tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post3663692181543800311..comments2024-03-18T22:39:50.137-07:00Comments on A Kindle World blog: Kindle Pictures Feature. .2 Free Tools that Convert Images to Kindle format.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-49733009815739463562015-05-30T23:08:02.472-07:002015-05-30T23:08:02.472-07:00There are several images to PDF converters that ca...There are several images to PDF converters that can be found all across the internet but this <a href="http://www.pdfonline.com/convert-jpg-to-pdf/" rel="nofollow"> JPG to PDF </a> converter outruns all of them in terms of great performance and smooth operation. Mark Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15727405421630893371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-44433047449020587502011-05-02T14:41:17.662-07:002011-05-02T14:41:17.662-07:00Thanks for the appreciation, Andrys.
E-nki, the c...Thanks for the appreciation, Andrys.<br /><br />E-nki, the combination of gamma correction followed by clarify/contrast enhancement is something of a kludge. Those are the available tools in standard photo editing software, but its a little like using a screwdriver to hammer a nail. You should see a message from me at www.e-nki.com shortly. I'll try to point you toward a hammer.MrBookNerdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-75806517159996835832011-05-02T13:17:13.641-07:002011-05-02T13:17:13.641-07:00Tom and MrBookNerd,
Thanks to both of you for the ...Tom and MrBookNerd,<br />Thanks to both of you for the great work, and certainly time-consuming too, that you've done on the various aspects of this.<br /><br />Tom and Kindlworld readers,<br /> I hope people click on Tom's profile to see his two Kindle blogs, both with a lot of detailed information after thorough examination.<br /><br /> "Kindle Cookies" and "Reads, Rants and Ruminations"Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-60872424569224176962011-05-02T13:04:27.565-07:002011-05-02T13:04:27.565-07:00Finally reunited USB cable and Kindle & confir...Finally reunited USB cable and Kindle & confirmed:<br />- image .zip file item can be deleted from Home screen, and .zip file is deleted<br />- image folder item can be removed temporarily from Home screen, but the folder and files remain on the Kindle (ALT, Z restores the item).<br />- also, .zip file showed up right away, I had to Alt,Z before the picture folder would show up<br />- '.manga..' files show up after viewing pictures, regardless of .zip v folder, and have to be removed via USB.<br />- calibre will manage .zip/.cbz files (copy and remove them from Kindle) but not image folders (though again, ignores the '.manga..' files).<br /><br />So for my 2 cents, .zip is a better way to go because of the better (though not perfect) file management.Tom Semplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127272649086914117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-14111937527858931762011-05-02T10:19:26.332-07:002011-05-02T10:19:26.332-07:00@MrBookNerd,
thanks for your comments, you are rig...@MrBookNerd,<br />thanks for your comments, you are right about 4bit PNG error with Kindle viewer, my mistake was to check the pictures only with doukan firmware, that manages images without problems.<br />next version (that will out ASAP) will switch to 8bit PNG.<br />About grayscale conversion, gamma and constrast enhancement I will go forward to follow your suggestions.<br />If you have other suggestions or comments, you can contact me directly with twitter, facebook or www.e-nki.comE-nkihttp://www.e-nki.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-70527975678864307182011-05-01T07:30:22.215-07:002011-05-01T07:30:22.215-07:00Spent at least 30 minutes last night trying to mak...Spent at least 30 minutes last night trying to make click-able links. No idea why I never tried straight html! Sometimes I'm just dense. <br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/Escort4door/KindlePictureExamples?feat=directlink" rel="nofollow">Here's the web album</a><br /><br />Comparison results for roll-your-own vs. the two utilities. These are all marked for easy comparison when viewed on a kindle.<br /><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/TbzaCb5ETWI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/auGTxrs9yDo/denali.jpg" rel="nofollow">Denali - full original</a><br /><br /><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/TbzaqvLkcyI/AAAAAAAAAaU/KhYbU5oQfTw/Denali%20by%20Enki.png" rel="nofollow">Denali - mangled by E-nki</a><br /><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/Tb1jSsLVElI/AAAAAAAAAbk/qDb6epF6sGE/Denali%20by%20Enk%20-%20LSi.png" rel="nofollow">portrait version</a><br /><br /><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/TbzarHGrtBI/AAAAAAAAAag/t11J7390I5k/Denali%20KindleImageConverter.jpg" rel="nofollow">Denali - stretched by KindleImageConverter.co.cc</a><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/Tbzaqx1GduI/AAAAAAAAAaY/nbTwcNncUJI/Denali%20Cropped.png" rel="nofollow">portrait version</a><br /><br /><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/Tbzaqk11XCI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/TR8sDCfLESs/Danali%20Simple.png" rel="nofollow">Denali - My simple recipe</a><br /><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/Tb1jSmcxPfI/AAAAAAAAAbg/6wsVJX_7tmk/Danali%20Simple%20-%20LS.png" rel="nofollow">portrait version</a><br /><br /><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/Tbzaq2N0FyI/AAAAAAAAAac/igjht54wO0Q/Denali%20Error%20Diffuse.png" rel="nofollow">Denali - Recipe + error diffusion</a><br /><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_2isaipP7C70/Tb1jTtolSII/AAAAAAAAAbw/FWOXEgpDPhw/Denali%20Error%20Diffuse%20-%20LS.png" rel="nofollow">portrait version</a>MrBookNerdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-22005525943989631922011-05-01T05:30:14.256-07:002011-05-01T05:30:14.256-07:00MrBookNerd,
Thanks for all the examples. No tim...MrBookNerd,<br /> Thanks for all the examples. No time to look yet and probably will on Monday.<br /><br /> You can make html links. Just use the "a href..." type link, don't use target=_blank and then people can click to get to them. To do it with copy paste is time consuming, but so was typing these for us as you did. Still, more people will click on links than will do copy paste. Thanks again.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-10159361909638197062011-04-30T22:24:22.349-07:002011-04-30T22:24:22.349-07:00Hello again, Andrys.
