PRS-600 Touch Electronic Bible

[dclavey]

Originally Posted by cliche

Concordance feature, somewhat like the dictionary

I was thinking of putting Strongs number indexes (i.e. Links into the original Greek/Hebrew) in, but its tricky you have to be careful not to put too many hyperlinks in! And on the PRS-600 its not easy to hit the back key!

Originally Posted by cliche

provide a link to the 'small hop' conversion process of xml to epub for this n00b

This is where I started remember .ePub is really just a zip file, open my bible ePub with winzip and have a look at how it was made . One thing I love about ePub's is that you can debug the pages using an ordinary browser.

Originally Posted by HarryT

My #1 request for this would be to add the books of the "Apocrypha".

Sorry, don't have the source to any of the Apocrypha. I prefer the Hebrew rather than Later Greek version OT.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What about those of us that feel there's a lot of stuff in this bible that we don't use? All the new testament can go for sure.

Simple, open up ePub using winzip and delete any Chapters you fancy!

[JustRay]

Wow! Thanks for responding so quickly, sorry that I took so long, I will have to check back here more often .

The reason for the * was only that I wanted to pick a character combination that could in no way occur naturally in the document. I was afraid that something like 1jon1 or even 1jon:1 might already be used by a bible somewhere (today or in the future), particularly if it is a study bible. But I put that format as a suggestion only, without giving it a huge amount of research.

If you do think the idea is worth doing, then I would be overjoyed to have you execute it..wow! I currently have the TNIV (drm from the sony store) and the ESV study bible (non-drm from crossway).

But, first lets take some time to think about a good format that will benefit people no matter what format they are using. This way, once you have expended the effort, you wont have to do it again, and so that one format (if possible), will exist across all versions... looking forward to the day when there might be other programs that might key in on these tags...you could be establishing a standard here, you know! 10 years from now, millions of people could be either praising or lamenting a choice you now make !

1jon1
#1jon1
*1jon1
1jn1
1jn:1
#1jn:1

etc.. etc...

I have also been wondering if the prs-600 search feature would find the tags if they were made invisible? And if that doesnt work, how about if they were made really small and colored white?

PS: Thanks again for offering to do this! FYI: I have a receipt for the ESV, which I can email you. I dont think Sony gives receipts for their books, as everything seems to be locked into their system anyway. I fully understand your attitude about not becoming a bootleg distributor. Not sure how you can handle the issue, going forward.

Originally Posted by dclavey

Is text search really fast? I had assumed not. But I will give it a try.

In your syntax why the "*" star? and what about the book multiples. Does 1joh1 work for you? Or do you want 1joh*1 instead. Sorry am I missing the point is the "*" star a wild card?

I can generate a new KJ with search tags for you tonight, just let me know the format.

If you send me a personal message I can provide other formats for versions you have already bought.

This project is very much a "work in progress", so let me know what mods you want.

I still need to clean up the extern TOC and also do something radical to the internal TOC. I was hoping graphical buttons would work, but they only work in PDF format, not ePub. Shame. Still I think I can improve the internal TOC experience.

I took notes yesterday in the Bible Studies and found the little windows they give you anoying at best. So I am going to add some full page "Notes" pages to the end of the Bible where handwriting notes may be taken.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by dclavey

Sorry, don't have the source to any of the Apocrypha. I prefer the Hebrew rather than Later Greek version OT.

It's on PG. I'm not sure, though, what it's a translation of - the Septuagint or some other version.

[JustRay]

I had a lot of trouble with the ESV Study Bible on my PRS-600. Actually, the problem was not with the PRS-600 itself, but with the Sony Ebook Library software. The ESV Study Bible is a whopping 36.3 megs. I had problems with the 16 meg TNIV Bible, but not as much. It isnt just Sony, Calibre cannot even load the ESV study bible giving a message that implies it is a bad file. However both the Sony Ebook Library and Adobe Digital Editions (1.5) load it easily. The problem happens when synching to the prs-600 reader using the Sony software.

However, all is working fine now, and so I have adopted the following, which work for me and may help others:

1. When loading a Bible, even if the ebook library software reports "not responding", just walk away for at least an hour or two before giving up...dont click stuff "hoping to make it better".

2. Do not sync a Bible. In other words, make sure the directory you put it in is not synched...or it can start synching even after it is installed and take a long time or just seem to lock up. It started synching once and I got fed up and cancelled it after a half hour, at which point it notified me that it had so far transferred 1 of 24 files.

PS: This article implies that Sony MAY be planning to move away from their much maligned library software, some future version of Adobe Digital Editions that can synch to readers, but that is not clear:

http://www.epubbooks.com/blog/200805...-release-de15/

[MSJim]

Originally Posted by benham

Sony with a touch screen (there's only 1, right?)

