Noob question: best book format on PRS300

dura · 09-03-2009, 06:46 AM

Hi, I'm very excited; according to Track&Trace any minute now the doorbell will ring and I'll have my first reader, a blue Sony PRS300.
So I decided to start building my library in advance.
I got Calibre, which seems to be favored around here.
I also got some books in RFT, LIT and PDF. I understand Calibre is also a very flexible ocnversion tools, and I found others in thwe Wiki here.

But one big question I can't find the answer for is this; what is the best format to convert to on the Sony reader?
RTF, BbeB, epub, something else?

Help, for once I would like to do things right from the start (I know I won't succeed, and chance things later, but a man can dream).

dura · 09-03-2009, 07:26 AM

Wow, it is here and it look suave in its blueblack metal skin. And a standard mini USB-plug! From Sony! Amazing, I got about 10 unique non-standard Sony cables lying around for all kind of MP3-players.

But anyway, still wondering, what is the best format to convert too?

Vesper · 09-03-2009, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura

Wow, it is here and it look suave in its blueblack metal skin. And a standard mini USB-plug! From Sony! Amazing, I got about 10 unique non-standard Sony cables lying around for all kind of MP3-players.

But anyway, still wondering, what is the best format to convert too?

Well, I would say go with ePub. But it depends on what kind of documents you will read on it, in what form you have them atm (paper, word doc, pdf, mobi...), how much time are you prepared to spend formatting and preparing them...

DrS

dura · 09-03-2009, 07:34 AM

Hi, Vesper, thanks for your answer.
I got .txt, .doc. pdf and lots of .lit.
Is epub better then .lrf? Why, because it works on non-Sony readers too or are there other reasons too?

HarryT · 09-03-2009, 07:40 AM

Your two choices are basically LRF and ePub

ePub is an industry standard which works on many different devices. However, the Sony's implementation of it (even on the newer devices) is rather "long in the tooth" and it doesn't support a number of ePub features, such as fully-justified text.

LRF is a Sony-specific format, and looks very good on the Reader. It has full justification, but obviously is not usable on any device other than a Sony.

I guess I'd sum it up by saying that if you plan to stick with Sony, and want the best results, use LRF. If you can put up with the current limitations of ePub on the Sony (or hope that Sony will eventually fix them), then go with ePub.

dura · 09-03-2009, 07:43 AM

Ok, that's clear, .LRF it is.
The more reader friendly the better, I can always convert again from the original files, I'm heartless, I don't care if my computer has to work overtime.
Thanks!

Vesper · 09-03-2009, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura

Hi, Vesper, thanks for your answer.
I got .txt, .doc. pdf and lots of .lit.
Is epub better then .lrf? Why, because it works on non-Sony readers too or are there other reasons too?

Not sure about epub/lrf comparison (since I don't own lrf-device) but consider the fact that Sony is adding ePub support for new readers and it's supposed to become a new ebook standard.
If you have lot of lit files, it should be easy to convert them to virtually anything, so no problem there. The only snag is - are they drm-protected?

DrS

p.s. European ebook vendors are selling books only in ePub format from what I hear. If you should ever want to buy some book in your language, as opposed to english, your only option will be ePub

dura · 09-03-2009, 07:50 AM

Thanks Vesper.
No DRM I think, I'm afraid the co-worker who gave me the large file isn't famous for his law abiding.
Ok, if I buy books they might be in epub, no problem, I don't mind different formats as long as they look good.
For the conversion from other formats Harry gave good arguments for using .LRF

dura · 09-03-2009, 08:14 AM

And another question; I see have some books both in .doc, .pdf and in .lit. What is the best source format to start the conversion with?

Vesper · 09-03-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura

Thanks Vesper.
No DRM I think, I'm afraid the co-worker who gave me the large file isn't famous for his law abiding.
Ok, if I buy books they might be in epub, no problem, I don't mind different formats as long as they look good.
For the conversion from other formats Harry gave good arguments for using .LRF

You should try everything and then decide. I found it's a good practice to have one (or perhaps two) archival formats that can be quickly converted to any format you need with few mouse clicks.

DrS

HarryT · 09-03-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura

And another question; I see have some books both in .doc, .pdf and in .lit. What is the best source format to start the conversion with?

LIT. It converts very well indeed to other formats. PDF is very difficult to convert, and should be avoided.

dura · 09-03-2009, 08:58 AM

Ok, thanks Harry, done, right now Calibre is converting about a 100 books from LIT to RLF.
That will probably get me through the weekend.
The program is working very hard; looks like a very nice application to me, userfriendly and it uses both my processorcores to convert.

