Best way to read comics or image files landscape?

[forkyfork]

I just purchased a prs-505 and I am currently searching for the best way to read comics on it.

I've used comiclrf and it's great for manga, but for full-size comics, it is a little bit small to read on the default settings. That's when I had the brilliant idea that it would be easier to read the comics landscape view and just split them up in half.

So far, if I rotate them and convert them with comiclrf this works well, but not perfectly because it doesn't show the in-between. This makes it hard to follow if an image splits across two panels. I tried making the comic file one long horizontal image, but that didn't go over well.

Does anyone have any insight into this? I feel like I'm almost there, I just want to figure out what works best.

[Renaldo]

I read comics on the 505. I generally read them in portrait (regular) mode, it takes a little bit to get used to, but if the scan is good the text is clear and it becomes natural. I know this isn't for everyone. This is what I'd suggest:

Read the comics in landscape view, but don't split them when you conver them. Just do a regular conversion from the .cbr/z to .lrf. To read them, hold down the text size button so the reader goes to Landscape mode. It will split the comic in half for you automatically, and it will show you everything on the page as you go down it. You don't miss anything.

[forkyfork]

Originally Posted by Renaldo

I read comics on the 505. I generally read them in portrait (regular) mode, it takes a little bit to get used to, but if the scan is good the text is clear and it becomes natural. I know this isn't for everyone.

Are you saying that you read them at full screen with the small text? I've tried this and it's doable, but I'm just worried about my eyes.

Originally Posted by Renaldo

Read the comics in landscape view, but don't split them when you conver them. Just do a regular conversion from the .cbr/z to .lrf. To read them, hold down the text size button so the reader goes to Landscape mode. It will split the comic in half for you automatically, and it will show you everything on the page as you go down it. You don't miss anything.

Neat tip. A couple of questions, though:

1) The comic seems to expand slightly. It's readable, but the text is a little fuzzy. Is there any way to make it sharp?

2) I see how it splits the page in half (it even has a little icon, neat). Is there any way to make it go down slightly, for instance, if I want to see a full middle row?

[Renaldo]

Yep, I read them full screen with the small text.

When you do it the way I suggested, the comic does expand. If the jpg's in the .cbr files are a high resolution, they won't get fuzzy and remain fairly sharp. Unfortunately, a lot of people who scan comics seem to want to make smaller files instead of quality files. They look good on computer screens, but not so much on the 505 when you're in landscape mode as you've noticed. Assuming you're not the one scanning the comic, my only suggestions are either to live with it, or, like you were doing, split them yourself for viewing.

I don't think there is a way to make it go down like you're saying. Since I mainly read full screen, I've never had to deal with it. I can see how that would be frustrating though. It bugs me when there's a pic that takes up 2 pages.

[forkyfork]

Originally Posted by Renaldo

Yep, I read them full screen with the small text.

How long do you read them at a time with the small text? As I said, it's do-able, but I'm just worried about my eye-sight. I do like being able to see the whole page at once.

Originally Posted by Renaldo

When you do it the way I suggested, the comic does expand. If the jpg's in the .cbr files are a high resolution, they won't get fuzzy and remain fairly sharp. Unfortunately, a lot of people who scan comics seem to want to make smaller files instead of quality files. They look good on computer screens, but not so much on the 505 when you're in landscape mode as you've noticed. Assuming you're not the one scanning the comic, my only suggestions are either to live with it, or, like you were doing, split them yourself for viewing.

Is there a better way to convert them than using comiclrf? From what I understand, comiclrf resizes and greyscales them.

What sort of comics do you read? Do you read any comics after the mid-90's (i.e. color intensive comics)? So far, I've just been reading the less color-defined comics and they work pretty well (minus the color of course)

[Renaldo]

I read them for a couple of hours straight last weekend, I didn't feel any eye strain. If you do, don't do it I guess.

I don't know of any other way to convert them. The thing with image files is that they can't be any better than how they were created. If you expand them (like going into landscape mode) if they don't have the detail information, they're going to get fuzzy. Just like if you take a jpg on your computer and start zooming it, it's going to lose resolution the bigger it gets. Most people who make the .cbr's scan the images to the largest dimensions with the smallest file size they can get away with. When those are zoomed they lose resolution and become fuzzy. If they scanned them with higher file sizes, the images would have better resolution and when you went into landscape mode they wouldn't blur.

I hope that makes sense, I just kind of rattled it off.

Mainly I read b&w indie comics.

[forkyfork]

Originally Posted by Renaldo

I read them for a couple of hours straight last weekend, I didn't feel any eye strain. If you do, don't do it I guess.

I don't know of any other way to convert them. The thing with image files is that they can't be any better than how they were created. If you expand them (like going into landscape mode) if they don't have the detail information, they're going to get fuzzy. Just like if you take a jpg on your computer and start zooming it, it's going to lose resolution the bigger it gets. Most people who make the .cbr's scan the images to the largest dimensions with the smallest file size they can get away with. When those are zoomed they lose resolution and become fuzzy. If they scanned them with higher file sizes, the images would have better resolution and when you went into landscape mode they wouldn't blur.

I hope that makes sense, I just kind of rattled it off.

Mainly I read b&w indie comics.

Sorry if I misunderstood you, but how are you converting them? Comiclrf? Are you using any special settings?

[Renaldo]

I do it all in calibre (which I believe uses comic2lrf) and I stick with the defaults. Nothing special.

[Renaldo]

I was converting some comics in Calibre today and noticed that on the option screen under Profiles there's an option for prs-500 Landscape. Maybe try converting them with that, and seeing if they're still fuzzy in landscape mode?