PRS-900 Sony Reader "hangs" for a minute after adding notes

bobo23 · 08-31-2010, 12:42 AM

Hi,

since a couple of days my PRS-900 behaves in a very strange way.
After adding a note or marking some text, the reader stalls for 1-2 minutes. After that I can use it again and the notes I created worked.

It used to take just 1-3 seconds before. This happens with every book. I already did a reset of the reader which did not help.

Any ideas what goes wrong here?

bobo

vxf · 08-31-2010, 06:44 AM

I posted this a while ago... got no reply....

"I use my PRS-900 a lot - and one of the things I do is reading PDFs and taking notes on them.

In a couple of weeks I have read about 60 pdf files and ended up with about 6-700 notes on them. I want to have the files with me, so I have been storing them on an SD card in my reader after I finish reading them. So at any given time I will have 10-20 PDFs in the PRS and the other 60 on an 16gb SD card, in the PRS.

Now, when I open a file (not a file from the SD card, any file) and write a note, things slow down. A LOT. For example, if I scribble on a page, then press the page-turn button, it takes anywhere between 40 and 50 seconds to turn a page. And it has been getting progressively slower as the number of notes increases. To the point of not being usable.

I think it has something to do with the way notes are being stored. For example, if I return to that page (which already has notes) and then try to turn a page, it will be the usual one-second page turn. But if I add any notes and then try to turn the page, it will take almost a minute. Even deleting a note does it. It's like any modification to the notes, slows it down.

Also, if I close the create/edit tool before turning page, it does not take nearly as long to turn a page. But closing the tool takes also about a full minute, if I have added any notes.

Of course, if I take the SD card out and the number of notes goes back to <200, then I don't see any delays.

Anyone else have this problem? I keep taking the SD card in and out as I need to, but it's getting annoying. It would be nice if I could just turn it off, but if it is in, my reader wants to add the notes to the main list of notes, and it becomes unusable."

peitsao · 08-31-2010, 09:27 AM

I suspect that the problem is the use of PDF and SD card slowing down your reader. I had the same problem with my 600, so I quit using an SD card, and that did help. I hope the new readers will have more memory so I don't need the SD card. The problem is that the Sony reader software is not up to par (like the kindle) for note, highlights, etc. In some ways, the Kindle is better as your notes and highlights are saved online and you can access them via: http://kindle.amazon.com/
However, I don't like the Kindle, nor do I like the fact that I cannot read library books on one. If they would go with epub, I would buy one again.
I have read somewhere that when the ADE software update comes through, we will have an option similar to the kindle online notes where you can share them with others, like classmates, etc. I assume that sony will do likewise with their software?????
No perfect world for folks like us, I guess. Maybe some day.

vxf · 08-31-2010, 09:33 AM

It's not just the SD card, although that makes things worst. No doubt, if you have a lot of annotations stored on the device, adding more notes hangs the device.

bobo23 · 08-31-2010, 11:39 PM

I am not using a SD-Card at all.
I have 326 books on the device and 371 notes. Most of the notes are just highlighted text. And I think 371 notes it is definitively not much.

I can not think of a reason that the amount of notes slows a device down that much (as I said the notes function is unusable for me as the device stalls for 1-2 minutes each time after creating notes/highlights). It even happens if I highlight a text in a new book without other notes in it. It just does not make sense that notes of all other books would influence the speed.

vxf · 09-01-2010, 09:05 AM

It shouldn't happen, but it makes sense. The notes are stored in an internal database and it's the update of this database, every time you add a note, that stalls the device. If you move some of the books and notes to your PC via the Reader software, it will go back to the old speed.

I am not saying this is acceptable, it's just the way it is.

bobo23 · 09-01-2010, 10:23 AM

I checked the metadata saved by the reader.
If it only would use a database we probably won't have any problems.
Unfortunately it seems that is does not use a "real" database, but saves all annotations together in one huge XML file (\dtabase\cache\cacheExt.xml).
I guess that the serialization of this XML file - which has to be done after each note edit - takes far too long. Modern databases can do this a lot (!) more efficient. (Sony: why do not save them separately for each book??)

My cacheExt.xml file is 2.3MB - note adding time is ~1 minute. Anybody has values to compare?

I generally like my PRS-900, but this is a killer. I would never have bought it in the first place. Actually I spent quite a while reading reviews before making the buying decision, but this issue never popped up.

btw: Does anybody know how a Kindle handles a lot of notes?

vxf · 09-01-2010, 11:55 AM

I was disappointed as well. I think my first post on these boards was in regards. And similar issues pop up also when you simply have too many files/books on your device - which clearly contradicts SONY's advertising (sure, you can carry 10,000 books with you, but the device will take a week to turn on...).

On the other side, it is not a deal breaker for me. I have learned to store my annotated files on my PC and only to carry around what I need. It's not convenient, but it works.

I have no idea about the Kindle, in this regard. Without freehand, it wouldn't work for me.

