Pixelar E-Reader
The Pixelar E-Reader is a rebranded Hanlin V3. It is marketed and sold in the UK by Pixelar at http://www.pixelar.co.uk/ebook.php
Hanlin V3
- Made by: Jinke
- Released: October 2007
- Predecessor: Hanlin V2b
- Languages Supported: English, Chinese, Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, Bulgarian, Estonian, Polish
- File Types Supported: PDF, TXT, RTF, EPUB, LIT, PPT, WOLF, DOC, CHM, FB2, HTML, DJVU, MP3, TIFF, JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG, RAR, ZIP, MOBI/PRC
Contents |
Overview
The V3 is a portable electronic device specifically for reading applications. Its stable, high-brightness makes for excellent readability both indoors AND outdoors. The 6-inch e Ink display (EPD) contains 800 x 600 pixels and supports 4 levels of grayscale. The product has a SD card slot on the top of the device, memory extension up to 4GB. Connection to PC/laptop: via USB-cable. The USB connection is also used for charging the device.
The V3 is a very low power mobile device, specifically designed for reading applications. The operating time of the rechargeable battery is about a month without recharging, based on an average use of 300 pages reading a day. The device supports multi-level directory management.
There is also a newer V3+ made available in March 2010. However the V3 still has a strong following particularly with regard to third party applications which are not yet available for the V3+.
Specifications
Dimensions | 184mm(L)×120.5mm(W)×9.9mm(H) - 7.2"×4.7"×0.39" |
Weight | 210g (4.7oz) |
Main Display | 6" E Ink, 600 x 800 pixel 167 ppi |
Display Dimensions | 12.25cm(L)×9.15cm(W) |
Storage | Internal/SD Card |
Memory | SDRAM : 32M Byte, Internal 2M NOR FLASH; newer versions (V3ext) have 512MB internal Flash Disk for eBook Storage. 64MB for firmware flash. |
Battery | Li-ion 950mAh |
I/O | A. 3.5mm stereo audio jack for earphone, B. USB 1.1 Port, C. SD slot (supports up to 4GB but known to work with larger SDHC cards) |
Working Temperature | 0℃ to 40℃ |
Storage Temperature | -20℃ to 55℃ |
Format Support | PDF, TXT, RTF, EPUB, LIT, PPT, WOLF, DOC, CHM, FB2, HTML, DJVU, MP3, TIFF, JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG, RAR, ZIP, MOBI. |
Operating System | Linux OS |
Hardware | CPU: Samsung ARM9 200MHz |
Accessories | USB cable, charger, User Manual, Earphone |
SDK
There is a SDK available at the Jinke site to help further develop the possibilities of the V3.
History
This is the current E Ink 6" eBook Reader from Jinke. Current products include a progression of V8 to V2 to V2b to V3. The V2 and V2b are not available to individuals currently. The V8 uses the Wolf OS, the V2 replaces the Wolf OS with Linux and adds direct support for many files types without a converter. The V2B drops the touch screen and the V3 adds the E Ink Vizplex display.
See Also
- HanLin eBook for an overview of the Jinke ebook readers
- Jinke site - description of the V3
- For specifications on the display technology see: E Ink display
- To compare this device with other E-INK devices see: E-book Reader Matrix
- to compare the capabilities for each file format see Hanlin eBook formats
- Openinkpot is an alternative free/open source firmware.
- Where to Buy?
Firmware upgrades
Version 2.0
- Allows users to install their own fonts to use with the device in most formats
- Basic support for DRM protected Mobipocket has been added. Does not support user installed fonts.
Version 2.01
V3 update Hanlin V2.01EN 2008-11-21
- The .PDB PalmDOC file format is added.
- The PDF parser is updated to version 7. (non DRM, but supports password protection)
- The EPUB parser is updated. It now supports catalog/index.
- The CHM parser is updated, it now supports flowing display.
- Update makeup effectuation of mobi files.
V2.01EN 2008-12-04 published with the following set of changes:
- Add pdb parser
- Update chm parser
- Update pdf parser
- Update epub parser
- Support pdb files which use "REAd" as create id
- Improve Mobipocket format.
Version 2.02
V2.02EN 2009-1-20
- Support fonts change in MOBI READER.
- Update HTML parser, TXT parser and PDB parser.
Version 2.10
V3update Hanlin V2.10 2009-08-03
- Support ADOBE DRM. Support PDF reflow.
- Support ADE recognition and device activation.
- Support mobi files without DRM.
- Support 5 X zoom in PDF and EPUB files.
- This version does not support Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Version 2.20
V3update 2.20EN 2009-11-24
- Support 9 X zoom in PDF and EPUB files.
- This version does not support PDF files in Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
- Support date and time setting. The settings can not be saved if you shutdown the device. If you restart the device the date will revert to the default value that is "2009-11-01".
- Support Swedish and Thai in language settings.
BeBook upgrades
- Anti-aliasing for the Mobipocket standard.
- Some small improvements to the Mobipocket standard.
- Finetuned anti-aliasing for the Mobipocket standard.
- Improved .txt support regarding display of 'special' characters (i.e. characters with accents).
Firmware locations
The following are official firmware sites for HANLIN V3 & clones
- Hanlin V3
- LBook (Russian pages) (you can find alternative firmwares in the Russian page)
- Pixelar
- BeBook
- Astak EZ Reader
- Papyre 6.1
Dealers and OEM customers
- Walkbook - The Walkbook site has some Wolf eBooks for download.
- lBook eReader - Ukraine version LBook with special firmware.
- Iscriptum - European source for lBook.
