Jon Westfall
12-04-2006, 04:00 PM
<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/westfall-spbmobiledvd.jpg" /><br /><br /><b>Product Category:</b> Entertainment Software<br /><b>Manufacturer:</b> <a href="http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/">Spb Software House</a><br /><b>Where to Buy:</b> <a href="http://www.handango.com/ampp/store/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productType=2&productId=200398">Handango</a> [Affiliate]<br /><b>Price:</b> $24.95 USD<br /><b>System Requirements:</b> Windows 98/2000/XP/Vista with sufficiently fast processor for DVD viewing / converting.<br /><br /><b>Pros:</b><br /><li>Simple operation;<li>Practical output options;<li>Speed.<br /><br /><b>Cons:</b><br /><li>Resolution limited to mobile devices;<li>Options may be too simple for power users.<br /><br /><b>Summary:</b><br />On a recent flight, I was amazed at just how many people actually were forced to (due to one reason or another) watch the horrendous in-flight entertainment. Now I'm not knocking movie previews and old sitcom reruns as entertainment, but I do think these people would have been happier with their own favorite videos playing on their PDAs. The issue, of course, is how to easily transfer your DVDs to your PDA - and using their knack for producing easy to use products with the features people want, Spb Software House offers for your consideration Spb Mobile DVD. How does this latest offering stack up to its competitors? Read on!<!><br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><span><b>Getting Started</b></span><br />It's a bit different to install Spb Mobile DVD than other Spb products simply because Mobile DVD resides only on the desktop - there is no Pocket PC component to install. Downloading the 8 MB setup file takes a few minutes (even for me at high speed - blasted satellite internet!), but once I have it on my hard drive, install was a breeze. <br /><br />Unlike other Spb Products, Spb Mobile DVD requires an activation (rather than registration) key. Upon launching Mobile DVD for the first time, the user is prompted to enter the key and the software checks it via the internet. There is also an option for offline activation. No activation key? No problem, the software will allow a 14 day trial period. After activating, the software displays an initial Wizard start screen, and upon pressing Next, asks you what you want to convert.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/westfall/spbdvd_initial_screen2.JPG" /><br /><i>Figure 1: Initial setup screen, shown just after activation & initial splash screen. </i><br /><br />The ability to convert both DVDs and files is a nice offering. Especially in this day and age of internet video options popping up left and right, I assume that many of us probably have favorite video clips we've downloaded and stored away for various purposes (I know I keep a collection that reminds me why it's bad to climb down a ladder too quickly or beat the blade of a Katana against a table too hard). Spb makes it just as easy to convert these as to convert a DVD.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/westfall/spbdvd_initial_screen.JPG" /><br /><i>Figure 2: Navigating to the movie's start screen.</i><br /><br />After selecting DVD, the user is presented with the screen above, asking them to navigate through the movie's menus to the start of the movie. The user can click straight on the screen, navigating the menu as usual.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/westfall/spbdvd_format_screen.JPG" /><br /><i>Figure 3: The format options screen.</i><br /><br />Spb Mobile DVD then prompts for what format options the user wishes to select for their file. The menu options are a bit limited, but most likely perfect for non-power users out there who just want to convert. Selecting just the defaults is fine for 90% of users out there who want to watch their movies in Windows Media Player; however, Spb has also added in an option for TCPMP users to convert into a friendlier format for their software of choice. Resolution is limited to a maximum of 640x480 (for Pocket PC's with VGA screens). Support is also present for devices with square screens.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/westfall/spbdvd_output_screen.JPG" /><br /><i>Figure 4: The output options screen.</i><br /><br />One last step before the actual conversion starts - selecting where to put said converted file! The options to copy to a memory card and to upload straight to the device are some of the things that make Spb Mobile DVD stand out. For novice users, the task of moving the file to the device may be troublesome, so having the option to upload the file straight to the device can be very welcome. Now let's get converting!<br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><span><b>Conversion: The Need For Speed</b></span><br />Spb advertises that their software converts DVDs and video files in such a way that is optimized to do the fastest possible work on both single and dual core processors. Not surprisingly, the faster the processor you have, the quicker the DVD conversion process will go. However, even on my three year old Compaq N800c laptop, the conversion process clipped along at around 1.4x time actual speed of the movie - not too shabby. The only time it got considerably slower was when I started jotting down notes for the review in Notepad, and switched around a few windows while resizing images. The speed then dropped to 0.5x the actual speed. The moral of the story - unless you have a super fast computer, DVD converting is a process best done on its own without the user attempting to do other tasks!<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/westfall/spbdvd_ripping.JPG" /><br /><i>Figure 5: Converting The DVD. </i><br /><br />Again, the converting process underscores the theme of simplicity that runs through Spb Mobile DVD. The process couldn't be easier to start, and at no time did I find any feature or menu that I felt would be confusing to Windows Mobile experts or novices alike!<br /><br /><span><b>Finishing Touches</b></span><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/westfall/spbdvd_autoplay.JPG" /><br /><i>Figure 6: Autoplay Screen. </i><br /><br />It wouldn't be a Spb release without some thoughtful touches to truly enhance the user experience. One such touch is the addition of an autoplay menu option. After a user has installed Spb Mobile DVD, an option to "Convert the DVD for Mobile Device" is added to the autoplay screen. This truly can make the whole conversion process seamless, due to the fact that Spb Mobile DVD takes a Wizard-like interface. Mimicking the wizards users are already used to in Windows allows users to easily step through the conversion process straight from disc insertion, with no program to explicitly launch.<br /><br />Spb Mobile DVD also includes WYSIWYG quality choosing and zoom mode choosing during the initial formatting options screen, which is an advantage over competitors that do not provide feedback prior to conversion. Adding in the ability to convert just parts of a movie and helpful estimation features (time remaining, estimate file size) makes Spb's offering on-par or above the features offered by its competitors.<br /><br /><span><b>Conclusions</b></span><br />Overall I've been very impressed with Spb Mobile DVD. The software takes a traditionally complex task (converting a DVD to a file playable on a mobile device) and turns it into something any novice Windows user could easily accomplish. While I would have liked to see some more advanced options (i.e. the ability to convert into other resolutions that I could play on my desktop systems), the product features all of the essentials to get new DVD converters up and running!<br /><br /><i>Jon Westfall truly does not know how to classify himself. Decision making researcher? System Administrator? Editor & Reviewer? Maybe all of those. To find out more than you want to know, you can visit <a href="http://www.jonwestfall.com">JonWestfall.Com</a> or just watch for his frequent news posts here at Pocket PC Thoughts!</i>