before I start, I understand that the CBZ format allows for the tagging/meta data created in CR. And that an xml file is inserted in the compressed CBZ file.

beyond that benefit, what are the pros and cons between the two formats (I understand that they are actually ZIP and RAR files rename).

As CR and ICVI users I opt for or convert books to CBZ format, but why isn't CBZ the standard?

why do scanner prefer CBR over CBZ?
Better compress?
integration into scanning or graphic editing tools?

is CR the only reader/manager that affords meta data in this way?

RAR has a slightly better compression rate than ZIP so the file sizes are slightly smaller. When downloading off the internet this is usually most desirable, but since most people have high speed now, a couple of extra megabytes doesn't really matter all that much.

I don't know of any others.

My guess was always: it's the extension.

CBR sounds nicer and could actually mean something: Comic Book Reader, Comic Book Resource.

Damn corporate marketing

One very important advantage of using cbz is that, with a little tweaking, you can get thumbnails of comic files in windows 7 (and maybe XP also). This gives browsing files with windows explorer an altogether new perspective.

I've searched for getting thumbnail support for cbr files for years (yes, read that correct, years !) and have finally given up.

So, this fact combined with added comicrack functionality makes cbz my favorite.

Moreover, the size difference between cbz & cbr is only marginal.

So then, if there truly isn't a benefit to CBR over CBZ, we need to promote it and convince publishers (and um er, scanner) to switch over.

With the popularity of eReaders and the iPad and other Tablet type devices, eComics will only gain in popularity and now is the time to start focusing this genre.

cYo, any chance there is a portable version of CR in the works? or a 'lite' version that will sync to a Full CR version?

what about a Mobile platform?

If CR can provide a full suite to cover all the needs of the Comic community then CBZ will become the defacto format.

Don't mean to hijack, but what is this tweak which allows display of thumbnails of cbz? Thanks!

Bob wrote:


Oh lord... I can not believe this...!!!!!

I've got thumbnails for cbz and cbr both !!

"CBX Shell" is a small free utiliy that provides Windows Explorer thumbnail and infotip extensions for image archives. Just type its name in google and you can download and use it easily.

I had been using cbxshell for quite a long time. Although, it also promised cbr thumbnails, I did't seem to get them, at least not on windows 7. Now, while replying to Bob's post, I just took a look over to the CBXshell site & found that they have upgraded the software to version 4.0.1.6 on February 10, 2010. I installed the new version & it now gives me great thumbnails for cbz & cbr both...

try it I say... let me know Bob if this works for you

Alternatively, if you have CDisplayEx installed, it'll thumbnail CBZs in this same manner. (I like to have it installed anyway for when I'm sorting downloads, etc, so I can just open a book real fast without having to launch ComicRack because it's a lot faster than waiting for my library to open up.)

EDIT: Actually, I'd wager a guess that there are other reader softwares that do this as well because it's not actually all that complicated, but I don't know any offhand.

Hell, why doesn't ComicRack do this? Something for down the line maybe?

simply put, I do not use the explorer to browse my library. That's why I've written ComicRack in the first place.
If you minimize ComicRack into the system tray it will open as fast from the explorer as CDisplay btw.