PRS-350 Font Scaling Is Driving Me Crazy

Binko · 08-17-2011, 12:05 AM

I have a Sony PRS-350. It has many wonderful aspect but seems flawed by some really nasty failings (this is all too common with Sony products).

Font sizing is the worst. I load an epub and the medium text is tiny. But the large is huge. There is no selection that works for me. I load a different epub and this time the medium is too big but small is minute and large is gigantic.

This is literally making it impossible for me to use the PRS-350. I get used to one font size on a certain book although it is not really what I want. Then I switch to another book and all the size selections are completely different.

On my wife's Kindle when she picks a certain font size it is precisely the same on each book. In fact, it shows you an example of the font size as you are selecting.

Looking over this forum I see that many users of Sony ereaders go through incredibly complex procedures just to install readable fonts. Personally I can live with the fonts on the PRS-350 as long as I can somehow enforce a consistent font size across all ebooks.

Is this even possible on the PRS-350?

sonyreaderfan · 08-17-2011, 12:46 AM

I also encountered the same problem.

My fix was to install PRS+ so that I can gain control over the epub format. PRS+ allows you to set css to customize the epub format.

A great write up by a forum member on installing PRS+ and customizing css

http://www.anamardoll.com/2011/06/er...tion-with.html

I added my own code to control font size:

body {
font-family: "Charis", serif;
font-size:116%;
line-height: 140%
}

"font-size: 116%" means to enlarge the font size by 16%. Line-height affects the spacing between lines. You can play around with both.

Using this, 90% of the time I use the Small size, since that font size is now enlarged. (I agree that it was too small as a default and was useless). Occasionally I go to M size. I never have to use L or bigger anymore. The font size in Small is about 10-points.

I find that the font sizes are pretty consistent with the PRS+ installation and font change.

vishcompany · 08-17-2011, 04:05 PM

I had an issue with too wide margins and got rid of them simply by converting the books in calibre epub -> epub. I then noticed, that the font also turned "standard", which is fine with me.

Binko · 08-18-2011, 12:54 AM

I seem to have solved my problem by using calibre to convert books to LRF format instead of EPUB.

Then I installed PRS+ which allows you to control the sizes of the differnt LRF font size settings. It seems to apply them consistently across all books. Now, when I set a book to M font size it is the same as M size for every other book.

My assumption is that LRF is a simpler format that allows the device to impose font sizes. On the other hand EPUB seems to be controlled by internal css stylesheets which is surely more flexible in theory but in practice means that every book tends to do it's own thing.

08-17-2011, 12:05 AM	#1
Binko Member Posts: 15 Karma: 500156 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle	Font Scaling Is Driving Me Crazy I have a Sony PRS-350. It has many wonderful aspect but seems flawed by some really nasty failings (this is all too common with Sony products). Font sizing is the worst. I load an epub and the medium text is tiny. But the large is huge. There is no selection that works for me. I load a different epub and this time the medium is too big but small is minute and large is gigantic. This is literally making it impossible for me to use the PRS-350. I get used to one font size on a certain book although it is not really what I want. Then I switch to another book and all the size selections are completely different. On my wife's Kindle when she picks a certain font size it is precisely the same on each book. In fact, it shows you an example of the font size as you are selecting. Looking over this forum I see that many users of Sony ereaders go through incredibly complex procedures just to install readable fonts. Personally I can live with the fonts on the PRS-350 as long as I can somehow enforce a consistent font size across all ebooks. Is this even possible on the PRS-350?

08-17-2011, 12:46 AM	#2
sonyreaderfan Groupie Posts: 182 Karma: 203167 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Sony Reader Prs 950, iPad	I also encountered the same problem. My fix was to install PRS+ so that I can gain control over the epub format. PRS+ allows you to set css to customize the epub format. A great write up by a forum member on installing PRS+ and customizing css http://www.anamardoll.com/2011/06/er...tion-with.html I added my own code to control font size: body { font-family: "Charis", serif; font-size:116%; line-height: 140% } "font-size: 116%" means to enlarge the font size by 16%. Line-height affects the spacing between lines. You can play around with both. Using this, 90% of the time I use the Small size, since that font size is now enlarged. (I agree that it was too small as a default and was useless). Occasionally I go to M size. I never have to use L or bigger anymore. The font size in Small is about 10-points. I find that the font sizes are pretty consistent with the PRS+ installation and font change. Last edited by sonyreaderfan; 08-17-2011 at 05:04 PM. Reason: Added points size info

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08-17-2011, 04:05 PM	#3
vishcompany Addict Posts: 283 Karma: 138550 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Gen3(†); PB302(↓); PRS-350; T1; voyage	I had an issue with too wide margins and got rid of them simply by converting the books in calibre epub -> epub. I then noticed, that the font also turned "standard", which is fine with me.

08-18-2011, 12:54 AM	#4
Binko Member Posts: 15 Karma: 500156 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle	I seem to have solved my problem by using calibre to convert books to LRF format instead of EPUB. Then I installed PRS+ which allows you to control the sizes of the differnt LRF font size settings. It seems to apply them consistently across all books. Now, when I set a book to M font size it is the same as M size for every other book. My assumption is that LRF is a simpler format that allows the device to impose font sizes. On the other hand EPUB seems to be controlled by internal css stylesheets which is surely more flexible in theory but in practice means that every book tends to do it's own thing.

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