- Grammata - Spanish Hanlin V3 clone Papyre 6.1. Also accessible as Papyre
- Apollo Hanlin V3 - Spanish Dealer
- UK distributer using the Hanlin name.
- Pixelar another UK distributor.
- BEBOOK by the Dutch company "Endless Ideas". The have PDF files formatted for a 6" screen at the Bebook site.
- EZ READER from Astak. See also EZ Reader.
- Bulgarian distributor of lBook eReader.
- Polish distributor of BeBook Reader
- Austrian Dealer
- Pixelar_E-Reader - An UK version.
- KOLIBRI V3 - Slovene version - web site in English, Deutsch, Slovenščina, and Hrvatski
- Cyberport Germany - German Version - web site in German, English
- www.jinke.cz - Czech version - web site in Czech, set up by Czech internet seller accomp
- koobe - Hungarian version - web site in Hungarian
- Central Book Services - ECO Reader - Australian version
- AdLibris Letto Swedish version, associated with BeBook company (Website in nordic languages)
HowTo
How to update V3
- Step 1. Download update package. This is available directly from Jinke or from some of the dealer. Note that in some cases the dealers version will be customized.
- Step 2. Unzip (Unrar) the V3 update pack, and copy files into the root of SD card.
- a. The storage capacity of the SD card should be less than 1GB or equal to 1GB; It must be larger than 128MB, so this means the smallest card you can use is 256MB. Some unofficial user reports on the mybebook forum claim that some 2GB cards also work.
- b. The SD card must be FAT 16.
- Step 3. Insert the SD card into the V3.
- Step 4. Hold to press V+ button (Volume up button, which is on the top of the right side of the device), switch on the device (If the battery is not full, please connect the charger.)
- Step 5. The update interface appears and presses OK to begin the update. And wait until it is finished.
- Step 6. Reset V3.
How to change font library
- First you should create a directory "fonts" on SD card root directory. Copy your font library (*.ttf) to this directory ("SD:\fonts") and insert SD card to V3.
On the device:
- Step 1. Enter bookshelf.
- Step 2. Press "OK button" and pop-up menu will be shown.
- Step 3. Select the "Settings" option to enter the system settings interface.
- Step 4. Press "Number3 button" to enter the font replacement interface.
- Step 5. Select the font according by tapping the figure corresponding button. (Make sure the fonts library is suitable)
- Step 6. If you do not like your own font library, you can restore system default font library by the same way.
How to use user fonts in MOBI files
Support fonts change in MOBI READER.
Notice: MOBIREADER support replace outside font library. Method:
- 1). Put font library in SD:/fonts/ under index or built-in/storage:/fonts/ index
- 2). The name of the font library should abide by:
- XXXX.TTF Normal font
- XXXXBI.TTF Bold italic font
- XXXXBD.TTF Bold font
- XXXXI.TTF Italic font
- Or
- xxxx.ttf Normal font
- xxxxbi.ttf Bold italic font
- xxxxbd.ttf Bolf font
- xxxxi.ttf Italic font
The file name should be all in capital letters or small letters and the 4 font libraries should be complete. Otherwise it will be regarded as non-complete font library, and won’t be displayed in the list of MOBI READER font library. (lower case is preferred)
How to read the encrypted PDF file
- For example, for a PDF file named a.pdf, open a notepad (txt) file, and enter into the password and save the file as a.pwd file.
- Copy the a.pwd file into the same folder of a.pdf file, then the encrypted a.pdf file can be read.
How to read a MOBI eBooks from the Library
This applies to firmware versions that support MOBI with DRM. Note: This is not needed versions that support ADE DRM used on ePUB and PDF.
For Library eBook checkout you need to have the correct date and time on your eBook Reader.
- Download and expand the zip file to settime.exe.fb2 (the extension should be .fb2). Save unzipped file to your SD card, then go to the bookshelf and open settime.exe.fb2
- You will see the menu for making the changes. DO NOT PRESS "Cancel" BUTTON on your BeBook during this process. If you do so, you will not harm the device, but you will need to reset it by pressing the reset button on the back of BeBook. You will see the spinning symbol making it appear that the file is still loading, this is normal, go ahead and navigate as below.
- keys 1 and 2 select the thing that you want to change (hour, min, year, OK, etc)
- keys 4, 5 and 9, 0 do the increment or decrement for the selected field.
- Cancel -- exit without saving.
- Ok -- save and exit.
- The time and date will be saved in the BeBook memory only until you switch it off. There is no backup battery inside so that information (the configured time/date) cannot be kept or preserved. Just put your BeBook into 'standby mode' with the short press of the power button, this will not run down your battery as fast as leaving it on.
How to replace the battery
The battery is easily replaced with a Nokia BL4c or BL5c phone battery. The BL4c battery is rated at 860 mAh and the BL5c is rated at 1020 mAh. The BL5c is slightly thicker and will make the battery compartment lid bulge slightly, however it will still shut and is not noticeable once the ebook is in the leather cover.
To replace, just remove the screw and open the compartment on the back.
Software
Software is likely not to work on V3+
- Hanlin FBreader - FBreader for Hanlin V3
- Hanlin Fonts - Custom fonts for Hanlin V3
- Full featured DJVU reader - MobileRead forum
- Leo's Wikipedia Reader - MobileRead forum - Only one person has claimed to make this work and he is not sharing.
- Leo's Void - An Astronomy program (Planetarium) - MobileRead forum
- Leo's SDK which was used to create the Wikipedia Reader and Planetarium. There are also binaries for sudoku, gnuchess frontend, dictionary.
- OpenInkpot is a replacement OS that will work on the V3.