Can anyone recommend a reliable service that can convert a paperback to pdf?

I would recommend to do a Google search first.

Just type the Title of the Book and the last name of the Author and add PDF.

Chances are that what you are looking for is already available in PDF-format (and for older publications say 25-30 years old and currently not available anymore, often available for FREE).

If it's a document on your computer, you have 3 options;

Print as PDF

Export as PDF

Save as PDF

All of these options will create a pdf file.

If the document is not on your computer and searching for the document in google as suggested above does not work, then simply scanning the pages of the book on your scanner will automatically create a PDF file if you choose the scanning text option on the sscanner.

 

Nitro, or Adobe Acrobat DC are only two that allow you to change a file into any other format.

 

   If you have a book that you would like as a PDF, you need to scan it in, then you have the option to convert it. 

 

Please see: https://smoothsolutions.com/convert-books-pdf-files/

4 hours ago, teacherclaire said:

Nitro, or Adobe Acrobat DC are only two that allow you to change a file into any other format.

 

   If you have a book that you would like as a PDF, you need to scan it in, then you have the option to convert it. 

 

Please see: https://smoothsolutions.com/convert-books-pdf-files/

clicking save as .pdf on microsoft word is the easiest

...yet another option to 'scanning' would be to buy an edition of the book in an electronic reader format (ala Kindle).

46 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

clicking save as .pdf on microsoft word is the easiest

I need more options, for example making images out of a PDF. Changing MS Office files alone is easy.

 

    And there are NITRO, or Acrobat DC outstanding. 

 

NITRO Trial: https://www.gonitro.com/pro/try

Is it something confidential/sensitive or just a paper book you could buy anywhere?

Check if it's available as a .epub or .mobi or . azw3 file for use on an ebook  and then use Calibre to convert it to .pdf

I am very grateful for all the helpful replies. I hope this single post will answer all the questions raised.

 

The book does not exist as a pdf (or any other non paper version except Kindle). Amazon etc charge too much for a paperback version. There is an online service which will convert to pdf but again it is expensive. My hope is to get a cheaper deal in Bangkok (there always seems to be a Thai somewhere who can do anything for a reasonable price).

 

I have one old paperback version which I am loathe to let out of my sight or risk destruction in the scanning process. I think my best bet is to track down a second paperback at a reasonable price and go from there. It is not something stocked in the average bookshop.

 

Kindle is available but even if affordable would not be appropriate as I need to share the content with a few friends. There was a site offering a free download as pdf but on closer investigation it turned out to be a scam.

13 minutes ago, ianh68 said:

I am very grateful for all the helpful replies. I hope this single post will answer all the questions raised.

Hi, check out this short tutorial to make use of the FREE Calibre software. 

 

 

You can simply write the name of the book you are looking for, and the software will provide you with an overview of all e-book formats in which it is available. 

If one of those is free for download in an e-format you can then download it (even if you do not have the program for reading it in that program).  And then you can use Calibre to convert it into any other format, including PDF.

This should do the trick...

29 minutes ago, ianh68 said:

The book does not exist as a pdf (or any other non paper version except Kindle).

8 Ways to Convert Kindle Books to PDF (Mac, Android, iOS, Windows)

 

How to convert a Kindle book to PDF

 

Kindle should be plenty "affordable" enough in terms of time and costs to scan the book manually. Quality will be far better, no issues about optical recognition later.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, ianh68 said:

The book does not exist as a pdf (or any other non paper version except Kindle)

If the book exists for Kindle then Calibre mentioned above converts to PDF.

15 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Is it something confidential/sensitive or just a paper book you could buy anywhere?

No it’s Penthouse edition 36 and it’s extremely rare ????

Regards

Hugh

On 11/17/2020 at 9:54 AM, ianh68 said:

Can anyone recommend a reliable service that can convert a paperback to pdf?

Use scanner app to convert your paper to PDF. 

3 hours ago, Digitalbanana said:

If the book exists for Kindle then Calibre mentioned above converts to PDF.

Calibre is good but it only works on Windows 8 and 10 and I am still using Windows 7 ????

1 hour ago, ianh68 said:

Calibre is good but it only works on Windows 8 and 10 and I am still using Windows 7 ????

 

Wrong ????

 

https://download.calibre-ebook.com/3.48.0 works with Windows 7.

If the Kindle version is too expensive and you’re afraid scanning it may damage the book, just copy the text, type it into any word processor. Really cheap option. 

On 11/17/2020 at 11:08 AM, 2530Ubon said:

hen simply scanning the pages of the book on your scanner will automatically create a PDF file if you choose the scanning text option on the sscanner.

Unless it is War & Peace you are wanting as a pdf. You'd need a 10 TB drive!   lol 555

15 minutes ago, androokery said:

If the Kindle version is too expensive and you’re afraid scanning it may damage the book, just copy the text, type it into any word processor. Really cheap option. 