Here is a link to a picasa w...Hello again, Andrys.<br /><br />Here is a link to a picasa web -<br />albumhttps://picasaweb.google.com/Escort4door/KindlePictureExamples?feat=directlink<br />with before and after shots of a wall paper image processed by E-nki, KindleImageConverter.co.cc and me.<br /><br />(Links to the full sized images will be found in a separate post.)<br /><br />E-nki's output on a computer monitor doesn't look anything special. But, when the image is put on a Kindle, its just dreadful. (Due to a bug in Kindle's rendering of 4bit PNGs.)<br /><br />KindleImageConverter.co.cc does a better job with the grey scale - if somewhat lacking in contrast - but it just stretches the image to fit 600 x 800, so results with a landscape format are distorted.<br /><br />I understand where you're coming from when you say, "For me, the clarify tool (in any software) will be used at varied settings based on the size of the image and the degree of sharpness in the shot." But aren't you thinking in terms of tweaking the image to look good as possible on the particular monitor in front of you - your reference system? If the image already renders perfectly on your reference system, then doesn't making the same image render as well as possible on the Kindle becomes not a matter of tweaking but of mere TRANSLATION? Pretty much formulaic math with fixed terms and constants? I think the pictures in the album speak for themselves.MrBookNerdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-23570531526094540612011-04-30T13:24:15.188-07:002011-04-30T13:24:15.188-07:00MrBookNerd,
I'm not surprised re no mention ...MrBookNerd,<br /> I'm not surprised re no mention of gamma correction.<br /><br /> The screen converter utilities are just a quick, automated way to put any sized, colored pic onto your Kindle. They don't promise highest quality, although it looks as if E-nki might put some focus on that.<br /><br /> The Kindle is targeted at people who don't depend on or use computers heavily. Amazon's claim to fame with the Kindle has been that it doesn't require a computer the way other e-readers have.<br /><br /> Getting into all the adjustments you (and I) like to make is entirely different territory but is good added info for an in-depth future column on optimizing the quality of your image on the Kindle, rather than stopping at automating resizing and grayscale. <br /><br /> What's good about the Comments section is we can get a note like yours that will be of interest to those who do want more info on making sure you have higher-quality on the image placed on the Kindle. So, thanks for taking the time to write that out. <br /><br /> It's good advice you gave. As for me, I don't use simple contrast adjustment, which is purely contrast and loses detail. I use Levels adjustment and curves. <br /><br />But it's something that wouldn't fit in this particular article about automated screen utilities for those who don't know about the 'pictures' folder (meaning Amazon intentionally created a feature like that) or how to get the right-sized image on it. Grayscale pics are smaller sized as well.<br /><br /> For me, the clarify tool (in any software) will be used at varied settings based on the size of the image and the degree of sharpness in the shot. But your final point is very good insofar as the difference between the computer and Kindle screen with regard to appearance of the final image. Important if you care about the quality of the image seen on the Kindle.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-51448916026273211842011-04-30T12:16:49.097-07:002011-04-30T12:16:49.097-07:00Thanks, Tom Semple for the suggestion about using ...Thanks, Tom Semple for the suggestion about using PDFs.<br /><br />Andrys, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the importance of gamma correction.<br /><br />If you correct gamma before you increase contrast, you loose fewer subtle distinctions in the less shaded areas of an image on the Kindle.<br /><br />My conversion recipe:<br />1) The image must first look good on my computer monitor.<br />2) Convert to gray scale.<br />3) Apply gamma correction. (1.8 for Kindle 3)<br />4) Apply contrast enhancement. (Paint Shop Pro's Clarify @ 15.0)<br />5) Resize to fit in a 600 x 800 pixel screen.<br /><br />The kindle screen is a 4bit gray scale, NON-GAMMA-CORRECTED, low-contrast device.<br /><br />The low-contrast part is easy to understand - The blackest black isn't very black. And the whitest white isn't very white.<br /><br />But what about NON-GAMMA-CORRECTED?<br />Simply put, gamma is a measure of how evenly the shades of gray are distributed between "black" and "white".<br />If there are 16 shades of gray 0-15, do shades 7 and 8 look:<br /> A) Too light to be at the middle of the scale?<br /> B) Just right? No gamma adjustment is needed.<br /> C) Too dark to be at the middle of the scale?<br /><br />If you load a 256 shades of gray palette image on the kindle -<br />http://verbmall.blogspot.com/2009/06/shades-of-gray.html<br />you can see the middle part of the scale is far too dark on the Kindle. A gamma correction somewhere in the range of 1.8 - 2.0 seems to be about right for the Kindle 3 - making the shades at the middle of the scale look about right.