You're right. The only Sony Reader currently being marketed with a touch screen is the "Touch Edition". However, Sony says they will release the "Daily Edition" - which also will have a touch screen - before Christmas. That's a long time for some people, and too soon for others.

[JustRay]

FYI: Here are my 2 cents about the prs-600. I bought it about 2 weeks ago, primarily to read the Bible and spiritual books. Currently I am quite happy with it as a Bible reader, but I was not happy at first. After the first couple days, the bad points below disappointed me and had me considering returning it. But after really researching the options AGAIN, and working on getting used to it, and using it. I decided I liked it more and more. I threw away the box, and am decided to keep it

FYI, it is my first reader.

The bad:

- I agree with those who complain that the screen has glare. Technically, it is not glare as much as REFLECTION. Many reviewers say that other readers are not nearly as bothersome in this area, and the general assumption is that it is a design compromise because of the touch screen. But I always have to tilt it around to find some angle where whatever being reflected in the screen is uniform and therefore not noticable. One reviewer on the web complained it was so bad that he can actually comb his hair in his reflection. I cant try this because Im bald, but if I wear a yellow T-Shirt, the yellow is clearly reflected in many types of lighting. At equivalent levels of brightness, being able to distinguish patterns of reflected objects is more distracting than simple glare, and probably more tiresome on the eyes. In the end I have accepted it, but it is not an insignificant issue.

- Downloading big files (bibles) into the device can be a hassle. At first it looked to me like it just wasnt going to work. Then I learned two things. Do not use synched folders with bibles, and allow the software up to an hour to transfer the file, even if it appears to have locked up.

Good:

The reflection problem is bearable. I read a lot of discussions of this on the web (after I bought the reader, and discovered the glare issue) and I had to end up agreeing with those who said that knowing about this reflectivity of the screen and thinking about it makes it much worse than it is. The princess and the pea. If you decide to accept it, you find you can usually find some angle that is fine and you start to forget about it... at least that happened to me.

The Touch screen is really cool. Turning pages with a swipe is just totally natural.

The search is fast. The dictionary works pretty well (although I find you have to tap the screen really hard to get it to come up).

Even the 36meg ESV study bible turns pages quickly. I have no complaints about the speed of this thing.

It is a perfect size. It is big enough to read comfortably, the entire device so small that I can (and very often do) carry it in a fanny pack. In fact I can and sometimes do, even carry it in my pocket. It is not really made for a pocket, but if you are not wearing tight pants it fits in there fine, at least enough to get from your car to where you are going to be, without having to hold it in your hand.

By using Calibre in addition to the sony ebook library software, I am able to do even more with it, including download daily feeds of my favorite newspapers. Calibre's is much better for feeds. For one thing, you get an indexed version of the feed. Also, Calibre has a list of over 120 feeds you can choose from by just clicking. Including Time, Newsweek, Forbes, NYT Headlines...etc. Just remember to always close the Sony sofware before opening Calibre, and vice-versa.

So yes, Im liking my Sony more and more. I just bought a booklight for it. I discovered that if the clip is small enough, and soft plastic (not metal), you can just mount the light on the reader by sticking the part of the clip that goes towards the inside into the slot for the sony memory stick. By chance the sony memory stick port is right in the middle... So I can clip a light onto it without having a cover on the reader. Crude but effective.

....To be honest, though, I wish there were a reader that ran Apple Ipod software or Windows Mobile. Now that would be cool. There are already bibles for those platforms that do so much and the platform is open to innovation worldwide.

[Patricia]

I uploaded a King James version Apocrypha some time ago:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15069

[dclavey]

Originally Posted by JustRay

FYI: Here are my 2 cents about the prs-600. I bought it about 2 weeks ago, primarily to read the Bible and spiritual books.

Cool,

Originally Posted by JustRay

I wish there were a reader that ran Apple Ipod software or Windows Mobile. Now that would be cool.

Prior to using the PRS-600, I used free pocket eSword on a 4inch iPAQ 214 640x480 device with a converted AMP, ESB, GNB, MSG, NASB, NIV, NKJV version on it. Much quicker than 600, but I prefer the 600 when reading, clearer screen (no backlight)

Originally Posted by JustRay

I had a lot of trouble with the ESV Study Bible on my PRS-600. Actually, the problem was not with the PRS-600 itself, but with the Sony Ebook Library software. The ESV Study Bible is a whopping 36.3 megs.

As far as I understand ePub's you need to keep the parts of the book small, so I divided my bible up into chapters. I wonder if the ESV did not. I assume its size is all the "Study Notes". Is this the one you downloaded?

Originally Posted by JustRay

I have a receipt for the ESV, which I can email you.

Just send me a message, Ben has added them to his blog.

Originally Posted by JustRay

ESV study bible (non-drm from crossway).

You say the ESV is non-drm, that is good new, that means I should be able to pick it apart add my index system to it and hopefully work out ways improving its startup speed.

Hot News: Just downloaded it and it is based on chapters which is good, when I get my 600 back I will investigate its speed etc. Works great inside Adobe Digital Editions. It may be just a case of cutting it down a bit, removing bible introduction pages, removing the pictures, reducing the TOC etc

[JustRay]

Replaced Busted Reader:

Hi all. Ive been on hold with this stuff for a couple weeks as my sony stopped working. I think something pressed too hard on the screen. Sony has just replaced it, because it was in the first 30 days. I told them Best Buy refused a refund because they think something might have pressed on the screen but Sony sent a new one anyway, telling me to send the broken one back, I am hoping they dont turn out to be deceptive and charge me for it (they took credit card as security) . I refuse to even take this new one out of the house until I get a really good hard cover for it...which I have ordered.

Editing Epubs:

Does anyone know of a utility that can easily be used for editing epubs? In particular something that can handle the TOC format, which doesnt appear to be XHTML ?

So, to answer dclavey, now that I have had a chance to see how epubs work, I am going to play around with different search tagging scenarios before I suggest one. Give me a bit of time as I am new at this.

Lets Help Crossway!

As others have said, it is the ability to improve the indexing that I really like about their non-drm approach at crossway. If we can make improvements to the indexing that we can give back to them that they can use on both the full version and also a stripped version (as you are creating), that would be really great. I want to reward their spirit for creating a non-drm version of their Study Bible. If you think about it you surely have to see this as an act of sacrifice on their part to trust in this because they love the word of God. They know that bootleg copies will be created (not by us), and they accept that, for our good.

What I mean is that it would be fantastic if we can give them back improvements that they can use. In the case of indexes, if the indexes are separate from the text, then they can add the index into their existing files before testing it and thus be certain nobody changed the text. Of course, if it is like the idea I suggested, where tags are inserted, I guess they will just have to see the idea at work and re-do it themselves. I dont think they can have people they dont know send them edited copies of the bible and then turn around and sell or distribute that, its just too risky.

As far as speed, to answer the earlier question the bible I got was the same one you are discussing. I find it works ok in the sony reader size-wise as it is, the big problem is really only with synching it. Once I decided to not put it in a synced folder it works ok. However, it is a little slow sometimes, and I suppose creating a smaller version would speed it up.

[benham]

DC, I downloaded your Bible to ADE. I am giving my wife a 600 for Christmas and that will be the 1st book on it! Thank you!

[dclavey]

Originally Posted by JustRay

If we can make improvements to the indexing that we can give back to them

Yes we can do. I will probably provide a patch to the Crossway ESV to start with, the easiest to replace is the TOC (toc.ncx). Although the ESV has a interesting numbering scheme for the Book Chapters ... v66022001.html is Book 66 Revelation, chapter 22.

Creating a quicker internal index will mean modifying the existing book and chapter header. Or adding some new ones to (content.opf) is probably the best idea.

My next version of Indexing which is further based on the power of 10, i.e. A TOC with multiple ten choices, is taking longer than I originally thought. But I have it all coded up now, so just been to debug the generator.

I like the Style of the Crossway ESV better than my 0.1 Style, so will probably change to something simular.

Also I want to do some experiments adding alternative versions. But have no idea how fast/slow such a huge ePub would be.

I also now have the Matthew Henry Full Text, so I will add that in to a later release.

I still do not have my Black 600 yet, so can't test my indexes for speed as I am using eBook Library and Adobe Digital Editions ...

Originally Posted by JustRay

Does anyone know of a utility that can easily be used for editing epubs? In particular something that can handle the TOC format, which doesnt appear to be XHTML ?

No sorry, have not found any good TOC formatters. Being a programmer, I just rolled my own, but mine is driver by a database rather than a person. So not user friendly.

[benham]

Not sure where to put this so will ask here. The 600 came yesterday! I got it all charged up but when I tried to copy the Bible to it ADE wouldn't recognize the reader. Then I tried copying a bok to it from the Sony elibrary and it wouldn't recognize the reader either. What am I doing wrong, or not doing???

I was able to authorize the 600 to the Sony elibrary and transfer books but still have been unable to do the same for ADE. The My Account page does not open and neither does the Store page.

[Patricia]

If you don't get an answer here, benham, then I'd ask your question again by starting a thread in either the Reading Software section of the forum, or possibly the ePub section.

Incidentally, the My account page and Sony Ebook store page should be accessed via the Ebook library software, not your web browser. But you may be doing this anyway.

[Journier]

dclavey, thank you so much for doing this. The latest Sony NIV I have been useing is really impractical for church. This is a much more intuitive format. Thanks again.

Richard

[benham]

Thanks Patricia. For Sony I do access the account from the elibrary. There is no way to do that with ADE.