08-31-2010, 12:42 AM	#1
bobo23 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 176 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS-900	Sony Reader "hangs" for a minute after adding notes Hi, since a couple of days my PRS-900 behaves in a very strange way. After adding a note or marking some text, the reader stalls for 1-2 minutes. After that I can use it again and the notes I created worked. It used to take just 1-3 seconds before. This happens with every book. I already did a reset of the reader which did not help. Any ideas what goes wrong here? bobo

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08-31-2010, 06:44 AM	#2
vxf Guru Posts: 944 Karma: 1490348 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Norman, OK Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One	I posted this a while ago... got no reply.... "I use my PRS-900 a lot - and one of the things I do is reading PDFs and taking notes on them. In a couple of weeks I have read about 60 pdf files and ended up with about 6-700 notes on them. I want to have the files with me, so I have been storing them on an SD card in my reader after I finish reading them. So at any given time I will have 10-20 PDFs in the PRS and the other 60 on an 16gb SD card, in the PRS. Now, when I open a file (not a file from the SD card, any file) and write a note, things slow down. A LOT. For example, if I scribble on a page, then press the page-turn button, it takes anywhere between 40 and 50 seconds to turn a page. And it has been getting progressively slower as the number of notes increases. To the point of not being usable. I think it has something to do with the way notes are being stored. For example, if I return to that page (which already has notes) and then try to turn a page, it will be the usual one-second page turn. But if I add any notes and then try to turn the page, it will take almost a minute. Even deleting a note does it. It's like any modification to the notes, slows it down. Also, if I close the create/edit tool before turning page, it does not take nearly as long to turn a page. But closing the tool takes also about a full minute, if I have added any notes. Of course, if I take the SD card out and the number of notes goes back to <200, then I don't see any delays. Anyone else have this problem? I keep taking the SD card in and out as I need to, but it's getting annoying. It would be nice if I could just turn it off, but if it is in, my reader wants to add the notes to the main list of notes, and it becomes unusable."

08-31-2010, 09:27 AM	#3
peitsao Addict Posts: 211 Karma: 32760 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Allegheny Mountains Device: Kobo mini, PW3,NookST	I suspect that the problem is the use of PDF and SD card slowing down your reader. I had the same problem with my 600, so I quit using an SD card, and that did help. I hope the new readers will have more memory so I don't need the SD card. The problem is that the Sony reader software is not up to par (like the kindle) for note, highlights, etc. In some ways, the Kindle is better as your notes and highlights are saved online and you can access them via: http://kindle.amazon.com/ However, I don't like the Kindle, nor do I like the fact that I cannot read library books on one. If they would go with epub, I would buy one again. I have read somewhere that when the ADE software update comes through, we will have an option similar to the kindle online notes where you can share them with others, like classmates, etc. I assume that sony will do likewise with their software????? No perfect world for folks like us, I guess. Maybe some day.

08-31-2010, 09:33 AM	#4
vxf Guru Posts: 944 Karma: 1490348 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Norman, OK Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One	It's not just the SD card, although that makes things worst. No doubt, if you have a lot of annotations stored on the device, adding more notes hangs the device.

08-31-2010, 11:39 PM	#5
bobo23 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 176 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS-900	I am not using a SD-Card at all. I have 326 books on the device and 371 notes. Most of the notes are just highlighted text. And I think 371 notes it is definitively not much. I can not think of a reason that the amount of notes slows a device down that much (as I said the notes function is unusable for me as the device stalls for 1-2 minutes each time after creating notes/highlights). It even happens if I highlight a text in a new book without other notes in it. It just does not make sense that notes of all other books would influence the speed.

09-01-2010, 09:05 AM	#6
vxf Guru Posts: 944 Karma: 1490348 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Norman, OK Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One	It shouldn't happen, but it makes sense. The notes are stored in an internal database and it's the update of this database, every time you add a note, that stalls the device. If you move some of the books and notes to your PC via the Reader software, it will go back to the old speed. I am not saying this is acceptable, it's just the way it is.

09-01-2010, 10:23 AM	#7
bobo23 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 176 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS-900	I checked the metadata saved by the reader. If it only would use a database we probably won't have any problems. Unfortunately it seems that is does not use a "real" database, but saves all annotations together in one huge XML file (\dtabase\cache\cacheExt.xml). I guess that the serialization of this XML file - which has to be done after each note edit - takes far too long. Modern databases can do this a lot (!) more efficient. (Sony: why do not save them separately for each book??) My cacheExt.xml file is 2.3MB - note adding time is ~1 minute. Anybody has values to compare? I generally like my PRS-900, but this is a killer. I would never have bought it in the first place. Actually I spent quite a while reading reviews before making the buying decision, but this issue never popped up. btw: Does anybody know how a Kindle handles a lot of notes?

09-01-2010, 11:55 AM	#8
vxf Guru Posts: 944 Karma: 1490348 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Norman, OK Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One	I was disappointed as well. I think my first post on these boards was in regards. And similar issues pop up also when you simply have too many files/books on your device - which clearly contradicts SONY's advertising (sure, you can carry 10,000 books with you, but the device will take a week to turn on...). On the other side, it is not a deal breaker for me. I have learned to store my annotated files on my PC and only to carry around what I need. It's not convenient, but it works. I have no idea about the Kindle, in this regard. Without freehand, it wouldn't work for me.

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