Spb Software House has released Spb Mobile DVD, a PC application to enables users to convert DVDs and video files to formats compatible with Windows Mobile PDAs and Pocket PC phones.

To effectively run videos on a mobile device files must be converted and compressed. In order to get a usable transfer when porting videos, however, you need to determine the proper balance between file size and quality: too small the converted file, the poorer the result, for example.

Spb Mobile DVD is supposed to be an improvement over other video conversion solutions because Spb Software House claims it does so faster - for instance, a 2 hour movie in only 20 minutes - and it integrates a unique real-time preview feature.

With a preview, users can see the results of a conversion on the PC - what the video will end up looking like on a Pocket PC - before it starts. This saves time by helping you decide the correct balance between video quality and file size beforehand. No more going back to convert a movie again and again because of unsatisfying results.

The end result can be in either the WMV or XVID video format. WMV is compatible with all Pocket PCs out of the box, while XVID, which requires users load a separate player, promises better-quality and smaller video files.

With Spb Mobile DVD, users can also select language and subtitles from a DVD menu, covert part or all of movie, and alter zoom and crop modes for best viewing on a handheld with any screen resolution. It is also possible to optimize bit rates for slower Pocket PCs.

Spb Mobile DVD sells for $24.95 and is available in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Czech, Polish, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese