PS to PDB Converter

PostScript to Palm Database PDB — free converter

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eBook Output

Transform PostScript documents into PDB — a format readable on Palm-compatible eBook applications and mobile readers.

Mobile Reading

PDB files work on Palm devices and compatible eReaders. Convert PS content for mobile consumption on the go.

Server Processing

PS to PDB conversion runs on Convertio cloud servers. No Palm development tools are needed on your computer.

How to convert PS to PDB

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

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

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

About formats

PS is the standard extension for files written in PostScript, the page description language created by Adobe Systems and first shipped in 1984 with the Apple LaserWriter. A PostScript file is a complete program that describes the precise appearance of a page — text, vector graphics, curves, fills, and even embedded raster images — using a stack-based interpreted language with full programming constructs. When sent to a PostScript-compatible printer or interpreter (such as Ghostscript), the program executes and produces rendered output. PostScript introduced cubic Bezier curves as the standard representation for smooth outlines, a mathematical model that became the foundation for virtually all subsequent vector graphics and font technology including PDF, SVG, and OpenType. The language also serves as a font format: Type 1 PostScript fonts encode glyph outlines as PostScript programs with hinting instructions for sharp rendering at low resolutions, while Type 3 fonts use the full language to define arbitrarily complex glyphs. One advantage is device independence — a PostScript file produces identical output whether rendered on a 300 dpi desktop printer, a high-resolution imagesetter, or a software rasterizer, because it describes shapes mathematically rather than as pixel grids. The human-readable text format provides another practical strength: PS files can be inspected, debugged, and modified with any text editor, and they can be generated programmatically by any software without requiring specialized libraries. PostScript files are widely handled by Ghostscript, Adobe Acrobat, preview applications, and numerous publishing and graphics tools.

Developer: Adobe Systems

Initial release: 1984

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PS to PDB?

PDB is used by Palm-compatible eBook readers. Converting PS to PDB makes PostScript content readable on Plucker, iSilo, and Palm devices.

What applications open PDB files?

PDB files open in Calibre, Plucker, iSilo, and Palm OS eBook readers. They also work with Palm device emulators.

Is PDB an eBook format?

PDB is a general Palm database container used for eBooks, documents, and data. Several eBook standards use it as a base format.

Is the conversion free?

Convertio provides free PS to PDB conversion. Premium users get higher limits and faster processing for larger documents.

Can I read PDB files on modern devices?

Calibre can convert PDB to other eBook formats. Some mobile eReader apps also support PDB files directly.

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Specific converters

PDF to PDB

FB2 to PDB

EPUB to PDB

DOCX to PDB

DOC to PDB

JPG to PDB

BIN to PDB

TXT to PDB

MOBI to PDB

PPTX to PDB

RTF to PDB

XLSX to PDB

DJVU to PDB

ODT to PDB

PNG to PDB

JPEG to PDB

HTML to PDB

XLS to PDB

HEIC to PDB

AZW3 to PDB

CSV to PDB

PPT to PDB

JFIF to PDB

BMP to PDB

XPS to PDB

TTF to PDB

GIF to PDB

WEBP to PDB

PPSX to PDB

EPS to PDB

PS to PDB Quality Rating

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