Show HN: Epub.to – ePub to pdf, mobi, Kindle, and an API • Hacker News Board

I'd think I'll stick with the tried and true `ebook-convert` tool from Calibre, and pandoc. There's no sense uploading your documents to a third party when that's not necessary.

Re: Show HN: Epub.to – ePub to pdf, mobi, Kindle, and an API

#5

Post by LiberatedLlama » Sat, Feb 06, 2021, 7:49 PM UTC

rhino369 wrote: post #2

Nice tool. I thought kindle files were mobi? Any difference?

There are a few "kindle formats"; the most basic of which are just mobi files. Generate a mobi file and any kindle should be able to load it fine.

Re: Show HN: Epub.to – ePub to pdf, mobi, Kindle, and an API

#6

Post by kemayo » Sat, Feb 06, 2021, 7:50 PM UTC

rhino369 wrote: post #2

Nice tool. I thought kindle files were mobi? Any difference?

Kindle has jumped around in formats over the years. It's been AZW (which is basically mobi), AZW3, and now KFX. I assume that KFX is what this tool is calling "Kindle".

Re: Show HN: Epub.to – ePub to pdf, mobi, Kindle, and an API

#7

Post by davidhbolton » Sat, Feb 06, 2021, 7:51 PM UTC

rhino369 wrote: post #2

Nice tool. I thought kindle files were mobi? Any difference?

The ones with DRM are .azw, basically an encrypted .mobi. Calibre is your friend. https://calibre-ebook.com/

Re: Show HN: Epub.to – ePub to pdf, mobi, Kindle, and an API

#8

Post by nadermx » Sat, Feb 06, 2021, 7:52 PM UTC

kemayo wrote: post #6

rhino369 wrote: post #2

Nice tool. I thought kindle files were mobi? Any difference?

Kindle has jumped around in formats over the years. It's been AZW (which is basically mobi), AZW3, and now KFX. I assume that KFX is what this tool is calling "Kindle".

It currently does AZW3 for kindle, but I will add in the sub option to choose from those three formats.

Re: Show HN: Epub.to – ePub to pdf, mobi, Kindle, and an API

#9

Post by codazoda » Sat, Feb 06, 2021, 7:52 PM UTC

rhino369 wrote: post #2

Nice tool. I thought kindle files were mobi? Any difference?

> A file with the .MOBI file extension is used for storing eBooks. It was originally a Mobipocket Reader format but has since been adopted by several different readers as well. Amazon purchased Mobipocket in 2005, and later discontinued the MOBI format in 2011.

> The current Kindle formats (AZW3, KF8, and KFX) are based on MOBI and is a proprietary format exclusively used on Kindle devices. And, in fact, you can still open files with the MOBI format directly on your Kindle

https://www.howtogeek.com/360419/what-is-a-mobi-file/

If you want to write a Kindle book, checkout my book, Publish Your eBook by Joel Dare.

https://www.amazon.com/Publish-Kindle-write-ebook-software-e...

Re: Show HN: Epub.to – ePub to pdf, mobi, Kindle, and an API

#10

Post by LiberatedLlama » Sat, Feb 06, 2021, 7:52 PM UTC

zigzaggy wrote: post #3

Can I use this to change my purchased kindle books into ebooks for all devices? I’m somewhat tech literate, but pretty ignorant about e-book file types.

Search for "Apprentice Alf" for a DRM stripping plugin for Calibre. This is how I liberated my kindle library. Once you've stripped the DRM, you can freely convert them to epub.