<br /><br />I'd also like to note that if your software includes more than one choice for adjusting contrast, the item simply labeled Contrast or Brightness/Contrast is probably something of a blunt instrument. Your software's other contrast adjustment items are likely capable of better results. Make your judgments as to which is best based on pictures that include those difficult to display smooth gradients - sunsets; skin tones in close-up portrait shot. If your software happens to be Paint Shop Pro, the Clarify tool with a setting of 15.0 seems to be a super contrast enhancement step. The result on the computer screen is every skin blemish stands in sharp contrast. But when the image is moved to the kindle, you get smooth skin tones with little sign of banded gradients.MrBookNerdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-327852746617299632011-04-28T17:41:08.263-07:002011-04-28T17:41:08.263-07:00Thanks for more info on the zip file readability.
...Thanks for more info on the zip file readability.<br /><br /> Re the picture viewer, I have no problem using it, since Kindle 1. It's that the photo display, the quality of the photo as described -- contrast, clarity is something that requires some work if you want it to have some punch. <br /><br /> Will check your blog for any of your entries. Wasn't sure you were keeping it up.<br /><br /> And, yes, I've mentioned D Gorman's fine shortcuts page here, and she's posted here and I have a bookmark to it. Again, i have no problem with the picture viewer navigation or looking at it. <br /><br /> As a hobbyist in photography, what interests me is what the image looks like on the Kindle and that is another world, on e-ink with only 16 basic shade levels as opposed to millions, and the way any e-Ink machine interprets color. <br /><br /> I think it's best to optimize the b/w first and then have the size converted so quickly as can be done, something I do everyday but I don't want to take much time with it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-37614573125077055452011-04-28T17:08:05.638-07:002011-04-28T17:08:05.638-07:00dorachild,
One person reported, on reddit.com th...dorachild,<br /> One person reported, on reddit.com that Cox thought it was a 'phishing' site but others of us haven't had a problem and I have three webbing protectors that don't let me onto sites that are suspected of malicious activity. With all 3, I get no warnings.<br /><br /> The one person having a problem getting to the webpage said s/he "Just went to the site by proxy" and that was fine. Your browser tools allow you to choose but it's normally better to leave that option as-is. Maybe try another browser?<br /><br />Re best image results, the author says:<br /><br /> "As for making good ones, look for pictures that don't have gradients, that is there is no smooth transition of color like in a sunset. <br /> Lots of details or hard cut offs look best. And you really can't tell until it's on the screen. As for the ghosting I've never had that problem, what gen are you using, I have a 3rd gen kindle."<br /><br />In my experience, you have to add contrast to the image before the Kindle shows it particularly well... but it's not necessary.<br /><br />Good luck with accessing the site. I know several hundred have gone onto that site from this blog but I've had this one report of inability to access it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-16650704688109750552011-04-28T16:20:39.105-07:002011-04-28T16:20:39.105-07:00Andrys,
The ability to view images in .zip/.cbz h...Andrys,<br /><br />The ability to view images in .zip/.cbz has been in every Kindle, or at least those since K2. You'll note that Kindle creates a '.manga' sidecar file to store viewing position. Obviously whoever designed the image viewer feature intended to use it for viewing manga image files, which are often stored in .zip or .cbz files. Another clue is the 'Anchor to Top Right/Left' Menu option in the image viewer, since viewing order of manga follows Japanese right-to-left convention. Too bad Amazon has not seen fit to finish the feature, fix a few bugs, and remove it from its 'experimental' ghetto.<br /><br />I'll have to confirm the 'no-delete' of picture folders later - my USB cable is 300 miles away at the moment. <br /><br />I haven't tried e-nki yet but as with other Windows tools my problem has been that my laptop is a mac and I lack sufficient motivation to fire up Fusion just to try them out. But I recently acquired a powerful Windows laptop which will gradually claim more mindshare for photo editing and the like once I have time to set it up. <br /><br />In terms of usability of the picture viewer, it is worth familiarizing yourself with all the Menu/Aa options and the keyboard shortcuts, even though the options you select don't always 'stick' from one viewing session to the next. For a run-down see the blog article I wrote awhile back:<br />http://kindlecookies.blogspot.com/2010/12/image-viewing-on-kindle.html<br /><br />or the more compact description on Dianne Gorman's 'kindle 3 keyboard shortcuts' page:<br />http://blog.diannegorman.net/2010/09/kindle-3-keyboard-shortcuts-et-al/Tom Semplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127272649086914117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-77515565533791601522011-04-28T11:20:33.902-07:002011-04-28T11:20:33.902-07:00dorachild,
Thanks for the regular reading!