 

While I question someone who doesn't want to pay the Kindle book fee but "needs to share it with a few friends", an additional option would be to use a smartphone with an application such as Google LENS to capture the text (the equivalent of having the book 'scanned'). Page turning tedious, but cheap.

1 hour ago, RichCor said:

 

While I question someone who doesn't want to pay the Kindle book fee but "needs to share it with a few friends", an additional option would be to use a smartphone with an application such as Google LENS to capture the text (the equivalent of having the book 'scanned'). Page turning tedious, but cheap.

Microsoft also has Lens software that cleans up the page and gets it into proper shape. Used it for photocopying in the past (true, used P30 Pro from Huawei as camera) but the results were actually better than a photocopy when printing it out. Some, like Adobe Acrobat have an option to OCR the text and make searchable PDF output from camera.

Please share the title of the book. 

5 hours ago, RichCor said:

 

While I question someone who doesn't want to pay the Kindle book fee but "needs to share it with a few friends", an additional option would be to use a smartphone with an application such as Google LENS to capture the text (the equivalent of having the book 'scanned'). Page turning tedious, but cheap.

The $20 DIY Book Scanner

 

Quite a DIY book scanners to be found via Google search, but most too elaborate for a one-off.

 

12 hours ago, ianh68 said:

I am very grateful for all the helpful replies. I hope this single post will answer all the questions raised.

 

The book does not exist as a pdf (or any other non paper version except Kindle). Amazon etc charge too much for a paperback version. There is an online service which will convert to pdf but again it is expensive. My hope is to get a cheaper deal in Bangkok (there always seems to be a Thai somewhere who can do anything for a reasonable price).

 

I have one old paperback version which I am loathe to let out of my sight or risk destruction in the scanning process. I think my best bet is to track down a second paperback at a reasonable price and go from there. It is not something stocked in the average bookshop.

 

Kindle is available but even if affordable would not be appropriate as I need to share the content with a few friends. There was a site offering a free download as pdf but on closer investigation it turned out to be a scam.

I had a similar issue and used this:

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/handheld-portable-a4-book-document-photo-scanner-300dpi-600dpi900dpi-pdfjpeg-selection-iscan-handy-mobile-i334814912-s649088089.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.1.289560a3Df64jp&search=1

On 11/18/2020 at 8:26 AM, ianh68 said:

The book does not exist as a pdf (or any other non paper version except Kindle).

A bit of a definitive statement. I find it a bit hard to believe that if it has been converted for Kindle it is not available in electronic form elsewhere.

I sourced a large number of books for my niece during her time at uni and appreciate it can be a bit tedious.

Google is the obvious approach, but have you tried the torrent search engines.

4 hours ago, sandyf said:

A bit of a definitive statement. I find it a bit hard to believe that if it has been converted for Kindle it is not available in electronic form elsewhere.

I sourced a large number of books for my niece during her time at uni and appreciate it can be a bit tedious.

Google is the obvious approach, but have you tried the torrent search engines.

He did not want to tell us the title, so I guess it is kind of secret magic book he do not want to share with us ... but do not have a clue how to convert ????

On 11/17/2020 at 5:00 PM, 2530Ubon said:

clicking save as .pdf on microsoft word is the easiest

 

 

Im holding a paperback here, now. 

 

Please show me where the print to pdf option is.

 

This is great news, I actually have hundreds of books at home and now i can store them electronically by placing a usb stick in my ear and clicking my heels thrice.

On 11/18/2020 at 8:26 AM, ianh68 said:

I am very grateful for all the helpful replies. I hope this single post will answer all the questions raised.

 

The book does not exist as a pdf (or any other non paper version except Kindle). Amazon etc charge too much for a paperback version. There is an online service which will convert to pdf but again it is expensive. My hope is to get a cheaper deal in Bangkok (there always seems to be a Thai somewhere who can do anything for a reasonable price).

 

I have one old paperback version which I am loathe to let out of my sight or risk destruction in the scanning process. I think my best bet is to track down a second paperback at a reasonable price and go from there. It is not something stocked in the average bookshop.

 

Kindle is available but even if affordable would not be appropriate as I need to share the content with a few friends. There was a site offering a free download as pdf but on closer investigation it turned out to be a scam.

If it is availabe on kindle,  it is available in pdf or can easily be converted to pdf.

 

Unless it is remarkably obscure, it shouldnt be that dfficult to find  download and convert the kindle version using alternate sources.

 

I doubt however that purchasing this mystery tome will be any less expensive than physically scanning and saving to pdf than it would be to purchase already correctly formatted.

10 minutes ago, n00dle said:

 

Deleted double mispost

5 hours ago, sandyf said:

A bit of a definitive statement. I find it a bit hard to believe that if it has been converted for Kindle it is not available in electronic form elsewhere.

I sourced a large number of books for my niece during her time at uni and appreciate it can be a bit tedious.

Google is the obvious approach, but have you tried the torrent search engines.

There is a far better option than google or torrents, but wont share here.