EPUB to XTC
An EPUB in, a book with every page already typeset out: your font, your size, pages that turn instantly.
- Xteink X4, X4 Classic
- 480 × 800
- 4 grays
- .xtch
The preview is the converted page, pixel for pixel.
Choose an EPUB first; it opens here, nothing is uploaded.
How to open it on the reader
- CrossPoint or CrossInk: copy the .xtch file to the SD card (any folder) or send it with File Transfer, then open it from the file browser. Chapters are under the reader menu.
- Stock firmware: XTC is Xteink's own book format. Copy the file to the SD card and open it from the file list. We haven't confirmed .xtch and the X3 size on stock yet; if a file won't open, try Black & white (.xtc).
A book that comes out wrong? Tell us. We read everything.
What it does to the file
Everything below can be checked against the file you get back.
- Typeset once, here
- Line breaking, hyphenation and justification run in the browser, so the reader only has to show a picture. That is why the pages turn instantly.
- The trade
- Because the pages are fixed, the font size is fixed too: change it and you convert again. That is the cost of instant page turns and exact typography.
- Hyphenation in 20 languages
- The hyphenation dictionary follows the book's language. Justified text without it leaves rivers of white space on a 480-pixel screen.
- About 96 KB a screen
- The same budget as the PDF converter: 96 KB per screen in 4 grays, 48 KB in black and white.
EPUB or XTC on an Xteink?
| EPUB | XTC / XTCH from here | |
|---|---|---|
| Page turns | The reader lays out each page | Instant: pages are ready-made |
| Font size on the device | Changeable | Fixed (convert again to change) |
| Typography | Depends on the firmware | Literata, hyphenation, even spacing |
| Complex layouts | Better | Simplified |
Prefer to keep the EPUB? The EPUB optimizer fixes covers and images without changing the format.
No Xteink yet, or want a second one? The X4, X4 Pro and X3 are sold on xteink.com. Already have one? There are magnetic cases for the X4, X4 Pro and X3, and a charging stand that fits all three. Those are affiliate links: if you buy through one, einktools earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Questions
›Why convert an EPUB to XTC if the reader opens EPUB?
An XTC book is typeset in advance, so pages turn instantly and look exactly as you set them: a font made for screens, hyphenation, justified text and your margins. The reader only shows pictures. The cost is that you can't change the font size on the device; convert again for that.
›XTC or XTCH?
XTCH (4 grays) draws smoother letters and is the better default. XTC (black and white) is half the size and turns pages a little faster, and suits X4 Pro batches that only show black and white.
›Are chapters kept?
Yes. The book's table of contents becomes the chapter list in the reader's menu, each entry pointing at the page where the chapter starts.
›What gets simplified?
Text, headings, italics, bold, quotes, lists and pictures come through. Tables become rows of text, and footnotes stay where they are in the text. Novels and most non-fiction look right; books built around complex layouts are better read as EPUB.
›Does it work with Kindle or DRM-protected books?
No. DRM-protected books can't be converted. DRM-free EPUBs (Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks, many shops) work.
›Which languages are hyphenated?
English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, the Nordic languages, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Russian, Ukrainian, Catalan and Turkish, from the book's language setting. Other languages are set without hyphenation.
›Is it free?
Yes, with no sign-up and no limit. Your books never leave your computer.