PDB to PCD Converter

Quick PDB to PCD conversion — done in seconds

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Data Protection Built In

Source PDB files and resulting PCD files are both deleted from servers — uploads immediately, outputs within 24 hours.

Batch Conversion

Convert multiple PDB files to PCD at once. Upload a batch and each file is processed independently — efficient and time-saving.

Server-Side Conversion

PDB to PCD conversion happens in the cloud. Your computer or phone is not burdened by any processing work whatsoever.

How to convert PDB to PCD

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

Choose pcd or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

Let the file convert and you can download your pcd file right afterwards

About formats

PDB (Palm Database) is a generic database container format created by Palm, Inc. for the Palm OS platform, first appearing with the original PalmPilot in March 1996. In the ebook context, PDB files most commonly use the PalmDOC or Plucker encoding to store readable text with basic formatting. The format consists of a 78-byte header identifying the database name, creation date, and record count, followed by a record index table and the data records themselves. PalmDOC-encoded PDB files use a simple LZ77-based compression scheme to pack plain text efficiently, while Plucker extends this with HTML rendering, image support, and hyperlink navigation. PDB ebooks powered a thriving mobile reading ecosystem years before dedicated e-readers existed — millions of Palm OS users carried entire libraries on devices like the Palm V, Tungsten, and Treo handhelds. A primary advantage is extreme simplicity: the flat record structure and minimal overhead mean PDB files parse instantly even on severely constrained hardware with limited memory and processing power. The open, well-documented structure is another strength, having spawned numerous reader applications across Palm OS, Windows, and later mobile platforms. Though the Palm platform is long discontinued, PDB ebooks remain accessible through conversion tools and readers like Calibre, and the format holds historical significance as one of the earliest practical mobile ebook solutions.

Developer: Palm, Inc.

Initial release: March 1996

PCD (Photo CD) is a proprietary image format developed by Eastman Kodak in partnership with Philips, launched in 1992 as a system for transferring 35mm film photographs to compact discs for digital viewing and printing. Each PCD file stores a single photograph at five different resolutions in a hierarchical structure called an Image Pac: Base/16 (192x128), Base/4 (384x256), Base (768x512), 4Base (1536x1024), and 16Base (3072x2048), with optional 64Base (6144x4096) on Pro Photo CD discs. Images are stored in Kodak's proprietary YCC color space (a variant of CIE Lab via the Photo YCC color model), which captures a wider gamut than sRGB, at 8 bits per component in the luminance channel and subsampled chrominance. The multi-resolution pyramid is encoded using a progressive scheme: the Base image is stored directly, and each higher resolution is stored as a residual (difference) that refines the upscaled previous level, keeping the total file size manageable. One advantage is the exceptional scan quality: Photo CD scans were performed on Kodak's professional PIW (Photo Imaging Workstation) scanners by trained operators, producing consistently excellent results from 35mm negatives and slides — often better than what contemporary consumer flatbed scanners could achieve. The multi-resolution structure is another notable feature: a single PCD file serves needs from thumbnail browsing to high-resolution printing without separate file versions. PCD files can be read by Adobe Photoshop, ImageMagick, GIMP (via plugin), IrfanView, and XnView, ensuring continued access to the millions of Photo CD images created during the format's commercial peak in the 1990s.

Developer: Eastman Kodak

Initial release: 1992

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PDB to PCD?

PDB is an obsolete Palm format. Converting to PCD provides multi-resolution photo storage and opens your content to modern viewers.

What programs open PCD files?

Use IrfanView, XnView, ImageMagick to view PCD files. The format is well-supported across desktop and mobile platforms.

What if my PDB file is corrupted?

Our system checks file integrity before converting. If the PDB file is damaged, an error message explains the problem.

Will I lose image quality converting PDB to PCD?

Your image retains its current quality level. Converting from PDB to PCD does not introduce additional degradation to the visual data.

Can I convert multiple PDB files to PCD at once?

Absolutely — queue up multiple PDB files and the converter handles each one, producing PCD outputs for all of them.

Is the PDB to PCD conversion instant?

Processing is fast — most PDB files convert to PCD within a few seconds, depending on image dimensions and server load.

Related Conversions

PDB to PDF

PDB to EPUB

PDB to MOBI

PDB to DOC

PDB to JPG

PDB to SVG

PDB to DOCX

PDB to TXT

PDB to FB2

PDB to GIF

PDB to XLS

PDB to PNG

PDB to RTF

PDB to CSV

PDB to XLSX

PDB to JPEG

PDB to DXF

PDB to PPT

PDB to PPTX

PDB to ODT

PDB to HTML

PDB to AI

PDB to PS

PDB to TIFF

PDB to PLT

PDB to AZW3

PDB to WBMP

PDB to BMP

PDB to WEBP

PDB to DDS

PDB to SNB

PDB to DOCM

PDB to PSD

PDB to JP2

PDB to LRF

PDB to PBM

PDB to RB

PDB to TCR

PDB to TGA

PDB to PCX

PDB to ICO

PDB to CUR

PDB to PGM

PDB to PPM

PDB to EXR

PDB to FAX

PDB to FTS

PDB to G3

PDB to HDR

PDB to HRZ

PDB to IPL

PDB to MAP

PDB to MNG

PDB to MTV

PDB to OTB

PDB to PAL

PDB to PALM

PDB to PAM

PDB to PCD

PDB to PCT

Specific converters

JPG to PCD

PNG to PCD

PDF to PCD

JPEG to PCD

DOCX to PCD

PSD to PCD

TXT to PCD

CSV to PCD

DOC to PCD

CDR to PCD

AI to PCD

DXF to PCD

XLSX to PCD

BMP to PCD

TIFF to PCD

HTML to PCD

SVG to PCD

EPS to PCD

PGM to PCD

HEIC to PCD

WEBP to PCD

RTF to PCD

PPTX to PCD

JFIF to PCD

CR2 to PCD

GIF to PCD

DDS to PCD

AVIF to PCD

XLS to PCD

ARW to PCD