How to read DRM books via Calibre?

gdaydigger · 08-22-2010, 10:13 PM

Hi, I am migrating from a Sony to a Kindle and have moved my books from the Sony Library on my Mac to Calibre (brilliant). However, Calibre does not allow me to view the DRM protected books. I read somewhere that these should automatically open via ADE (or even the Sony Library both of which are still on my Mac) but this is not the case. Any advice gratefully received

kevinp · 08-22-2010, 11:02 PM

You won't be able to open them in Calibre unless you remove the DRM, which we're not allowed to discuss on these forums. Do a Google search.

wallcraft · 08-22-2010, 11:30 PM

Apprentice Alf's Blog provides a good summary of the state of the art in DRM removal.

gdaydigger · 08-23-2010, 12:17 AM

But surely there must be a way for Calibre to link to ADE/Sony Library so that the books can be viewed on the Mac through either of these two applications (without having to go through the hassle of DRM stripping) ?

gastan · 08-23-2010, 01:33 AM

Calibre will not open or read DRM'd books. Period.

If you don't believe it, go to the Calibre forum here at MR and ask Kovid. He is the developer of Calibre and answers questions there all the time.

gdaydigger · 08-23-2010, 01:58 AM

Ok, I believe you! How would you recommend I open DRM books on my Mac (purchased through Kobo etc) given that I am in the process of moving from Sony to a Kindle and want to minimise the number of duplicate storage folders on my computer?

Many thanks!

church mouse · 08-23-2010, 03:23 AM

gdaydigger - if ADE is already on your Mac and your Mac has been authorised in ADE, then the drm protected books should open in ADE.

When you say you moved the books to Calibre, do you mean you moved the actual epub files or just the acsm files? The acsm is the book file pre-authorising by ADE, once a book with drm has been authorised by ADE on your computer (done automatically within Sony Library in the current verion) an epub file is created.

Try finding an epub file on your Mac, go to Get Info and set it to open with Digital Editions and see if it will open. If not, then within Digital Editions authorise your computer and try again.

However, and it is a big however, even if you get the book to open on your Mac, it will not work on a Kindle. Your books will almost certainly be in the epub format, which the Kindle does not read. In order to read an epub on a Kindle you will need to strip the drm and then convert the book to the Mobi format (Calibre can do the second stage, but not the first part).

I hope some of this may help.

capidamonte · 08-23-2010, 11:13 PM

Calibre tends to associate itself and its viewer with every conceivable format for what might possibly, maybe be a book. .txt files, for instance. Which can be annoying when you want to edit a config file, say...

Go to Preferences|Interface -- in the lower right corner is a list of formats that Calibre's viewer associates with. Uncheck any that you would like to use another viewer with.

Then, however Macs do it, associate the format with the ADE viewer (system-wide). I expect it has something to do with viewing a file's properties, but I'm not a Mac guy.

Now, whenever you try to view it in Calibre, you should get the ADE viewer. I think.

This all assumes you are just trying to find a way to read your DRM'd book, not disinfect it.

08-22-2010, 10:13 PM	#1
gdaydigger Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS 600	How to read DRM books via Calibre? Hi, I am migrating from a Sony to a Kindle and have moved my books from the Sony Library on my Mac to Calibre (brilliant). However, Calibre does not allow me to view the DRM protected books. I read somewhere that these should automatically open via ADE (or even the Sony Library both of which are still on my Mac) but this is not the case. Any advice gratefully received

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08-22-2010, 11:02 PM	#2
kevinp Fanatic Posts: 582 Karma: 3549018 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Michigan Device: Kindle Scribe, Kindle PW (10th & 11th gen); Fire HD 10	You won't be able to open them in Calibre unless you remove the DRM, which we're not allowed to discuss on these forums. Do a Google search.

08-22-2010, 11:30 PM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Apprentice Alf's Blog provides a good summary of the state of the art in DRM removal.

08-23-2010, 12:17 AM	#4
gdaydigger Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS 600	But surely there must be a way for Calibre to link to ADE/Sony Library so that the books can be viewed on the Mac through either of these two applications (without having to go through the hassle of DRM stripping) ?

08-23-2010, 01:33 AM	#5
gastan Addict Posts: 221 Karma: 801624 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: US Pacific Northwest Device: LePan II, Kobo Aura	Calibre will not open or read DRM'd books. Period. If you don't believe it, go to the Calibre forum here at MR and ask Kovid. He is the developer of Calibre and answers questions there all the time.

08-23-2010, 01:58 AM	#6
gdaydigger Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS 600	Ok, I believe you! How would you recommend I open DRM books on my Mac (purchased through Kobo etc) given that I am in the process of moving from Sony to a Kindle and want to minimise the number of duplicate storage folders on my computer? Many thanks!

08-23-2010, 03:23 AM	#7
church mouse Evangelist Posts: 484 Karma: 5277078 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Clara HD, Boox Poke 2, PocketBook Verse Pro (634)	gdaydigger - if ADE is already on your Mac and your Mac has been authorised in ADE, then the drm protected books should open in ADE. When you say you moved the books to Calibre, do you mean you moved the actual epub files or just the acsm files? The acsm is the book file pre-authorising by ADE, once a book with drm has been authorised by ADE on your computer (done automatically within Sony Library in the current verion) an epub file is created. Try finding an epub file on your Mac, go to Get Info and set it to open with Digital Editions and see if it will open. If not, then within Digital Editions authorise your computer and try again. However, and it is a big however, even if you get the book to open on your Mac, it will not work on a Kindle. Your books will almost certainly be in the epub format, which the Kindle does not read. In order to read an epub on a Kindle you will need to strip the drm and then convert the book to the Mobi format (Calibre can do the second stage, but not the first part). I hope some of this may help.

08-23-2010, 11:13 PM	#8
capidamonte Not who you think I am... Posts: 374 Karma: 30283 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu Device: PocketBook 360 -- Ivory	Calibre tends to associate itself and its viewer with every conceivable format for what might possibly, maybe be a book. .txt files, for instance. Which can be annoying when you want to edit a config file, say... Go to Preferences\|Interface -- in the lower right corner is a list of formats that Calibre's viewer associates with. Uncheck any that you would like to use another viewer with. Then, however Macs do it, associate the format with the ADE viewer (system-wide). I expect it has something to do with viewing a file's properties, but I'm not a Mac guy. Now, whenever you try to view it in Calibre, you should get the ADE viewer. I think. This all assumes you are just trying to find a way to read your DRM'd book, not disinfect it.

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