Ebooks and comics (Beta)
Silo is in active development before 1.0. These guides are updated frequently.
| Client | Current access |
|---|---|
| Web | Book details, reader, reader settings, bookmarks, and progress |
| Android phone and tablet | Reading libraries, reader, bookmarks, reader settings, and downloads |
| iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV | No reader |
| Android TV | No reading libraries or reader |
A book can show up in search on a device that has no reader for it.
Create an ebook library
Section titled “Create an ebook library”As an administrator, open Admin > Libraries, choose Add Library, and select Ebooks. Give it a name and a container-visible folder, for example:
/mnt/media/books/ebooksEbooks use the same MEDIA_ROOT mount as every other library type. The
example assumes your host media folder contains books/ebooks; use the
matching path inside the container for your own layout.
Save and scan, then open a book to see its title and cover. A configured metadata provider can fill in missing details.
Files and reader limits
Section titled “Files and reader limits”| Format | Web reader | Android phone and tablet |
|---|---|---|
| EPUB | In-app text reader | In-app text reader |
| In-app fixed pages | In-app fixed pages | |
| FB2, FBZ, FB2.ZIP | In-app text reader | In-app text reader |
| CBZ | In-app comic pages | In-app comic pages |
| MOBI, AZW, AZW3 | Reader includes native parsing; server conversion may also be used | In-app reading requires server-advertised EPUB conversion; otherwise use an external reader |
| CBR | Reader includes RAR comic parsing | Download the original for an external reader |
Silo does not remove DRM, and conversion fails on protected or damaged files. Keep the original files.
Read in the web app
Section titled “Read in the web app”- Open the library and select a book.
- Choose Read or Continue. If the book has several files, pick the format you want to open.
- Open Contents, Search, Notes, or Settings from the reader controls. Settings include theme and text options; fixed pages do not use every text setting. Use Add bookmark to save a location.
- Reading progress is saved to the active profile.
Read on an Android phone or tablet
Section titled “Read on an Android phone or tablet”- Open Libraries and choose a reading library, then a book.
- Select its reading action. When only an original-file download is offered, use a compatible external reader instead.
- Tap the page to show controls. Sections opens the contents; Add bookmark saves a location and Bookmarks reopens it.
- Open Reader settings for the theme and the display options supported by that format. PDF and comic pages do not use every text setting.
Downloads and progress
Section titled “Downloads and progress”The server decides who can download. On an Android phone or tablet, open finished downloads from Downloads. Original CBR and Kindle downloads may need another app, even when the server can convert a streamed copy. External readers keep their own reading position and don’t update Silo’s progress or bookmarks.
To continue on another device, use the same Silo profile and open the same file.
Manga and comics
Section titled “Manga and comics”Comic files use the image-page reader. The server also has a Manga library type with manga-specific details, but browsing and metadata differ between apps. Try a few CBZ files first to see how volumes are ordered and whether right-to-left reading works for you.