Moving to Kobo from Amazon, which file format should I use?

mmobes · 04-01-2024, 03:17 PM

So I’m moving over to the Kobo platform with a Libra 2 after having used Kindle devices for probably a decade. I store all my books in Calibre and have it set to auto convert to AZW3 on import.

Now that I’m changing to Kobo, I’m wondering what file format is preferred? I see a lot of people talk about epub, though I see Kobo has its own file format as well. Is there any benefit to using one over the other?

If it matters, I only read English books, and I don’t do much note taking or highlighting. I really just care about readability.

Thanks!

DNSB · 04-01-2024, 03:48 PM

Most people won't notice much difference between ePub and Kobo's variant (kepub). For me, I prefer ePub since it has a slight advantage in typography and font handling. The only time I use kepub is when there is an image (a map for instance) that would benefit from being zoomable.

deleted2 · 04-01-2024, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmobes

So I’m moving over to the Kobo platform with a Libra 2 after having used Kindle devices for probably a decade. I store all my books in Calibre and have it set to auto convert to AZW3 on import.

Now that I’m changing to Kobo, I’m wondering what file format is preferred? I see a lot of people talk about epub, though I see Kobo has its own file format as well. Is there any benefit to using one over the other?

If it matters, I only read English books, and I don’t do much note taking or highlighting. I really just care about readability.

Thanks!

You have no idea what you started with this post...

The ePub vs KePub war!!

Aleron Ives · 04-01-2024, 07:22 PM

The benefits of KEPUB are the image viewer, the rapid page turning feature, and perhaps slightly faster performance, especially with large books. KEPUB also numbers pages based on screens, so when you adjust the font size, the number of virtual pages in the book will change. EPUB uses Adobe's synthetic page numbering system, so a given book will have a fixed number of pages.

twowheels · 04-01-2024, 08:55 PM

Just use KOReader and then you can use almost any ebook format that you want.

DNSB · 04-01-2024, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

Just use KOReader and then you can use almost any ebook format that you want.

I would suggest that letting the OP get used to his Kobo before we start throwing KOReader and Plato into the mix.

Sirtel · 04-01-2024, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

Just use KOReader and then you can use almost any ebook format that you want.

KOReader has no library management, only a file browser. It is also slow with large books, e.g. omnibus editions. For those reasons I prefer the patched native reader.

As to epub vs kepub, I'd suggest trying both and deciding for yourself. Aleron Ives already listed the main differences. I'd add that the advantages of epubs are better layout (like word spacing) and respecting different fonts if they're used in the book (there's a kepub patch for the latter, but out of the box only epubs display different fonts in the book while still using your chosen font for the main body text).

JSWolf · 04-02-2024, 04:37 AM

My suggestion is to use ePub as it displays better then KePub. This is without any hacks/patches. RMSDK renders better then the software used for KePub.

ps67 · 04-02-2024, 05:32 PM

Epub has a better typography (ligatures), Kepub has pop up notes and images enlargement but no ligatures.

Aleron Ives · 04-02-2024, 08:14 PM

You can get ligatures by enabling optimizeLegibility or geometricPrecision in the configuration file (if your font supports it), but doing so makes word spacing even worse.

John F · 04-02-2024, 08:17 PM

Last time I checked, tapping on footnotes was hard with epub.

DNSB · 04-02-2024, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

Last time I checked, tapping on footnotes was hard with epub.

For me, I've found it depends more on how the text the link is linked to is constructed. One recent book I was reading used a superscript number at 60% of the body font to make it hard to hit. Another recent book used a ' [number] ' to give a bigger target which was a lot easier to hit reliably.

Aleron Ives · 04-03-2024, 12:53 AM

I've also found that the footnotes popup almost never works with KEPUB. Footnotes appear to be the bane of e-books. x)

JSWolf · 04-03-2024, 09:06 AM

If you have eBooks with enough footnotes and/or images you'll want to zoom, then use KePub. Otherwise (IMHO) ePub will be look better.

aborh · 04-14-2024, 02:04 PM

I would add that the Kobo firmware can display a LOT of ebook formats, including mobi. On occasion, when using Calibre to convert my books from Amazon's azw to more open formats, it will fail to convert one of my Kindle books into epub or kepub. In those cases, I've been able to use Calibre to make a de-DRM'd mobi file, which my Kobo Clara HD can open and display. Images are not zoomable, and this is a major limitation in my experience.

But if my goal is just to read text, then mobi works fine.

04-01-2024, 03:17 PM	#1
mmobes Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2021 Device: Kindle Oasis	Moving to Kobo from Amazon, which file format should I use? So I’m moving over to the Kobo platform with a Libra 2 after having used Kindle devices for probably a decade. I store all my books in Calibre and have it set to auto convert to AZW3 on import. Now that I’m changing to Kobo, I’m wondering what file format is preferred? I see a lot of people talk about epub, though I see Kobo has its own file format as well. Is there any benefit to using one over the other? If it matters, I only read English books, and I don’t do much note taking or highlighting. I really just care about readability. Thanks!

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04-01-2024, 03:48 PM	#2
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 35,607 Karma: 145557716 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Forma, Clara HD, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Most people won't notice much difference between ePub and Kobo's variant (kepub). For me, I prefer ePub since it has a slight advantage in typography and font handling. The only time I use kepub is when there is an image (a map for instance) that would benefit from being zoomable.

04-01-2024, 07:22 PM	#4
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,034 Karma: 11500112 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	The benefits of KEPUB are the image viewer, the rapid page turning feature, and perhaps slightly faster performance, especially with large books. KEPUB also numbers pages based on screens, so when you adjust the font size, the number of virtual pages in the book will change. EPUB uses Adobe's synthetic page numbering system, so a given book will have a fixed number of pages.

04-01-2024, 08:55 PM	#5
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,793 Karma: 13412766 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro	Just use KOReader and then you can use almost any ebook format that you want.

04-02-2024, 04:37 AM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,107 Karma: 129333562 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	My suggestion is to use ePub as it displays better then KePub. This is without any hacks/patches. RMSDK renders better then the software used for KePub.

04-02-2024, 05:32 PM	#9
ps67 Guru Posts: 732 Karma: 7025494 Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Italy Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Elipsa, Pocketbook Color PB633, Inkpad Color	Epub has a better typography (ligatures), Kepub has pop up notes and images enlargement but no ligatures.

04-02-2024, 08:14 PM	#10
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,034 Karma: 11500112 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	You can get ligatures by enabling optimizeLegibility or geometricPrecision in the configuration file (if your font supports it), but doing so makes word spacing even worse.

04-02-2024, 08:17 PM	#11
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,179 Karma: 63764653 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Glo HD	Last time I checked, tapping on footnotes was hard with epub.

04-03-2024, 12:53 AM	#13
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,034 Karma: 11500112 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	I've also found that the footnotes popup almost never works with KEPUB. Footnotes appear to be the bane of e-books. x)

04-03-2024, 09:06 AM	#14
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,107 Karma: 129333562 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If you have eBooks with enough footnotes and/or images you'll want to zoom, then use KePub. Otherwise (IMHO) ePub will be look better.

04-14-2024, 02:04 PM	#15
aborh Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2024 Device: Kobo Clara HD	I would add that the Kobo firmware can display a LOT of ebook formats, including mobi. On occasion, when using Calibre to convert my books from Amazon's azw to more open formats, it will fail to convert one of my Kindle books into epub or kepub. In those cases, I've been able to use Calibre to make a de-DRM'd mobi file, which my Kobo Clara HD can open and display. Images are not zoomable, and this is a major limitation in my experience. But if my goal is just to read text, then mobi works fine.

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