Just bought a Topaz

mr ploppy · 12-02-2010, 07:15 PM

These things are really ugly, they look like scanned images or something, the text is really thick and blocky. What do they look like on a real Kindle?

rcuadro · 12-02-2010, 07:19 PM

Some are ok, some are not. So far the ones that I have bought have been good...

DiapDealer · 12-02-2010, 07:30 PM

I've had some that display beautifully... but I still avoid them like the plague.

TallMomof2 · 12-02-2010, 07:47 PM

I've had good to excellent results with the Topaz liberation tools available in the usual places. It really depends on the quality of the original scan.

whitearrow · 12-02-2010, 08:51 PM

Topaz sucks. Sorry to sound like a sulky teenager, but it's true.

TallMomof2 · 12-02-2010, 11:07 PM

I dislike Topaz, too but using the available tools make it somewhat better. At least now I can edit and fix all the OCR errors.

Pushka · 12-03-2010, 01:27 AM

The tpz book I bought was all thin like chicken scrawl..

sadievan · 12-03-2010, 02:36 AM

Is there a way to tell before hand if a ebook is in topaz format?

wallcraft · 12-03-2010, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadievan

Is there a way to tell before hand if a ebook is in topaz format?

Under Product Details, a TOPAZ lists Print Length but not File Size. Most AZW ebooks list both, but some list only File Size. I have found this to be reliable tell (for example, ASIN B002Z13PEA is a TOPAZ), but if in doubt download the sample.

mr ploppy · 12-03-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

I've had good to excellent results with the Topaz liberation tools available in the usual places. It really depends on the quality of the original scan.

Too much faff, so I've sent it back and ordered a used paperback. It's a shame, because there was a few other books from the same publisher that I was interested in but judging by the samples they seem to be in the same crappy format. Are the epub versions on other sites likely to be any better?

DiapDealer · 12-03-2010, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Too much faff, so I've sent it back and ordered a used paperback. It's a shame, because there was a few other books from the same publisher that I was interested in but judging by the samples they seem to be in the same crappy format. Are the epub versions on other sites likely to be any better?

Usually, a Topaz book exists because there is no other electronic version of the book (supplied by the publisher). But if you are lucky enough to find an epub version of the same text, the only guarantee you'll have is that it will probably be different than the Topaz version. Better? You'll just have to determine that for yourself.

mr ploppy · 12-03-2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Usually, a Topaz book exists because there is no other electronic version of the book (supplied by the publisher). But if you are lucky enough to find an epub version of the same text, the only guarantee you'll have is that it will probably be different than the Topaz version. Better? You'll just have to determine that for yourself.

They exist as epubs, but seem to be only for sale in America and Canada even though they are published by the same company in the UK.

jaxx6166 · 12-23-2010, 09:53 PM

Ugh. Ploppy, I just grabbed 6 of 'em. Serves me right. I should know better. But I know if I "return" them, AMZ is going to probably ban my account or some other hogwash like they enjoy doing.

wvcherrybomb · 12-23-2010, 10:23 PM

I'm finding this thread very interesting because clearly I was not understanding this whole DRM/Topaz thing.

Okay, nobody laugh, I'm trying to get the facts straight. I had thought that an eBook was made and then DRM was added to it after the fact somehow. After reading this it's clear that Topaz is part of the process of making the actual eBook. Is that correct? Is the same true for non-Topaz DRM?

ATDrake · 12-23-2010, 10:29 PM

Yes, you had it right the first time. Topaz books are made the same way as other e-books (well, not exactly the same way, but you know what I mean). First they assemble the parts into a working book file, then they add the DRM afterwards.

The old Skindle tools for stripping used to remove the DRM from Topaz books, but leave them otherwise intact, so you could go load them up upon another Kindle/app.

But the stripped Topaz files are incompatible with the Topaz conversion tools and no other reader/app can read them, so there's not really much use for them unless you've got a lot of Topaz books, several Kindles/K4Apps, and don't want to waste time in the Archives re-sending all your books to each.

12-02-2010, 07:15 PM	#1
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Just bought a Topaz These things are really ugly, they look like scanned images or something, the text is really thick and blocky. What do they look like on a real Kindle?

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12-02-2010, 07:19 PM	#2
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	Some are ok, some are not. So far the ones that I have bought have been good...

12-02-2010, 07:30 PM	#3
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,389 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I've had some that display beautifully... but I still avoid them like the plague.

12-02-2010, 07:47 PM	#4
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	I've had good to excellent results with the Topaz liberation tools available in the usual places. It really depends on the quality of the original scan.

12-02-2010, 08:51 PM	#5
whitearrow Guru Posts: 808 Karma: 2260766 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Kindle Oasis 2	Topaz sucks. Sorry to sound like a sulky teenager, but it's true.

12-02-2010, 11:07 PM	#6
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	I dislike Topaz, too but using the available tools make it somewhat better. At least now I can edit and fix all the OCR errors.

12-03-2010, 01:27 AM	#7
Pushka Wizard Posts: 1,119 Karma: 1019140 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Device: kindle, Ipad, Iphone, Nexus and PPW	The tpz book I bought was all thin like chicken scrawl..

12-03-2010, 02:36 AM	#8
sadievan Wizard Posts: 1,931 Karma: 5456284 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, iPhone, Kindle Fire HD 6	Is there a way to tell before hand if a ebook is in topaz format?

12-23-2010, 09:53 PM	#13
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	Ugh. Ploppy, I just grabbed 6 of 'em. Serves me right. I should know better. But I know if I "return" them, AMZ is going to probably ban my account or some other hogwash like they enjoy doing.

12-23-2010, 10:23 PM	#14
wvcherrybomb Sharp Shootin' Grandma Posts: 847 Karma: 1123940 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sunny Florida Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Literati (has been adopted by my daughter)	I'm finding this thread very interesting because clearly I was not understanding this whole DRM/Topaz thing. Okay, nobody laugh, I'm trying to get the facts straight. I had thought that an eBook was made and then DRM was added to it after the fact somehow. After reading this it's clear that Topaz is part of the process of making the actual eBook. Is that correct? Is the same true for non-Topaz DRM?

12-23-2010, 10:29 PM	#15
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Yes, you had it right the first time. Topaz books are made the same way as other e-books (well, not exactly the same way, but you know what I mean). First they assemble the parts into a working book file, then they add the DRM afterwards. The old Skindle tools for stripping used to remove the DRM from Topaz books, but leave them otherwise intact, so you could go load them up upon another Kindle/app. But the stripped Topaz files are incompatible with the Topaz conversion tools and no other reader/app can read them, so there's not really much use for them unless you've got a lot of Topaz books, several Kindles/K4Apps, and don't want to waste time in the Archives re-sending all your books to each.

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