book appears "letterboxed"

chicagofilms · 10-02-2008, 08:46 PM

That's the best way to describe it, letterboxed.

I bought a couple of books that appear like that, The text is smell and there's about a half inch border around the text on all 4 sides.

I can't seem to figure out how to change it. If I increase font size, the border is still there. Books I created don't seem to have this issue & fill the whole screen.

Can anyone explain this to me or tell me how to fix it?

NatCh · 10-02-2008, 11:27 PM

Welcome to MobileRead, chicagofilms!

One important detail that you're leaving out is where you bought the book -- that may have some bearing on the situation and perhaps options.

However, from what you're describing, I'd say the most likely answer as to why is that the book was made with forced half inch margins.

If you're in a Sony Bookstore book, you don't have much in the way of options. If you're in something else, you may be able to convert it, depending on what it is.

chicagofilms · 10-03-2008, 10:50 AM

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I did buy it from the Sony store. I haven't tried, but assumed it had DRM.

I had a feeling it was something with how they made the book & there was not much I could do. Why they would think margins like that are a good idea is beyond me.

This is just another example of how DRM only serves to hurt the honest people that actually pay for things. Piracy will always be there & we get screwed in the end.

NatCh · 10-03-2008, 11:39 AM

Yup.

I can't say as I know why they insist on margins either, but the best theory I've come up with so far centers around the fact that the publishers apparently want to control the "look" of the text on the display ... probably the folks who make such a decision (assuming I'm remotely close to right) have never seen their e-books on a Reader, and have no idea what their decision actually does to the quality of the text.

HarryT · 10-03-2008, 11:42 AM

The majority of commercial eBooks for the Sony have margins which are - for me, at least - way too wide. I suspect that Nat is on the right track in saying that the people who format them don't see the end result on the actual device. If you write and tell Sony, they'll sometimes reformat it, but it can take a while.

RJ_Cruze_Jr · 10-03-2008, 03:37 PM

I can't agree more: when you've got a display that's just under 5" high by about 3-1/2" wide, half-inch margins sure eat up a lot of viewing space. I bought a couple books through the Sony store, and I wasn't impressed. So, now I just buy the LIT versions, enhance their "conversion friendliness"

and run them through calibre.

I buy most of my books through Webscriptions, and Arnold does a damn good job formatting Baen's LRFs -- much better than Sony, IMO. Though, lately, I just download the LITs and convert with calibre -- I've gotten pretty good at tweaking calibre's settings so I can customize the output to taste.

igorsk · 10-03-2008, 03:40 PM

Arnold doesn't really do much for LRFs... it's all Calibre

(or libprs500 as it was called back then)

RJ_Cruze_Jr · 10-03-2008, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by igorsk

Arnold doesn't really do much for LRFs... it's all Calibre

(or libprs500 as it was called back then)

Exactly

A true craftsman knows to use the right tool for the job

10-02-2008, 08:46 PM	#1
chicagofilms Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: prs-505	book appears "letterboxed" That's the best way to describe it, letterboxed. I bought a couple of books that appear like that, The text is smell and there's about a half inch border around the text on all 4 sides. I can't seem to figure out how to change it. If I increase font size, the border is still there. Books I created don't seem to have this issue & fill the whole screen. Can anyone explain this to me or tell me how to fix it?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Yep. It's official. Sony Reader has "ruined" books for me. A final "review."	WilliamG	Sony Reader	48	01-14-2011 03:49 AM
"Zeit-Odyssee"-Trilogie droht das "dunkle Turm"-Schicksal	ThR	E-Books	4	02-10-2010 05:18 AM
Synchronising "Book" and "Code" views	HarryT	Sigil	2	08-11-2009 07:07 AM
New "E-Book Devices" "Bookeen Opus" forum desired	ericch	Bookeen	3	08-06-2009 06:31 PM
Kindle DX appears to be "Nell"	sirbruce	Amazon Kindle	2	06-11-2009 11:53 PM

10-02-2008, 11:27 PM	#2
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Welcome to MobileRead, chicagofilms! One important detail that you're leaving out is where you bought the book -- that may have some bearing on the situation and perhaps options. However, from what you're describing, I'd say the most likely answer as to why is that the book was made with forced half inch margins. If you're in a Sony Bookstore book, you don't have much in the way of options. If you're in something else, you may be able to convert it, depending on what it is.

10-03-2008, 10:50 AM	#3
chicagofilms Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: prs-505	Thanks for the reply. Yes, I did buy it from the Sony store. I haven't tried, but assumed it had DRM. I had a feeling it was something with how they made the book & there was not much I could do. Why they would think margins like that are a good idea is beyond me. This is just another example of how DRM only serves to hurt the honest people that actually pay for things. Piracy will always be there & we get screwed in the end.

10-03-2008, 11:39 AM	#4
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Yup. I can't say as I know why they insist on margins either, but the best theory I've come up with so far centers around the fact that the publishers apparently want to control the "look" of the text on the display ... probably the folks who make such a decision (assuming I'm remotely close to right) have never seen their e-books on a Reader, and have no idea what their decision actually does to the quality of the text.

10-03-2008, 11:42 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The majority of commercial eBooks for the Sony have margins which are - for me, at least - way too wide. I suspect that Nat is on the right track in saying that the people who format them don't see the end result on the actual device. If you write and tell Sony, they'll sometimes reformat it, but it can take a while.

10-03-2008, 03:37 PM	#6
RJ_Cruze_Jr Member Posts: 24 Karma: 58 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505	I can't agree more: when you've got a display that's just under 5" high by about 3-1/2" wide, half-inch margins sure eat up a lot of viewing space. I bought a couple books through the Sony store, and I wasn't impressed. So, now I just buy the LIT versions, enhance their "conversion friendliness" and run them through calibre. I buy most of my books through Webscriptions, and Arnold does a damn good job formatting Baen's LRFs -- much better than Sony, IMO. Though, lately, I just download the LITs and convert with calibre -- I've gotten pretty good at tweaking calibre's settings so I can customize the output to taste.

10-03-2008, 03:40 PM	#7
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Arnold doesn't really do much for LRFs... it's all Calibre (or libprs500 as it was called back then)

Advert

Advert