PDF to XTC
A PDF in, a book your Xteink opens instantly out: pages cut to the screen, text kept sharp in four grays.
- Xteink X4, X4 Classic
- 480 × 800
- 4 grays
- .xtch
The preview is the converted page, pixel for pixel.
Choose a PDF 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 PDF 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.
- Margins are trimmed
- The white border around the printed page is measured on every page and cut, so the text uses the full screen instead of a 4-inch rectangle inside a 7-inch page.
- Text stays text
- The PDF's own glyphs are drawn at the screen's exact size, not rescaled from a screenshot. A 10 px serif in the PDF becomes a crisp 4-gray serif on the reader.
- About 96 KB a screen
- 4 grays cost 96 KB per screen, black and white 48 KB, whatever the source looked like. A 300-page PDF in Fit width is around 55 MB.
- Chapters come from bookmarks
- The PDF's bookmark tree, two levels deep, becomes the chapter menu, pointing at the right screen even when one page is split across several.
- Nothing is uploaded
- pdf.js reads the file in the tab and the book is written there. It works with the network off once the page has loaded.
Which layout for which PDF
| Layout | Pages are mostly | |
|---|---|---|
| Novel or ebook made as a PDF | Whole page or Fit width | Text |
| Paper, manual, textbook (small print, two columns) | Sideways | Text |
| Scanned book | Fit width | Scans & pictures |
| Comic or manga as a PDF | Whole page | Scans & pictures |
What the converter does to each page
- Trims margins the same on every page, measured across the book (odd and even pages apart), so the text doesn't jump in size on a short last page.
- Cuts between lines in Fit width and Sideways, so no line of text is split across two screens.
- Keeps letters clean: text pages use the 4 grays without dither dots; scans and pictures are dithered like our wallpapers.
- Sizes for your model: 480×800 for the X4 and X4 Pro, 528×792 for the X3.
Want a sleep screen to go with it? Make one from the cover or any picture with the Xteink wallpaper converter.
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
›What is an XTC file?
XTC is Xteink's book format: every page is stored as a ready-made picture at the screen's exact size, so the reader just shows it. XTC pages are black and white; XTCH pages have 4 grays. CrossPoint, CrossInk and Xteink's own firmware open them.
›XTC or XTCH: which should I pick?
XTCH (4 grays) gives smoother letters and pictures and is the better default. XTC (black and white) makes files half the size and turns pages a little faster. Some X4 Pro batches only show black and white; on those, pick XTC.
›Why not convert the PDF to EPUB instead?
Turning a PDF back into flowing text breaks tables, formulas, columns and pictures, and needs a server or a big program. Converting the pages as pictures keeps the layout exactly as printed. For small print, Fit width or Sideways makes the text large enough on a 4-inch screen.
›The text is too small. What can I do?
Choose Fit width: the page fills the screen's width and continues on the next screen, cut between lines. Sideways is bigger still: hold the reader on its side and each line is 800 pixels wide. Darker text helps thin fonts.
›Does it work with scanned PDFs?
Yes. Choose Scans & pictures so the pages are dithered like a photo, and raise Contrast if the paper looks gray. Very dark scans read better with a lower Darker text setting.
›Are chapters kept?
Yes. The PDF's bookmarks (two levels) become the chapter list in the reader's menu, pointing at the right screen even when a page is split. A PDF without bookmarks has no chapter list.
›How big is the file?
About 96 KB a screen in 4 grays and 48 KB in black and white, whatever the PDF looked like. A 300-page book in Fit width (about 2 screens a page) is around 55 MB in 4 grays. That's fine for an SD card; choose a page range for a quick test.
›Does it work on stock Xteink firmware?
XTC is the format Xteink made for its readers, and CrossPoint and CrossInk read both XTC and XTCH. We haven't yet confirmed XTCH or the X3's 528×792 size on stock firmware. If a file doesn't open on stock, try Black & white (.xtc), and tell us what happened.
›Is my PDF uploaded?
No. pdf.js reads it inside your browser tab and the book is written there too. Nothing is sent to a server, so it also works for private documents.
›Is it free?
Yes, with no sign-up, no watermark and no page limit.