Books Burning

[fargo]

Maybe this is a stupid idea but I want to burn some pdf files as SVCD and read them on TV screen using my DVD player! I'll make the font big enough and may add synthesis or human narrator to the movie! And if it works, I'll call it Book CD, Visual Book CD, or BCD with Reading (BCDR)

Is it ok to make lots of chapters/tracks for each page so one can use his/her remote control to brows through the book.

I think I can do it using a screen capture program, such as SnagIt, and capture each page of a book while displaying it on Acrobat reader. Then I compile these shsnapshots into mpg movie, add the sound if any, and burn.

What do you think? Any better idea? Is there software for this purpose already?

Thank you

[gmatov]

I think they'll be coming to get you.

I do believe they require the book to be in the public domain, ie, out of copyright, which, today, may be as long as 50 years aftert the death of the author, mebbe even longer.

Good luck..

Usually, I suppose, you would scan, then use an OCR program, about 95% accurate, then proofread, then collate, then print, to file, if nothing else.
Then a text to speech program.

As I say, good luck,

Cheers,

George

[Craig Tucker]

Would it not be easier to just read the book

[haloblack]

Maybe this is a stupid idea

Most great hacks start out that way.

It sounds like a good concept, but I'm not sure how it'll work out. Putting aside my belief that nothing will ever replace an actual book in your hands, I think the biggest problem you'll have is readability and eye strain. Text won't look nearly as good on a TV as on a PC monitor, so you'll have to make the font pretty big unless you're using an HDTV or something. Big fonts = less text on screen, so you're looking at turning the average 200 page book into 1,000 screens of text (and yes, I pulled those numbers out of thin air, but I think you see my point.)

But all that said, I'd still like to see you try it. For some purposes it might end up being not only workable, but really useful. If nothing else, you've tried and learned something new.

Give it a shot and let us know what happens.

[BobV]

Its allmost spring. Buy the book or print the PFD file then at least go outside to read it. I think you may need the fresh air.

[SquirrelDip]

If you are able to read the book then read the book - I think you're nuts for trying.

However... If you are doing this for someone who is incapable of holding a book but able to read then give it a try - let us know how it turns out.