:19 PM	#6
46jimbo Zealot Posts: 130 Karma: 143194 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Toronto, CANADA Device: Kobo Touch + Kobo Aura	Am I missing something here? He buys a Kobo and then wants to read the books on his computer - books that were available for free from several online sources. If this is the case, then he doesn't need a Kobo reader at all.

06-25-2011, 09:19 PM	#8
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	The free books can be downloaded to the desktop. Find them on the Kobobooks site and see. Most can also be downloaded as Adobe PDF or ePUB. The preloads just don't appear on the desktop and are not part of the sync stuff that goes on between reader-apps-desktop until they actually become part of the I'm Reading section of your library on the koboboooks.com site.

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