Th...dorachild,<br /> Thanks for the regular reading!<br /><br /> The update was re the E-nki links -- that is also an Image Converter.<br /><br /> However, the Kindle Image Converter one works for me. Did you refresh your browser? I think that reddit.com topic on this showed some problems for some people with that site because it's a cheap free site, the author said. <br /><br /> I'll go see if there are workarounds for those who have problems with it.<br /><br /> Thanks for the alert.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-13194264896623834272011-04-28T11:03:01.337-07:002011-04-28T11:03:01.337-07:00Hi Andrys! I am one of your regular readers so I ...Hi Andrys! I am one of your regular readers so I wanted to start by giving you a big thanks.<br /><br />There is still apparently a problem with the link on your website which links your blog to the Kindle Image Converter.<br /><br />I am on your website on 4/28/11 at 1:55 PM local NYC time. On the top of your webpage there is a big red note saying that you updated the link for the Kindle Image Converter. But when I just clicked on the link I received a error message that Firefox could not find the link.<br /><br />Again thanks for all the good work on your blog! :)dorachildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12341241719393484704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-35512739126437400822011-04-28T10:37:10.854-07:002011-04-28T10:37:10.854-07:00Tom, thanks for that info. Probably best for peop...Tom, thanks for that info. Probably best for people to use the organization (via pictures folder) suggested by Amazon in any case and not throw pics into documents (for our own sakes). <br /><br />That's very interesting about the zip file being recognized that way. Which models have you tried it on? Very nice, especially since we can easily use file mgrs to remove individual items from a zip file and that is better for organization as well as saving space and eyes in trying to make out what is where.<br /><br /> As for deleting folder items, maybe you mean something else, but I often delete gifs and they are deleted from the Kindle, not just the home screen.<br /><br />Thanks for PDF idea -- I avoid these as I like to fill my screen with a pic and not load a 'book' of images, not liking the 'speed' (not). "-) and replace individual ones from time to time.<br /> Personally, I don't like the Kindle's default handling of screen images at all. I've had to rework them to get them to show the way I want. With the utilities it's instantaneously good. I may want more contrast, in which case I add some and then replace the other copy.<br /><br />Right that it's good it can be done at all but especially when there are pics I just want to see on it when I want. You have to add a lot of contrast to have them look decent on the Kindle...<br /><br /> Do you have a preference so far between the Kindle image converter tool and the E-nki one ? besides batch handling?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05109282436243758435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-11299262056939487362011-04-27T11:50:00.798-07:002011-04-27T11:50:00.798-07:00The '/pictures' folder is optional. You ca...The '/pictures' folder is optional. You can put pictures in subfolders of '/documents' and it will work the same way.<br /><br />But I prefer to package image files in a .zip archive and drop that into '/documents'. Kindle will open these and launch the image viewer just as if they were in a folder. The advantages are some space savings and the ability to delete the .zip file on the Home screen. By contrast, deleting a picture folder item does not remove any files from your Kindle - just temporarily removes the item from Home screen.<br /><br />Another option is to package images in a PDF file. Then you have access to the PDF viewer features: annotation, contrast adjustment, pan/zoom, save viewing location, page numbers, etc.<br /><br />I've played with several of these utilities, but find they are more fuss than they are worth, at least in terms of my requirements. Kindle's default scaling and greyscale conversion seems 'good enough' for me. And in the end, the image viewer is nothing to write home about. I guess the remarkable thing is that Kindle is able to do it at all, like the proverbial talking dog.Tom Semplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127272649086914117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872447660964013545.post-2641098425747967562011-04-26T19:37:49.384-07:002011-04-26T19:37:49.384-07:00i want the screensaver to freeze on the image oor ...i want the screensaver to freeze on the image oor text I'm looking at right now, not random imagesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com