New eBookwise - Need to Convert .pdf

[John-K9jgs]

Hi Gang,

Got the shiny new eBookwise today and it is pretty much OK, I guess, for the price. I was a little disappointed that the page doesn't look as much like a paper page as I had hoped but I can read it OK with the thing darkened some and the backlight up fairly high and with the larger font. So that part's OK.

My local library has a selection of ebooks but they are all in .pdf. I've tried to download one, then find it again and run it through a converter to turn it into .doc.

So far no luck. I guess I am not computer-savvy enough to know how to do it. I hope that somebody has written a step-by-step cookbook procedure for dummies like me.

What I've found is that the software is out there but there doesn't seem to be much information about how to use it. Those who are computer-literate would probably have no trouble at all.

I'm trying to use "Some PDF to Word v1.5" and it looks like it ought to do the job. I can't seem to find the book after I have downloaded it, even though I try to put it in My Documents. Even typing *.* doesn't bring it up so I don't know where the heck it is going.

I guess this stuff is like brain surgery, simple when you know how.

Happy New Year to All!

John
Indiana

[ProfJulie]

You've got a couple of issues that are working against you here. Firstly, the eBookwise Reader is designed to work with eBookwise file formats (the file extension is .imp), so you probably won't be able to read .pdf files with the device without converting them somehow.

The second issue is that the library books you've downloaded probably are DRM protected (all the Adobe PDF library books I've ever read are DRM protected), which means you will not be able to convert them into a format that can be read on your reader. To read DRM PDF files requires that you activate your device through Adobe's website. You can activate your computer to read these books, but I don't think you can activate the eBookwise reader.

Your library probably has a help page that explains how to activate and read PDF files on your computer and that would probably be your best source of information.

[John-K9jgs]

The Ebookwise information says it will read .txt, .rts, .htm, .html, .rb, .imp, or .DOC. That's why I thought I would be OK if I could convert the .pdf books to .doc.

The DRM issue is another kettle of fish! I will try to find out if the library's books are indeed DRM-protected but I would bet you are right.

I was able to download a book from the library site through the Mobireader into my Treo 650 and can read it there. I don't know if that means the same would be true on the eBookswise.

The "help" stuff on the library site is not very helpful since it relates to the usual downloading process most folks use. I haven't yet found anybody at the library who knows much about this stuff, I suppose because it is relatively new to them.

I appreciate your response!

John

[ProfJulie]

The library I use has Mobipocket books and Adobe PDF books. All of the books are DRM protected. I usually check out Mobipocket books because I can read them on my Cybook Gen3. If I check out Adobe PDF books, I can read them on my computer or my pocket pc because I have been able to activate those devices through Adobe's website.

I imagine most libraries use the same, if not identical, technology for electronic books. Perhaps this link can help you out:

Adobe PDF Library Books (The Seattle Public Library)


If you have a regular, unprotected PDF file, you probably can convert the file to a format that could be used on your eBookwise reader, but you probably won't be able to get very far with the PDF DRM encrypted library books.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by John-K9jgs

The Ebookwise information says it will read .txt, .rts, .htm, .html, .rb, .imp, or .DOC. That's why I thought I would be OK if I could convert the .pdf books to .doc.

the eBookwise 1150 can only import IMP files. The list of files you mentioned can be supported via conversion software. you can download eBook Publisher from http://www.eBookTechnologies.com. It is free and can be used to convert the files for Reader use.

Dale

[eshajan]

Here's how I do it: first I convert the PDF to HTML with Mobipocket Creator [free download], and then I use Ebookwise Librarian to convert the HTML to imp.
This works fine for books that contain just plain old text.

If you have books with lots op graphics I think you can use PDF read, that incorporates them. It does take along time to convert and the resulting file is big, I've converted a 200 page book [no graphics] with PDF read and the file was 30 Mb, that's half my memory card

[nrapallo]

Originally Posted by eshajan

Here's how I do it: first I convert the PDF to HTML with Mobipocket Creator [free download], and then I use Ebookwise Librarian to convert the HTML to imp.
This works fine for books that contain just plain old text.

If the .pdf is DRM-free and was originally produced by Word or similar, then Mobipocket Creator v4.2 works well enough to create a .html with some limited image support. For more info, see https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...403#post286403 or https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...628#post271628

If you have books with lots op graphics I think you can use PDF read, that incorporates them. It does take along time to convert and the resulting file is big, I've converted a 200 page book [no graphics] with PDF read and the file was 30 Mb, that's half my memory card

PDFRead will only create images from the non-DRM'ed .pdf pages; no words or text will be extracted. It's meant mainly to be used as a last resort; when all else fails. But at least you HAVE this option when the need arises!

[John-K9jgs]

Nick,

I finally got a book to work using your procedure and got it loaded to the SmartCard. I can read it on the eBookwise. It was just one of those old classic books, just used it for testing, not one I really want to read.

Now if I can just duplicate the process!

Next step is to see about using the eBooks from our local library, changing them from .pdf and hoping that they can be read - probably are DRM protected, I suppose.

Sadly it is all so new at the library that there is no one person wh really knows much about it. Eventually I supppose there will be a local "guru" who will have it as part of his/her library job, but apparently not yet.