Scarpad · 09-03-2009, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura

Wow, it is here and it look suave in its blueblack metal skin. And a standard mini USB-plug! From Sony! Amazing, I got about 10 unique non-standard Sony cables lying around for all kind of MP3-players.

But anyway, still wondering, what is the best format to convert too?

I use Epub mainly

JSWolf · 09-03-2009, 10:09 AM

I find that ePub is the best format to use on my 505. Plus, if I was to get a different device later on, I would make sure it also supports ePub so I can still read what I want without having to convert yet again. LRF is a dead end format. While it works on Sony Readers, it won't work on any other reader brand. Even Sony realizes BBeB (LRF/LRX) is a dead end format.

Also with ePub, I'm able to easily embed the font(s) I want to have it look the way I want. I've taken a liking to Fontin. Looks much nicer than the default fonts used with BBeB. One other plus is that I can get more text on screen with ePub that's easily readble then I can with BBeB.

dura · 09-03-2009, 10:18 AM

Good points!
Right now I converted to .LRF but I kept the sourcefiles, so if I go to a non-Sonyreader I'll reconvert to Epub.

09-03-2009, 06:46 AM	#1
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	Noob question: best book format on PRS300 Hi, I'm very excited; according to Track&Trace any minute now the doorbell will ring and I'll have my first reader, a blue Sony PRS300. So I decided to start building my library in advance. I got Calibre, which seems to be favored around here. I also got some books in RFT, LIT and PDF. I understand Calibre is also a very flexible ocnversion tools, and I found others in thwe Wiki here. But one big question I can't find the answer for is this; what is the best format to convert to on the Sony reader? RTF, BbeB, epub, something else? Help, for once I would like to do things right from the start (I know I won't succeed, and chance things later, but a man can dream).

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09-03-2009, 07:26 AM	#2
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	Wow, it is here and it look suave in its blueblack metal skin. And a standard mini USB-plug! From Sony! Amazing, I got about 10 unique non-standard Sony cables lying around for all kind of MP3-players. But anyway, still wondering, what is the best format to convert too?

09-03-2009, 07:34 AM	#4
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	Hi, Vesper, thanks for your answer. I got .txt, .doc. pdf and lots of .lit. Is epub better then .lrf? Why, because it works on non-Sony readers too or are there other reasons too?

09-03-2009, 07:40 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	Your two choices are basically LRF and ePub ePub is an industry standard which works on many different devices. However, the Sony's implementation of it (even on the newer devices) is rather "long in the tooth" and it doesn't support a number of ePub features, such as fully-justified text. LRF is a Sony-specific format, and looks very good on the Reader. It has full justification, but obviously is not usable on any device other than a Sony. I guess I'd sum it up by saying that if you plan to stick with Sony, and want the best results, use LRF. If you can put up with the current limitations of ePub on the Sony (or hope that Sony will eventually fix them), then go with ePub.

09-03-2009, 07:43 AM	#6
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	Ok, that's clear, .LRF it is. The more reader friendly the better, I can always convert again from the original files, I'm heartless, I don't care if my computer has to work overtime. Thanks!

09-03-2009, 07:50 AM	#8
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	Thanks Vesper. No DRM I think, I'm afraid the co-worker who gave me the large file isn't famous for his law abiding. Ok, if I buy books they might be in epub, no problem, I don't mind different formats as long as they look good. For the conversion from other formats Harry gave good arguments for using .LRF

09-03-2009, 08:14 AM	#9
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	And another question; I see have some books both in .doc, .pdf and in .lit. What is the best source format to start the conversion with?

09-03-2009, 08:58 AM	#12
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	Ok, thanks Harry, done, right now Calibre is converting about a 100 books from LIT to RLF. That will probably get me through the weekend. The program is working very hard; looks like a very nice application to me, userfriendly and it uses both my processorcores to convert.

09-03-2009, 10:09 AM	#14
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,632 Karma: 145864617 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I find that ePub is the best format to use on my 505. Plus, if I was to get a different device later on, I would make sure it also supports ePub so I can still read what I want without having to convert yet again. LRF is a dead end format. While it works on Sony Readers, it won't work on any other reader brand. Even Sony realizes BBeB (LRF/LRX) is a dead end format. Also with ePub, I'm able to easily embed the font(s) I want to have it look the way I want. I've taken a liking to Fontin. Looks much nicer than the default fonts used with BBeB. One other plus is that I can get more text on screen with ePub that's easily readble then I can with BBeB.

09-03-2009, 10:18 AM	#15
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	Good points! Right now I converted to .LRF but I kept the sourcefiles, so if I go to a non-Sonyreader I'll reconvert to Epub.

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