Chinese epub support for PRS-T1 without flashing?

[diftcsx]

Hello, I'm new to the world of ereaders and to the mobileread forums...

I was wondering if there's a way to make the Sony PRS-T1 support Chinese epubs without flashing the device? I know there's a thread for Unicode support without flashing, but it's based on a different device so I'm not sure if the technical things are the same. Also, I'm hardly tech-savvy, so after reading through the posts I didn't really understand it...

If flashing/hacking the device is a must, then will I still be able to download software updates for the PRS-T1 after it has been hacked?

If anyone could help, that would be great, thanks. =)

[nosnoop]

Originally Posted by diftcsx

I was wondering if there's a way to make the Sony PRS-T1 support Chinese epubs without flashing the device?

I would also like to hear more experience regarding this.

After lurking in this forum, I gather that one way is to embed the Chinese font into each epub file as jackie_w described here. The advantage is that you don't need to mess with firmware, the downside would be large increase in file size, and the tedious job of embedding each file; as there is no utility which can do batch conversion.

What are the options for Traditional Chinese fonts? I saw DroidSansFallback being mentioned... is it Unicode only? What about Big5? What other fonts in reasonable size are available which renders well in PRS-T1?

The other option would be to root it and use CoolReader.

If flashing/hacking the device is a must, then will I still be able to download software updates for the PRS-T1 after it has been hacked?

You should be able to. My question would be whether minimum root needs to be reapplied after update. And you would probably need a new restore package for the new firmware.

[ttsddu]

Originally Posted by seabee

I finally succeeded for references to any PRS-T1 integrated font !

for exemple:
@font-face {
font-family: MyFont1;
font-weight: normal;
font-style: normal;
src: url(res:///ebook/fonts/FrutigerNeueLTW1G-Regular.otf);
}

Don't need to include a copy of these fonts in each ePUB !
See my previous list of filenames for fonts you can directly reference.
And now that I found this, I know that references outside of the ebook content are possible, only have to find how to reference user-visible integrated and external flash.
I can also stop trying urls that don't begin with res:/// !

My sample reference 6 of the PRS-T1 fonts without embedding them (obviously in 2.3KB) plus a failed reference to a font added to internal flash.

FYI, I already tried res:///ebook/mnt/sdcard (in the sample) and res:///ebook/sdcard as READER root, both failed, will do more tests tomorrow.

Detailed steps:
1. Right click on the book you added in calibre, click "Tweak ePub".
2. Click "Explode ePub", locate and open the .css file by text editor. (e.g. ".\OPS\css\main.css")
3. Change the corresponding font-face block to below.
@font-face {
font-family:"the font family you found using in other blocks, e.g. cnepub, zw";
src:url(res:///ebook/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
}
4. Save the file, click "Rebuild ePub".
5. Select the book and click "Send to device", or right click on the book, click "Open containing folder" and copy the modified book to your desired location.

Thank you seabee for this exciting solution.

[nosnoop]

Originally Posted by ttsddu

3. Change the corresponding font-face block to below.
@font-face {
font-family:"the font family you found using in other blocks, e.g. cnepub, zw";
src:url(res:///ebook/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
}
...

Thanks!! That's great news.
But what about those epubs where there were no font reference or mentioned anywhere in the css files?
What do I need to put in for the "font-family"?

Edit: Success!!
To answer my own question, I put in a font-family in the body { }; not sure if this is necessary or not.

[PaulKenn]

I bought a Sony PRS T1 (red) recently, hoping to enjoy ebook reading, esp. the Chinese epub...but then, I tried the above-mentioned "Tweak ePub", step by step, I could only see ?????????????????????? after the first page. I called Sony, and they said I could use PDF format to read books. What's the point?

Please HELP me to enable Chinese epub reading.

[nosnoop]

Originally Posted by PaulKenn

I bought a Sony PRS T1 (red) recently, hoping to enjoy ebook reading, esp. the Chinese epub...but then, I tried the above-mentioned "Tweak ePub", step by step, I could only see ?????????????????????? after the first page. I called Sony, and they said I could use PDF format to read books. What's the point?

OK, here's an easier way. Forget about Tweak ePub and Explode ePub:

• Load the original chinese epub, click on Convert Books.
• Select "Look & Feel"
• Copy & Paste this code into the "Extra CSS" box":
  

  @font-face {
     font-family: "DroidFont", serif, sans-serif;
     src:url(res:///ebook/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
     }

• Then click "OK"
• You will be prompted if you want to convert from epub to epub, click Yes.

And that's it! Send to your reader and start reading!
This works for most of the files which don't have specified fonts or font reference in the original epub. If it has, you may need to add the font name to the "font-family" above.
I have only used books with unicode, which definitely works; I believe it should also work with Big5 and GB codes too, though I have not tried this.

[diftcsx]

Thank you so much, ttsddu and nosnoop!! It works now - my reader PRS-T1 can read Chinese epubs. Thank you guys!!

[xuyn2003]

oh no, I got a mistake, so I edit the post

[PaulKenn]

Wow, it works!

So grateful to you, nosnoop.

IT WORKS AND I CAN ENJOY READING CHINESE EPUB BOOKS!

[spring93936]

hello，i am a chinese user too when i read chinese epub and use TOC to page ，i only see "???" but if i dont use TOC， i can see the chinese word
whats the point~~~Orz

[nosnoop]

Originally Posted by spring93936

hello，i am a chinese user too when i read chinese epub and use TOC to page ，i only see "???" but if i dont use TOC， i can see the chinese word
whats the point~~~Orz

Not sure why it does not work for you.
My Chinese ePub works fine with TOC. No problem at all.

[spring93936]

Originally Posted by nosnoop

Not sure why it does not work for you.
My Chinese ePub works fine with TOC. No problem at all.

My book use the font MsYaHei
and
My chinese epub is mobi covert to epub~~is it that the problem?
your css is key in ??
@font-face {
font-family: "DroidSans", serif, sans-serif;
src:url(res:///ebook/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
}

thank you~~

[nosnoop]

Originally Posted by spring93936

My book use the font MsYaHei
and
My chinese epub is mobi covert to epub~~is it that the problem?
your css is key in ??
@font-face {
font-family: "DroidSans", serif, sans-serif;
src:url(res:///ebook/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
}

thank you~~

Try adding the MsYaHei in the font family, i.e.:

@font-face {
   font-family: "DroidFont", "MsYaHei", serif, sans-serif;
   src:url(res:///ebook/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
   }

[spring93936]

Originally Posted by nosnoop

Try adding the MsYaHei in the font family, i.e.:

@font-face {
   font-family: "DroidFont", "MsYaHei", serif, sans-serif;
   src:url(res:///ebook/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
   }

i try it~~but it still show "???"
and when i use the "fast page gun" or "enter page #" it can show the correct word
only have the problem for use "TOC"

[spring93936]

I got it!!!

1. use "MS word" to edit the book files
2. choice "Embed fonts" and save to html
3. use calibre and key in
@font-face {
font-family: "DroidFont", "MsYaHei", serif, sans-serif;
src:url(res:///ebook/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf);
}
4. convert to mobi
5. convert to epub

I can watch Taiwan book and use TOC