I do appreciate everyones' contributions and suggestions. I will have time soon to try some of them and see what works on my setup.

John
Indiana

[John-K9jgs]

Well, no luck. I have not been able to download .pdf ebooks from my local library and use them on the eBookwise. My attempts at converting .pdf to other formats eBookwise will accept have been failures.

I want to spend my time reading, not struggling with the software. It is apparent that, for my needs, I bought the wrong ebook reader.

I have asked the company for a return authorization number (a week ago) but have gotten no response.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I just haven't been able to make it work.

Regards,

John

[ProfJulie]

I'm sorry you've had such a frustrating and disappointing experience. The problem is that you want to read DRMed PDF books from your library on a device that cannot read PDF books and cannot be activated to read DRMed PDF books.

DRMed PDF files are closed pretty tightly and none of the tools that can be used with other formats to change them to a more compatible format for your reading device will work on DRMed PDF files.

I own a Cybook Gen3 and that reader can read mobipocket formatted books and can be activated to read DRMed mobipocket books from the library - my library offers books in the PDF format and in mobipocket format....so I can check the mobipocket books out and read them on my Cybook Gen3. If I checkout a PDF formatted book from the library, I have to read it on my computer or my Pocket PC - both have Adobe Reader installed on them and both devices have been activated through Adobe's website to read DRMed PDF files.

The PDF format is not an ideal format for eBooks and, even though several eInk devices purport to read PDF formatted books (including the Cybook Gen3), the eInk readers do not provide the full functionality of Adobe Reader on the devices. Probably the Illiad is the best and most compatible device for reading PDF files and I think Sony has added more PDF capabilities to some of their readers, but I don't know if any of these readers can handle DRMed PDF files (perhaps Sony can - I don't have a Sony reader so I don't know for sure - but reading through the Sony forums will probably provide the answer).

I avoid PDF formatted files as much as possible - it is just too much of a hassle to format even non-DRMed files to a nice format for reading on my eInk reader .

[John-K9jgs]

I'm not really very picky about formatting. I only want to read fiction books and I normally only read a book once, then pass it on to someone else. For that reason I can put up with crappy formatting just as long as it is readable.

I did finally get a response from the ebookwise techie. He/she said that as far as they know PDF books cannot be read on the eBookwise. They did give me the information for returning the eBookwise and I think that is what I'm going to do.

I was enamoured of the idea of having multiple books in a small package but it is so much trouble to try to figure out the software that I just don't think it's worth it. And that is not even considering how (or if) the DRM issue could be solved.

Perhaps I will look at a pocket PC as a substitute. I have a laptop but it is pretty heavy and wouldn't serve well as a portable reading device. I have never actually see a pocket PC but I imagine they are much more available in the stores than the ebook readers, which seem to be pretty much all sold out so cannot be actually seen/touched.

I can easily download the books from our local library in Adobe and some in Mobi, but mostly the former in .pdf. I could just go back to my Treo phone and continue to read on it, I guess, at least for the time being.

Thank again for your kind help!

John

[dmokon]

I have an Ebookwise and finally solved the DRM pdf issue, but it is work! To me it is worth it, because I am using the Ebookwise to read textbooks, and I like to be able to highlight and add markups while reading. Here's the solution. Unlock your pdf on your computer; select, cut and paste the entire book into Word. Do not waste time changing fonts or correcting the line breaks. Use the find and replace feature to delete repetitive words that you don't want (such as the title that commonly is placed at the bottom of each page of a text). Save as Word 2003. Use the Ebookwise librarian to upload it into your Ebookwise.

[Randal6393]

Have always enjoyed reading on my pocket computers. You may do well to get one. Not too enamored of the newer PPC's as they are light and often are short on battery power. Recently decided to acquire a new PPC and did some research on the used/refurbished models available through the Internet.

Found a reasonable deal on a Dell Axim PPC V5. Cost less than $100.00 and the battery lasts for at least 8 hours (YMMV). Put the Palm eReader and Mobipocket Reader on the machine. MS Lit Reader was already installed. Authorized for Adobe Digital Editions as well. That allows me to read Lit, prc, epub, pdb, and pdf books.

Best of luck to you in your search,

Originally Posted by John-K9jgs

I'm not really very picky about formatting. I only want to read fiction books and I normally only read a book once, then pass it on to someone else. For that reason I can put up with crappy formatting just as long as it is readable.

I did finally get a response from the ebookwise techie. He/she said that as far as they know PDF books cannot be read on the eBookwise. They did give me the information for returning the eBookwise and I think that is what I'm going to do.

I was enamoured of the idea of having multiple books in a small package but it is so much trouble to try to figure out the software that I just don't think it's worth it. And that is not even considering how (or if) the DRM issue could be solved.

Perhaps I will look at a pocket PC as a substitute. I have a laptop but it is pretty heavy and wouldn't serve well as a portable reading device. I have never actually see a pocket PC but I imagine they are much more available in the stores than the ebook readers, which seem to be pretty much all sold out so cannot be actually seen/touched.

I can easily download the books from our local library in Adobe and some in Mobi, but mostly the former in .pdf. I could just go back to my Treo phone and continue to read on it, I guess, at least for the time being.

Thank again for your kind help!

John