Authorising PRS-T1 with Adobe DE &/or Reader for PC - does it matter which ?

[ColBla]

Newbie here folks so please be gentle ! Words below are a bit long-winded but I'm trying to give as much info as I can.

I have just bought a new PRS-T1 and am not sure if I've set up the software correctly, so grateful for any hints. I have:

1. Downloaded Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) on my PC.

2. Obtained an Adobe ID & authorised the PC.

3. Connected the PRS-T1 via USB, selected "data transfer" on the Reader, and opened ADE.

4. At this point, something seems to go wrong. The ADE Help Page says I should get an automatic dialogue inviting me to authorise the Reader, but I don't get that nor is there any way to open it manually. Adobe tech support say I should get a dialogue if I use Ctrl-shift-E, but that does nothing. I still get a blank ADE window. So I cannot authorise the Reader via ADE. I have a support case running with them about why ADE is behaving like that.

5. At this point I wondered about the Sony proprietary "Reader for PC" (R4PC) software, so I back-loaded that from the Reader and installed it, including a Reader software update.

6. R4PC recognised that the PC was already authorised, and - wonderful ! - invited me to authorise the Reader, so I did that. The Reader now shows "Authorised for DRM" in the relevant "about" screen.

7. I've proved the DRM seems to be working OK by downloading a couple of books from my local library. R4PC handled all that without (as far as I can see) ADE playing any part in it - although my library insisted I had to have ADE installed

8. But when I go back to ADE, still nothing happens. It's like ADE simply doesn't recognise there's a Reader plugged in, it's just a piece of dead software. I've tried various options of opening ADE before and after I've connected/strarted the Reader, but it's just blank. I have added the library books to it, but can't move them to the Reader because ADE doesn't think the Reader exists.

It looks as if there's some kind of glitch between ADE & the PRS-T1 which stops ADE working properly. Not sure whether that's by accident on my setup or maybe deliberately by Sony to force you to use R4PC. My questions revolve around "Does it matter if ADE doesn't recognise the Reader ?". Is there a difference between authorising the Reader via ADE or R4PC ? If so, are there any circumstances in which this might be a problem ? If not, can I uninstall ADE without affecting any functionality ?

Thanks in advance.

[carpetmojo]

All I know is - to use technical terms which some people not too "up"  on the new technologies might not understand - I've always done something with Adobe , as far as I know what the manual tells me to, and I'm on  my 3rd Sony so far - and all are still doing what they're supposed to,  just fine.

Yes, even the T1. I have got a few works wifi-ly, but mostly I use the PC, and if you do have problems you could always use Calibre to get you by until the Sony Store "opens".

Quite naturally, when this does come on-line Sony would prefer you are using R4PC because I suppose you might be more likely to shop at the Sony Store ?

But I'm not privy to Sony's overall global marketing strategy.

[sehuxle]

Just a follow up to the 'do you need ADE or not' installed if you use R4PC

Well I installed R4PC and I can see nowhere that allows you to enter your Adobe ID. So I assume you still need ADE installed.

However it looks like R4PC takes the authorisation from ADE, as in the help option it shows my ID.

[ColBla]

Can't claim to be an expert here, but I think what's going on is that you must authorise your PC (and any mobile device) with your Adobe ID and it doesn't seem to matter too much how you do that, the end result is independent of whichever method you used. You seem to be able to use several apps - ADE, R4PC, and probably others (Calibre ?). Once you've authorised it using one of these, that seems to show up with the others as already authorised and you don't have to do it in each app. So if your PC is already authorised using one of these, any other one won't prompt you to authorise because there's no need. I think.

In my case, I used ADE to authorise my PC but when I plugged in my shiny new PRS-T1 ADE simply didn't recognise it and I didn't get the prompt. After a bit of head-scratching I tried R4PC instead: this told me firstly that my PC was already authorised ('cos I'd done it with ADE) and secondly it prompted me to authorise my Reader, so I did. End result seems to be what I need, but the way of getting there wasn't what I expected. Hence my original query "Does it matter which one you use to authorise your mobile device ?". The query's kind of OBE now, because I now understand I can't use ADE and have to use R4PC to manage my downloads, and transfer to the Reader.

What's interesting is that both Adobe & Sony have told me ADE won't work with the PRS-T1, and there are other examples in this forum of people reporting the same thing ... but there are also examples of people reporting that it does work. No, I don't understand either.

[sehuxle]

I think for the clarity of new users, you must authorise your PC first using ADE. At present R4PC will not do this.

Once done you can use R4PC to authorise the reader itself, also note that Calibre will not do either.

Message was edited by: sehuxle

Message was edited by: sehuxle

[pevanza30]

Hello,

I use an e-reader since a year, with Adobe Digital Editions, and it works great.

First start ADE, then connect the reader and it shows up in the library list fine, the can drag-and-drop books to the reader, when i click on the reader i see the content.

I just bought a PRS-T1 for my wife, great device, better than what i have myself but it refused to show up in ADE so i had to install R4PC that imediatedly found my Adobe-ID and the reader worked fine via R4PC but it still refuses to show in ADE which I do not like since I now have 2 programs to manage the ebooks,, bugger.

I can drag-and-drop ebooks from the ADE folder into the form of R4PC and theyt do show up there and can sync them onto the PRS-T1,, stll a work-around.

What is wrong here?

Well, i noticed that y own reader acts as a memory stick, i can copy files from PC onto the reader, no problem, so i have write-access.  When I try same with the PRS-T1 it does NOT work,, it is read-only.

So, Sony hs protected the access to the PRS-T1,, you can read files from it but not write, only R4PC is allowed to do that.  I must say I find that not very fair.  This DRM stuff is good, I can only comply,, but what limit the use of DRM protected files by having it managed only with the Sont software?

We need a 'trick'that allows us access to the PRS-T1 write-enabled,, i bet it then shows up in ADE.

Who would know if that is possible?

Peter

PS  I must say I am a fan of the PRS-T1 so no comment on the product, comment on the supporting software,, YES..

[carpetmojo]

Just to say that I've never actually used Adobe, as a management system, on any of the Sonys I've got.

I used to use Reader, until I found Calibre, and I can use the wifi on the T1 - but again, I don't actually use Adobe [ knowingly !! :smileyblush: ] as a system at all.

But whether it's necessary.... I give up, rather. :smileygrin:

[sehuxle]

Ok, still confusing info

So to clarify, in order to read DRM purchased ebooks the device whether PC or reader MUST be authorised with an Adobe ID, just to repeat it MUST BE AUTHORISED WITH AN ADOBE ID

The minimum requirement is to have ADE installed on your PC. After that you can use ADE or R4PC to authorise your reader.

Once done you do not need ADE to manage your books.

One thing to add is the above only applies if you buy books on your PC and then wish to transfer them via a USB cable to your reader.